Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/81

 THE TIME ELEMENT IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS 67

FIFTH SUB-SCHEDULE.

Throughout the union ; for choice only of county officers, quadrennial and biennial in tenure, and of city officers, both quad- rennial and biennial in tenure, in cities of twenty thousand inhabit- ants and over, 1903.

(i) Primaries, third Tuesday in March, 1901.

(2) County, city, and ward conventions, third Wednesday in March, 1901.

(3) Election, first Tuesday in May, 1901.

SIXTH SUB-SCHEDULE.

Throughout the union ; for choice only of state officers, biennial in tenure, 1903.

(1) Primaries, first Tuesday in July, 1901.

(2) County conventions, first Wednesday or Thursday in July, 1 90 1.

(3) State and legislative district conventions, second Tues- day in July, 1901.

(4) Election, first Tuesday in November, 1901.

The objections to such a program readily occur. It is novel and radical. Local customs and laws, differences of climate, and other diversities argue against a rigid prescription of time uni- formity, exact to the day and throughout the union, for the primaries, conventions, and elections of innumerable counties and cities. So of the election of state officers with one schedule of dates for forty-five distinct campaigns. The election laws of some states proclaim an objection by prohibiting any two parties from holding their primaries on the same day. The only argu- ment advanced for this provision would seem to be that it pre- vents a clash between rival organizations meeting at the same time. Perhaps as clear and forceful an objection as any is the expense and the extra time incident to separate chains of action for the three grades. The bill for printing, rent, and election officers must be greater, and the voters must go to the polls oftener. The constitution of the United States also stands in the way of a complete realization. Authority to fix the times for the choice