Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-05-16
'LaFolIette Vetoes
Refuses to Sign Hagemeister
Primary Bill
And Gives Good Reasons for
His Action.
StalWarts Fail to Pass Bill Over
the Veto.

dcusslon sustained, II
of passing the bill Notwithstanding the objections of the
governor and II against As requires twohirds vote to
defeat the veto sustained There four abentees
Following is the message in full
| To the Honorable, the Senate
herewith return without approval bill No. 49, originating
the senate entitled IAN relating nominations of comfy
officers by direct Vote
The history of the effort primary election law in
this ae the character of the opposition and the means en-
d to defeat it demand permanent place in the legislative
of this session 1t therefore from controlling sense
obligation that submit the following connection with
nterposng executive veto to prevent
this bill from becoming law.
More than four ago the for nominations by d
vote of the people began in this The principle was
then clearly defined The plan under which it could be accom-
phed then fully presented More than that the founda
and framework for primary election law time
forth and SUBMITTED to the people OF this follows
Substitute for both the and the convention primary
election held under all the sanctions of law which prevail at
general elections, where the citizen may his directly
nominate the candidates of the party with which he aiae
and have it canvassed and returned as he cast it,
Provide of placing the candidates in nomination be-
fore the primary and foresa the creation of caucus
system back of the primary election.
Provide ballot for the primary election and print on the
of all candidates for nomination who have previously
filed preliminary nomination papers with designated official
Provide that candidate for nomination shall have his
printed the primary election ticket who shall have
been called candidate by the written request given
percentage of the vote cast at the preceding election in the dis
r county in which he proposed candidate
the manner that judicial candidates called in
I many states
Provde for the selection of committee to represent the
party organization and promugate the party platform by the
election at the primary of representative from the party
for each county in the state.
Under penalties for violations of the law prohibit
econeering in about the election BOOTH punish bribery
the attempt to bb and protect fully the and
Of the votes cast"
Excepting the Of making the platform, which
not the this presents fairly all the essential provisions
Of the primary election bill originally introduced at this
sion 1t would be difficult indeed to cite another instance in
q
mental Importance in government fully and clearly
outlined and more generally discussed long in advance No
haste was anywhere shown to legislation Whatever
done solely with the view of stimulating thought and agu
mnt of the upon its merits From platform and pull
pit before agricultural societies. good government clubs po
ca clubs debating societies. in the schoohouses and public
halls wherever gathered together the dangers which
threaten representative discussed the
plainly traced the selection of candidates by the BOSSES the
vital Importance of election by the people by direct vote and
the necessary provisions of primary law fully and fairly
presented The press of the state almost without exception
gave the subject editorial treatment from time time while
the leading periodicals and magazines of the country, widely
read by people, devoted much space its considerations
hundreds of thousands of pamphlets and addresses presenting
every phase Of the issue and meeting the arguments and obec
lions Of the opposition distributed throughout the state
The entire thoroughly well understood Indeed
plainly the provisions of the primary election bill out
med fully the principle and its application discussed
mpacay approved by the of Wisconsin in the last
election that the defeat of the bill plain violation of the
principle upon which is based government of the people, by
he rcope and for the people" 1t overwhelmingly
proved by the because they everywhere ready for IT,
he machine had prepared the way Not county,
ry but had its boss and who in had his higher
n m the feudal which then controlled the
wealth. State officers ard members Of the legislature
amo by less than half dozen gentlemen equal in authority
soutclv their pleasure Such the Of security
@ nopposed power inspires that nominations settled
months in advance Of conventions called merely m
- fv the same In conventions DELEGATES hhed
" rav their constituents by who had held high official
'2 So brazen and reckless did their become in
g decent who spurned their offers that rood citi
Representative
government being practically undermined The
The candidates Of the hnt of the machine The off
longer the servant of the people but the ahect tool
o who bought the nomination and owned the official
ho careen had from time to time manifested their
launching erislation and their evil work found TODAY in
statutes affecting adversely the interests of every citizen
. n fAc state
ra remedy pronoeedhe nomination Of al candidates bv
" vote Of the zenwent straight to the heart of the tron
brought the business of choosing candidates back 70 the
" principle Of pure democratic government It eliminated