The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-21
Neutrality-suspicious.
THE PRIMARIES TANGLE.

Il.
Purely partisan influences, ever keen to attack
Democratic men and methods in the despicable
spirit of slandcrous untruthfuness have hit upon
new point. 1t is one of which the Globe Democra
makes much. and out of which charges of con
spiracy TO steal the coming primary election have
grown.
But it is simply an unfortunate complication OF
law which may be overcome and which argues any
thing but recent conspiracy. Responsibility for
this admittedly serious difficulty must be borne by
the members of the last General Assembly, Re
publicans and Democrats alike.
The trouble involves the primary registration
lists. In 1901 primary election law was enacted.
Its provisions required that citizen, be properly
qualified for primary purposes. must first have been
registered as an elector Last winter the Legs
lature substituted for the Nesbit law-of 1S99-an
entirely new bill, which provides very different
system of registration. Under this law no new
registration whatever can take place until the
seventh week preceding a general or State election.
casual study of these facts makes plain the
dilemma now confronting the Board of Election
Commissioners. The new election law has no pro-
vision for primaries and yet in specifying precinct
instead of central registration in repeating all
previous conflicting acts its effect is to abrogate
registration lists now existing. But that would
leave the city without power to hold election
til it shall have been redistricted and regis
tration made In accordance with the law The
primary law of 1901 continues in effect though. as
said. it makes primary dependent upon election
registration. Such is the tangle
II registration legally take place only seven
weeks prior to the election in November what ar
rangement shall be made for primaries which must
he held before the conventions:
Members Of the board have expressed an opinion
that the only practicable course is to use the old
primary registration lists. This is not final ruling
but leaning, and one that seems logical. Unless
some other Interpretation be found for the apparent
ly plain wording Of the statutes involved unless
good precedent be suggested warrantng different
procedure the old lists will be used That injustice
will follow is certain since it means that citizens
now unregistered for primary purposes cannot
But the situation is due simply and solely to the
careessness Of the legislators who failed to
the ENHANCEMENT.
Relevant portions of the respective statutes are
sections and of the primary election law OF
l"ol and section 10 of the election law Of 1903.
The pertinent sentences follows:
Primary Law-Sec 5. When an elector
shall have been registered as qualified
voter in any precinct in such city lover
100000 In populaton) . his name ard
residence address shall be entered at the
proper place b the Election Commits
sioners. or judges at precinct registration,
in the two original primary books for that
precinct.
Sec. G. No elector shall be permitted to
vote at any primary election unless he be
registered voter in the precinct at the
time he offers to vote. and at the time
actually resides in such precinct at the
number designated in his registration.
Election Law-Sec. 10. = There
shall be four days for registration.
follows: Monday, Tuesday. Wednesday
and Thursday of the seventh week prior
to election. . . registration
shall be made in every year in which
presidential election occurs and just prior
thereto
Before his name may he entered upon the pri-
mary books. the applicant must be qualified voter.
And he cannot become technically a qualified voter
In st. Louis according to the law, until seven