The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-22
Proposes Different Primary
Days for the Several Par
ties and Return to Con-
vention System for Nomi-
nation of Congressional
and Judicial Candidates.

Separate primary elections held un-
der the auspices of the party organiza-
tions Of the several political associa-
tions, which in broad way is a return
to the caucus system Of nominating
candidates, is proposed, by q primary
election bill introduced in the house
yesterday by Representative Shepard,
of Hennepin.
The author of the bill says its prime
object is the preservation of party
control of its own nominations, by
shutting out from its primaries mem
bers of other parties, which two trials
has demonstrated is not done by the
present law, the declaration of party
Rff1liation clause to the contrary not
Mithstanding.
The bill is so drawn that, If enacted,
Judges Of the district court outside of
Ramsey and Hennepin counties and
candidates for congress other than in
the Fifth district, which includes only
one county, will not be nominated
through the primary system and re-
turn to the convention system will re-
suit.
Separate Party Primaries.
The measure is designed. according
tion of city and county officers. Pri-
mary elections are to be held on the
first Tuesday after the first registrar
tion day and daily thereafter, until all
parties have nominated their candi-
dates. No two parties may hold their
primaries on the same day and the
party casting the largest vote for gov
ernor at the next preceding election
hn frcf Of f6o dot 10 1on
assigned by the county auditors at
least thirty days before the first pri-
mary.
The other parties are to hold their
primaries on successive days in the
order corresponding to their relative
strength as shown by the vote for gov
ernor. All parties present and per-
spective, are given a chance for rec
ognition as party organizations and
petition signed by not less than 100
persons shall entitle the signers to a
party primary date.
With the fixing of the primary dates
the governmental supervision of the
nominating primaries ceases and the
party organizations take up the duties
now conferred on county auditors and
city clerks. Candidates for nomina-
tions are to file their names with the
central committees and payment of a
fee of $5 entities them to place on the
primary ticket, the form of which is
substantially that Of the present pri-
mary ticket.
The Committee in Control.
The central committee is charged
with preparing and furnishing the
tickets, receiving the canvass of the
vote and the management of the pri-
maries which may be held at the reg
ular polling places or other suitable
places favorably located for the accom-
mediation of the voters. The primaries
may be held at any time between the
hours of 6 a. m. and p. m. with the
single condition that they must be
opened not later than 3 o'clock In the
afternoon.
The Judges of election are to be
chosen by the electors at meetings
called and advertised by the central
committees. The duties prescribed for
the judges are the same as under the
present primary law, except that their
returns are made to the central COM
mittee which shall appoint a canvass
ing body of not less than three nor
more than five members. The canvass
must be completed within five days
after the election and the persons
shown by such canvass to have re-
ceived the highest number of votes,
shall be returned by the central COM
mittee to the county auditor as the
party nominees for the several offices.