Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-05
ONLY ONE BALLOT
System Suggested for Local
Democrats.
NEWREGISTRATIONLAW
PRIMARY ELECTIONS CoMMIs-
SION GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.
Local Factions No Longer at War
Rulings Of McGraw's Subcommittee
Serious Handicap.
NEWREGISTRATIONLAW

q Serious Handicap.
| Another peaceful day has marked the
| progress of local democratic politics. and
| If the statements of factonal leaders are
any criterion, the democrats have relegated
| their internal political strife to a permar
| nent oblivion, at least so far as the APP
| preaching primaries are concerned. Inter.
views today with Hearst and anti-Hearst
leaders and the members of the primary
elections commission. established the fact
| that everybody is happy and content to do
| the best he can under the circumstances.
Their respective forces are TO be mar
| shaled the issues OF the clmpaign defined
and their efforts directed to effect.ng the
| election of delegates to the national DEM
ocratic convention, instructed for the IA.
vorite candidate for President of the
| United States
The primary elections comm ssion, OF
which Mr. Edwin Seton is chairman, held
meeting late yesterday afternoon at the
headquarters of the commission in the Cot
| orado building, during the course OF which
the proposed rules and regula tons to be
promulgated by this commission w are dis
| cussed. While the commission reached
only tentative dec sion yesterday, II may
| be said on the best authority that II de-
termined the democratic vo:es for delegates
| shall be east on one ballot. or rather that
| all the tickets placed In the field shall be
| printed on one ballot, inste d of a separate
ballot for each ticket. the system prevail
| ing formerly.
!! Method of Registration
| Another new departure and one In which
all local democrats will be greatly Interest,"
ed, concerns the method of registration.
The rules will specify that every voter shall
register his name and address at the polls
at the same time he casts his vote for deie-
gate. 1t is believed by the members of the
primary elections commission that this
scheme will insure honesty ard fairness to
all factions at interest. As STATED in The
Star yesterday. 1t has been decided definite.
ly to allow three judges in each of the
twenty-five legislative districts and az
these officers will be appointed, first. for
their honesty, and. second, with reference
to their political affiliations, both the Hearst
and the anti-Hearst forces are happy. This
decision allowing three judges did not take
the wind out of the Hearst forces. an has
been published because the Hearst follow
ers agreed three days ago to accept three
judges, provided their candidate be given
fair representation. The allowance of three
was rather concession on the part Of the
members of the commission than back
down by the Hearst supporters. -s..,
The Hearst Workingmens Democratic
Club has arranged for a meeting to be held
tonight at Maccabees' Temple, 9th street
northwest between and F streets, when
campaign issues viii be discussed and ad.
dresses made by men prominent In local
and national politics.
1t was learned today that because of the
rulings of the Mciraw subcommittee the
local primary elections commission is se-
riously handicapped. There are two gen.
eral propositions which the commission
would like to have Incorporated in its rules,
which will be submitted for formal APP
pr oval tomorrow 9fternoon at 3 O'Clock at q
meeting to be held in the parlors of the
Shoreham. Half an hours executive ses-
sion will be held, and then the doors will be
thrown open to the public.
These two general propositions or rules
are precluded by the rulings of the Nc
Graw subcommittee. and. although the
commission does not now desire to have It's
authority extended, the delegates In con-
vention will be asked to guide themselves
accordingly.
The National Committeeman
The first proposition is with reference to
the selection of a democratic national COM
mitteeman from the District of Columbia.
The commission is unanimously of the
opinion that the person to be selected for
this representative office ought TO be indi-
Gated by the local convention; that the
selection ought to be left optional TO the slx
delegates elected for the national conven-
ton 1t is suggested that to effect this re-
suit the District convention ought to in
struct its delegates to present the name OF
some specified person to the national con-
vention, for his election by that BODY 40
the member of the national democratic
committee from the District of Columbia
As the national committeeman Is sup
posed to represent the entire democracy
of the District of Columbia; the eommis.
sion believes that this man should come as
near as possible to representing at least
the majority of the democrats OF the DIS
trict 1t is the opinion OF the commission
that this can be best attained by having
the siyty-six delegates from the twenty-five
legislative districts instruct for particular
individual as national committeeman. Inc
six delegates to the national convention arc
only elected for the purpose of representing
the democracy of the District OF Columbia
In the proceedings of the national conven-
ton and the commission says the power
should not be left with these SIX men 70
s1Iact - national committeeman, who 10
sunposed to represent the entire local
democracy. II the commission couid nave
its way it would demand TINS proceuure, ous
as n is powerless IL will leave the voters
10 aecn,e which course they prefer to par-
sue.
The Central Committe.
The other general proposition over which
,ho commission has no control. but where
~ would like to make a new departure, ID
an the selection of the democratic central
committee of the District At present there
ara two central committees, one known as
the Norris central committee and the other
nc ,he contesting or Hearst central COM
mittee. According to the present system.
this committee (there can be only one) Is
selected by the three delegates from eacn
of the twenty-five legislative districts. ana
these men must select one OF tAeir luhoet
from each district. The members OF the
commission would like to see these three
district delegates exercise broader Juris-
diction selecting as their memDer OF tne
local central committee any good democrat
in the district regardless of whether or not
he is one of the three district delegateA
Tbis the commission believes would make
the central committee more representative
and consequently more influential, but It's
hands are tied by the rules of the McGraw
subcommittee and this. like the other prop
osition viii be left TO the voters TO act az
they think best
The commission decided to ask for bios
On polling places. Economy will be prac-
iced so far as possible. and the best terms
obtainable in renting vacant stores for ball
loting will be sought
Delegates and alternates to the 81
I.ouis convention will be taxed, and