The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-01
The PRIMARY
In WISCONSIN
ELABORATE SCHEME TO BE TRIED
IN SEPTEMBER, 1906.
Both Halfbreeds and stalwarts Were
Fooled in the Way the Measure Fin
ally Become Law-The Plan Not at
ALI Like Minnesota's.
From q Staff Correspondent.

AL Like M1nnesota's.
From Staff Correspondent.
Madison, Wis, Feb. 1.-Wisconsin
primary. election with fear and trem-
bling. The direct primary law, which
the people adopted in November, is the
most sweeping thing of the kind ever
tried in America. In fact, the men
who f f%aa flor for the primary law got
halfbreeds' who made the primary
law their issue, and even more on the
.stalwarts'' who blocked it SO long.
The assembly .i at the 1908 session was
was "s IS s The The apostles of pri-
and were doubtful Of getting anything
and passed it in the assembly, applying
the direct primary to all state officers
and to United States senators, as well as
to congressman, members Of the legisla-
consider this bill as the basis for COM
promise with the. senate, which was ex-
pected to emasculate the measure.
The stalwart' senators had an in
spiration. They believed that the
primary law advocates had overreached
| themselves, anu ueClueu " give CHeHl dl!
the bill intact, with a referendum clause
general election. They did not think
the voters would stand for such a
sweeping change. In this the stall
warts - were fooled, for the people ap-
prsved the act BY large majority on
ing the law will succeed, but most Of
them are inclined to think it will have
to be amended after the first trial. They
are afraid it will be too cumbersome
when applied to state officers and that
the vote W be fspt tbp. By rite
lions of the state, resulting in minority
nominations. For instance, when it
comes to select successor to Senator
John G. Spooner in 1908, the Spooner
men might split up the strength Of the
La Toilette forces by bringing up local
candidates. in the La Toilette districts,
candidate, whoever he may be.
Speaker Lenroot, Of the assembly, is
inclined to think that the direct pri'
mary act can be amended to provide
| against this. He would change the law
so that each voter would vote for a
} first and a second choice. Then if nc
choice votes, the second choice votes
would be added in, and the nomination
given to the man with the largest total
This would take care Of the contingency
, spoken Of, because the men who voted
for a local man as first choice would
vote for either Spooner or the La Fol
, lette man as second choice.
Gist of Wisconsin Law.
3 The Wisconsin law is not patterned
8 after Minnesota's at all, but has some
: resemblance to the one tried in Henne
s pin county at the 1900 election.
1t applies to all elective officers with
: ent, judicial officers and town.. village
l and school district officers. Police jus
: tees and justices of the peace in cities
0 are brought under the law, but the su
Q ,preme and circuit courts are excepted
) Erhe primary is held on the first Tuesday
Tof September. To get on the prlmar.
t ballot the candidate must file petition
8 thirty DAYS in advance of the primary
r Candidates for state office must hav
f signatures of per cent of the part.
vote, and they must have this proportion
i of the vote in at least six counties
Candidates for congress must have
0 per cent of the party votes, and mus
l. have this proportion on petitions from
b one-tenth Of the election precincts in a
/ least one-half Of the counties. Cand1
Q dates in smaller territory must hav
d 3 per cent Of the votes, and in
least one-sixth of the election districts
k No fee is required for filing. Tn
:, names Of candidates of each party ar
d printed on separate ballot, in alpha
o betical order, and not rotated. Cand
dates may file as non-partizan, in who
l. case there will be a non-partlzan PABLO
The voter receives one ballot of eac
:, party. He will mark one ballot an
t. fold it separately, to be deposited in tn
hallotbox. The other ballots, folded
will 90 into the blank ballotbox.
Registrations will be made o
primary election day, and also the MOI
day preceding.
q At the primary the voters of eac
u party select three committeeman II
each precinct, writing in the name
The chairman Of each precinct comm
&c committee, and also of the assembly di
e trict committee. The chairman OF eac
l., assembly district committee is men
e Der of the senatorial district COMMITTEE
and the chairmen Of the senatorial dl
n trict committees are members OF tt
IN congressional committee. At meeting
Is of the city, county or assembly dlstrl
vote for every fifty votes, or major ira
ton thereof. cast by his party In tt
Oh precinct at the last general election.
at The state committee is selected
T. meeting of the nominees for sta
1t office and for the legislature, held {
40 the fourth Tuesday of September. T.
will consist of two members or mo
- from each congressional district. tt
candidates at this meeting are also
adopt the platform Of the party.
This machinery, for choosing comm
tees will have its first trial year fro
next September. It has been tried
n a limited extent in Hennepin count
!. Minnesota, but it is brand new q
\ vice for Wisconsin, and it causes t.
politicians to wonder and tremble.
,e - Charles B. Cheney.