The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-12-29
Explains HIS Position to Changers.

dress ~ VAion no oAPioinou LIS aCIioH
concerning the primary law passed by
the last legislature. He said:
"You will all remember that the plat
form upon which was candidate for
governor last year required that the
party voter should have right to de-
eide in every district within the state.
the question of how party nominations
should be made. The agitation for
direct nominations in Michigan had
conferred around the Office of governor
and lieutenant governor. This system
of nominating these two officers had
been thoroughly discussed in at least
two Republican state conventions, but
no demand had ever been made by
either of the conventions for it.
81 realize, however, that there was a
strong sentiment and desire among the
people generally for the nomination of
these two officers by direct vote, and
when the legislature met, although
there was great diversity of opinion.
found large number who desired that
the bill should give the people chance
to decide whether, or not nominations
for these two offices should be so made.
A large number of bills were intro
duced in the legislature and no doubt in
this state, as in others where this ques-
ton has been taken up and discussed by
the people and the legislature, it was
found very difficult for any great
number to arrive at the same conclusion
as to what was best along this line.
81 have noticed within the last few
days that one of the main reasons of the
governor of Wisconsin in calling for a
special session, was to amend the pro-
visions of the law which was passed a
year ago by the legislature of this state
"A law to which Governor LaFollette
had given much time and attention,
which he approved and which had been
considered by the different legislatures
in Wisconsin for the past six years.
. !'This shows plainly a fact which we
all know, that no law on such an impor-
tant subject as this can at first be made
perfect, but must be perfected after ex-
perience with its operation has been
had. In looking over the message of
Governor LaFollette, find that one of
the main objections to the law was that
it allowed minority nominations, and
he, thought chat some system should be
provided by which majority Of the
people would have their will expressed
before nomination could be made by
direct vote, and the fact that the law
was passed in that state allowing q
plurality of any size to make a nomina-
tion for a state Office, no matter how
small, was very Objectionable and
should be remedied.
81 am.informed that one of the prom
inent grangers of the state was quoted
in one Of the newspapers the other day,
as saying that he thought that should
have vetoed the primary election law.
OF course, that would have resulted
in no lawyst all.
II do not believe that you'or any
other fair-minded citizens Of this state
desired that action on my. part. You
might as we'll state that it would have
been far better for Governor Luce to
have vetoed the first Australian ballot
law, because it was not perfect. We all
, know that that law as it was passed
was very crude, and that nearly every
succeeding legislature up to the present
time has made important changes in it,
ahd'if the law had been vetoed on the
ground that it did not suit all of the
people of the state, or that it was not
perfect, as at first enacted, we would
have been under the old system of
voting today.
81 look at the primary election law in
the same way. Whatever changes,
whatever improvements, are found
[. necessary after fair trial, they should
certainly be made, but do not believe
it would have been best to have delayed
passing the bill.
II believe that the large majority of
you and of the people generally will be
more than willing to give this law, as
they do any other, fair trial, People,
as you know, honestly differ how far
we should go in respect to changing the
system of making party nominations,
but what is true of party nominations 1
understand is equally true even in our
own organization. 1 understand that
the question has been agitated by some
of your members that the election of
the officers of the state grange should
be made by direct vote of the members
taken in the different oranges through
ont the state rather than continuing
the delegate system in vogue for many
years. viz, electipg your state officers
by delegates sent from the various
county grange conventions of the state.
But it seems that the majority of you
think best to continue the election of
your officers by the old system, rather
than adopt this radical change.
"From the information 1 have been
able To get. and if am not correct in