The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-02
PRIMARY ELECTION
BILL VENTILATED
Joint Committee Criticises
Measure and Refers 1t Back
to Be Redrafted

The first bill designed to extend the
primary election law to state officers
made its appearance before the joint
committee on elections yesterday aft
ernoon. The discussion that ensued
developed some perplexing questions
and resulted in re-referring the meas
ure to subcommittee to be redrafted.
Senator Cole, chairman of the senate
committee on elections, presided, and
Senator Laybourn, of the subcommit-
tee. brought forth the bill. 1t provides
IN substance:
That each political party shall hold a
stare convention prior to the primary cleo
ton and that the candidates of the party
Tor election to state offices may present
their names TO such convention. One ballot
and one only snail be taken for each Of
nee, and the three men receiving the most
votes for each Office shall be declared the
partyS nominees for that office and re-
celve certificates to that effect 1t shall
then be the duty of the person receiving
such certificate to file il with the secretary
OF state, accompanied by a deposit of $50
at least forty days prior to the holding of
entitle such person to have his name
placed upon the primary ballot of his po-
ntical party.
Filling of Vacancies
Vacancies occurring after the holding OF
such conventions shall not be filed ex-
cept when no candidate for nomination for
an Office remains, and in such event the
state central committee of the party TO
which such candidate belonged may fill
such vacancy and shall make and deliver
10 the secretary of state a certificate to
such effect. signed by its Chairman or
other presiding officer and its secretary.
or either, and the name so certified shall
be placed on the primary ballot as pro-
NO nominations for such state officers
shall be made except in the manner here
IN provided. but nothing herein shall pre-
vent the nomination of independent can
dldates by petition or certificate of voters
as provided by law; provided however
that an unsuccessful candidate at such
ceeding such convention shall not be ELI
glbie as an independent candidate for the
same office.
Senator Laybourn had scarcely be-
gun to explain the bill before he was
besieged with questions indicating OBJ
jeotions to the measure
Referring TO the provision in section
of the bill which specifies that the
three candidates receiving the most
votes for any office must receive the
votes of not less than 10 per cent OF
the total number of delegates. Sen
ator Laybourn explained that this was
deemed reasonable, inasmuch as any
less than 10 per cent of the vote of the
convention would be merely a scatter
ing vote, not emitting a man to be the
candidate of his party for governor.
Senator Dunn also spoke in favor of
the bill, but Representatives Wyman,
Selb. w. 1. Nolan, Gates and Peter
son proceeded to pick it to pieces. Rep
resentative Selb declared:
Under this bill ii would be impos-
sible for a man to become the candi-
date of his party for state office un-
less he went before the convention.
You can't arbitrarily limit the number
of candidates to go before the people"
THE bill would be a cumbersome
law" asserted Representative Nolan.
1T would allow the party to say how
many men shall go before the people
for nomination"
Here you have a restriction" CHM
ed in Representative -Wyman. You
place limitation on the franchise OF
the people"
Calls 1t Cumbersome
In vain did Senator'S Laybourn and
Dunn insist that the nomination of its
candidates was purely a party or a
family matter. Representative Gates
thought the bill was cumbersome, very
expensive and would keep a man in
politics all the year.
Representative Dorsey said: "The
bill doesn't provide for referendum
Like prohibition, it doesn't prohibit.
The bosses might dictate the nominal
TONS"
Senator Dunn contended that the
bill gave the minority candidate a
chance before the people. To make it
more liberal the senator moved an
amendment making three candidates
eligible, IL the lowest of the three re-
ceived only 5 per cent of the votes of
the delegates. This prevailed.
Senator Laybourn moved that the
Dill as amended be recommended to
pass, as It was a good thing ana
would tell a man where he stood with
his party.
Thereupon more flaws in the meas
ure were unearthed
Senator Peachey called attention to
the omission to make specific provision
for nomination of justices of the SUI
preme court. If three justices were to
be elected, and nine men were selected
as candidates at~the primary, some of
the best timber might be defeated on
the first ballot and be unable to go be-
fore the convention on the second
ballot
Senator Rieke noted the fact that no
provision was made for tie votes in
the convention.
wei, dress up the bill, and although
1 was in favor Of it at first, I'll oppose
it." declared Senator Cole.
On motion of Senator Rieke the bill
was rereferred to the subcommittee
with instructions to redraft it along
the lines indicated. The motion pre-
vailed.
The subcommittee comprises Sena-
tors Laybourn, Dunn and Cole and
Representatives w. 1. Nolan and Pc
terson.