Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1905-04-22
The State Legislature.
Lansing, April 10, 1905.

Tar, was IOngnt In the mouse l1sU we'd
nesday when the Double Ivory primary
bill reported from the elections com.
mlttee came up as the special order
for consideration in committee Of he
whole. The popular interest in the
issue was manifested bv such crowded
galleries and areas as have not been
had before. The entire session was
given TO the subject, the debate being
upon the motion OF Mr.. Dickinson of
Eaton county, a memb Der of the cleo
ti0ns committee, 10 substitute his bill
for that reported by the committee.
More than twenty speeches were made.
for and against the proposition. aud
the discussion became so earnest that
SONS members claimed attention not
less than three times. The debate
was conducted for the most part with
dignity and good temper, though two
or THREE gentlemen might be accus, d
of speaking unadvisedly with their
lips when they charged the admins
tration with interfering with the leg
islative prerogati,e. The consttut-
ion makes the governor the advisor of
the legisla' ure, and if he or any OF bis
officers have given advise to memb RI
upon this or any other question. it was
an altogether suitable thing for them
TO do; what all administrations have
always done; and what all Legislators
usually desire that they shall do.
The debate closed about half past
six O'Clock when vOciferous cries de-
manded a vote. The result was a
surprise To the supporters Of the com
mittee report, showing forty-seven 90
forty-three for accepting the Dickin-
son substitute. The committee hen
rose and the question was taken IN
the house upon accept Ing The cOuclu
sion of the committee Of the whole.
and yea and nay vote placed the
substitute bill upon the order Of third
reading by fifty three to forty -two,
and the house adjourned at seyen
U'cock.
1t was well understood that this did
not end the struggle. There was the
ordeal Of consideration in the house,
and then in the senate, with efforts to
amend or to substitute at every step.
and no man could foresee the result
But in the interval before the asssmbl-
ing Thursday afternoon. an agreement
was reached through mutual concess-
ion and compromise, by which it was
hoped united support might be SO
cured for measure which should
reasonably satisfy all views and assure
what all desired. reasonable, work
able primary reform law According
ly, upon reaesembling the house prom
ptl took up the subject anew, recon
sidered the vote of the previous SEES
sion, and went toto commit e again
upon the Doube-Ivory bill. The com
nittee rtcunsidered is action and
adopted an amendment incOrpOra ing
into the bill The Dickinson provision
for party nominations for governor and
lieutenant governor by direct ba lot at
the option Of the several parties in he
state, as Ghe dill already provided for
such nominations for congressman
and Legislators at the option of the
parties ia the districts, and for county
officers at the option OF the parties in
the counties. The bill so amended
was then passed in the house with but
one dissenting vote, and the popular
title was amended so that IL should be
called Tue Doubled Ivory Dickinson
bill, and as such it went to the
senate.
In the upper house the new bill
meets the Baird bill, which is copy
of the original Double-lvory bill with
a small addition OF ten lines: and the
truce under which the bill sailed SO
smoothly through the house gives as
surance that the mod ticatiOn TO which
the house has SO unanimously agreed
will be acceptable TO the senate with
the possible addition which the Baird
bill presents, and which IL is unlikely
would provoke objection in the house.
That is q provision that delegates TO
conventions of any party shall be APP
portloned upon the party vote, instead
of upon the total vote AS present.
Delegations from counties to the state
convention, from towns to the county
convention. from wards to the city
con, eDtiOn. would be given votes in
their conventions relatively to the
strength Of their constituencies, and
not TO their weakness. The county
with two thousand republican votes,
able TO give thousand majority TO the
republican ticket. would not be- out
voted In the making OF that ticket by
a county with only five hundred repub-
lican votes and no republican majority
at all, on the strength Of its polling
fbroa thouoapd domocrot votos 90