The Dickinson press., 1905-02-25
OUR PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.

lux pHIMAWv klECuuVN LAW.
Representative Pheian Writes Interesting
Iyof the New Law and Teais frsakly
Where Ne Stands.
Editor of the PREsS:-When Senate
Bill 88, after passing the senate, came
to The House, and its friends attempted
to force it through regardless Of conse-
quences without chance for discussion
or reasonable amendment, thus denying
the very principles in free government
that the advocate of that measure
claimed to be SO ~zealously contending
for, | said that | would stand second to
no man in giving the people what they
required or what they thought they
wanted, but when it came to enacting a
law that many suspected and others
knew to be unconstitutional and defect
i've in othes ways, | opposed it, and
therein if did anything 10 be sorry for
am willing to be forgiven.
The very men who opposed the reso-
luton favoring protection for farm pro-
ducts were the most active in desiring
tine enactment of Senate Bill SO without
amendment.
take it for granted that when the
people of the 3Ist District sent its pres
ent representatives to the Legislature
we possessed the confidence of the
people and we would be base and un-
worthy should the best interests of the
people be ignored or sighted by the
representatives.
After our work is done it is for the
people to judge whether the interests
OF the district and the state have bene-
flied by our actions or not. One thing
is certain, we have done no trading, we
have not asked personal reward or con
sideration for any OF our acts. we have
paid no money or anything else so far
as known to me, to any man, or set OF
men, for placing US here, and the under
signed docs not propose to pay any one
for the privilege of representing the
people. No one has come to US to
tell us what we have to do and only one
OF our constituents has expressed him
self. SO far as know, on the subject of
primary election as in favor of the un-
constitutional SO, and that came from
Father Kabsteinek through my friend
Tobias Casey of Grafton, who, out of
the 100 representatives, is the only dem
ocrat in the house.
notice by a recent issue of the Rev
erend Fathers paper that he favored
Senate Bill SO mainly, as it appears o
me, for the revenue that might be de-
rived from candidates.
For my part in voting for primary
election l stipulated that the measure
must be constitutional and composed in
good English language clearly express
ing its meaning and a thing to be APP
piled in good faith with the people as an
experiment in realizing what they most
desired.
So FAR as can see this has been done
and done on a basis that will not destroy
the republican party or permit a lot of
free traders to misreprcsent our business
interests.
This substitute for 83 will ere long be
printed in all legalized newspapers OF
the state, so that all who care to can
read and study its merits and dement's.
This substitute bill had the support and
votes of the entire delegation from the
3Ist district.
The date for the election, Tuesday
following the 3rd Monday of June, is
just in advance Of haying time when all
farmers can attend the election.
Nominations to legislative and county
officers as well as delegates to state
conventions are to be made by petition
and direct vote of the people, but a
political party may unite in one petition
the entire staff of officers to be voted
Tor, but any individual may petition and
run for any place on the party ticket
regardless of the party that may merge
its candidates.
There shall be separate ballots for
each party or principle so that members
of one party cannot make weak nomi.
nations for its opponent and each parti-
san must condne his choice to the
aspirants or the voters preference on
the one ticket of his choice.
One of the features of this law now,
as of the Senate Bill SO, and under the
primary system where conventions are
done away with. candidates or those
elected to office can not be instructed as
to what they are to do in the Legisla-
ture. The guiding principle must be
based on the intelligence ard moral
fibre of those elected.
District judges are to be elected by
delegate method in convention where a
secret ballot is mandatory. The date for
electing delegates to the judicial con-
%vention must be between May 1st and
June list. So far as a separate election
or convention can remove the judiciary
from politics, this will serve that pur-
pose.
Delegates to the state conventions are
to be elected at the primary election
where legislative and county officers are
elected. Choice of candidates at state
conventions are to be made by secret
ballot and the unit rule is prohibited.
1t is made a misdemeanor punishable
by fine and imprisonment for any per-
son to solicit or bargain votes in return
for state or federal patronage.
As a basis to build on, wherein the
people can gain experience and later.
%curtail or extend the principle OF prim-
airy election, the new law will be an