Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1905-05-20
Primary Reform
Contest Ended
Brief History of its Pro-
gress.
Preparations for rlichlgan's Direct XOt-
ing Experiment Almost Completed.
Lansing, May l5. 1905.

l. uC oCudUc tldo luIIy
fed the faith repeatedly expressed in
tins correspondence. and has complete
ly fulfilled the prediction Of one week
ago and two weeks ago, that a primary
election bill would pass the senate not
materially differing from that which
was sent from the house as the Double
! Ivory Dickinson bill. 1t does not
matter now about the name; the sub
stance is in the bill-practically the
same as that which received every vote
In the house except one, and then re-
ceived the earnest and loyal support of
the gOvernor-onlv amended ia minor
points to perfect its terms and make
1t more easily workable, in which the
house will readily concur.
This result has not been reached
without very determined struggle on
the floor Of the senate occupying parts
of four days, beside the prolonged con-
| sderation in the committee on elec
| tionS, which was also not altogether
smooth aud harmonious. 1t will be
remembered that the committee re-
ported out the bill May 3, so changed
| from its original character as TO be un-
acceptable TO the senate Ii hau been
amended to include all state officers
and to require majority vote 10 NOM
mate in which form is enactment in
TO law was regarded as hopeless, and
its successful operation impossible If
it could be enacted. The report was
at first accepted, but was the next day
recOnsidered-with spirited debate on
both occasions and the bin recommit-
ted with instruction TO report back on
the 9th and make 1t spncial order
for Wednesday the 10th. IL is worth
while TO follow its fortunes somewhat
fully, to appreciate the vigilance with
which the friends OF the house bill
guarded it and brought it TO its sue
cesSfu issue against the no less firm
and faithful and vigilant opposition
whose views compelled them TO oppose
it.
The committee only reached agree
ment after morning spent in the
effort, and a session in the afternoon
just before the senate's session at two
O'Clock. when by unanimous consent
they accepted substitute which elm
mated the Dickinson feature for NOM
inatiOn Of governor and lieutenant
governor. and was substantially the
Double Ivory bill Of the house, cover
ing the explicit provisions of the re-
publican platform. This was report
ed To the senate and made the special
order for three o'clock the following
day, and ordered printed. Promptly
at that hour the senate took up the
bill, and went into committee of the
whole for it's consideration, with
Senator Bald in the chair The bil
was read section by sec ion, and many
amendments were offered, mostly OF
small significance and sometimes with
apparently little serious purpose ex-
cept TO EN- barrass the measure. These
were uniformly voted down by an en-
phatIc majority, except an occasional
one for perrecting the phraseology:
That emphatic majority, it gradual
ly became manifest, had defuite
purpose and was well organized-a
purpose to protect the bill from un-
| friendly amendment. and TO restore it
as early as possible to the form in
which it had passed the house, as the
only course which could promis" the
final enactment Of any primary law at
all. When the end Of chapter three
was reachtd, Senator Doherty offered
| two additional sections, which were
the Dickinson provisions for nomina-
tion of governor and lieutenant gov
ernOr, except that he required a major
ity vote to nominate at the primar, ;
and now the real crisis of the struggle
was reached. Parliamentary tactics
and vigorous debate, amendment and
counter amendment, impassioned
eloquence and thoughtful argument,
marked the most mOmentous conflict
OF the SESSION, and attracted large
audience. members Of the house and
other officers, aud private citizens,
upon the floor and in the galleries.
The first move was an amendment
TO the smendment, by Senator Mills
of Menominee, To omit the lieutenant
60 vernon, which was sensitive spot
for the upper peninsula. That was
supported by Senators Smith aud
Brown, ard opposed by Glasgow, Crop
sey and Farr, and on vote was defeat
ed. Senator Heine of Bay offered a
snhatifnfe for the Dnhertv amend