Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-09-15
OHIO WILL DROP IN LINE
Predicted She viii Elect Sena.
tors BY Primary Plan.
MANY OTHER STATES 90 so
Will of the Voters Now All Power.
full In Directing Choice of
Legislature for the Senate.

Legislature for the Senate.
Washington, D. O.. Sept I2. =" Ohio
shortly viii! be ia step with many
other states in choosing her United
States senator's through the medium
Of primary elections Our people will
adopt. in the near future, either the
so-called Oregon plan or some other
similar arrangement for the election
OF United States senators. .
This prediction was made by Repre.
sentative Theodore E. Burton. OF
Cleveland. who just now is engaged
in leading fight in Ohio against
alleged bossism and in favor OF the
election of Ohio's senators by the
people. That Mr. Burton's predic.
tion may be verified is almost certain.
in the opinion of those best informed
on the Ohio political situation. In
the matter OF political reforms and in.
novations. Ohio is very conservative,
but the seed sown there for the popu.
lar selection of United States senator
has taken deep root and the contest
that is being waged against bossism is
helping along the thrifty growth
amazingly
In the opinion of wise political
observers, il will be question of
only few years until every state in
the Union designates its United States
senators by the party primary plan
or. some similar device. What is
known as the Oregon plant is the
/ most advanced idea in practice any.
where in the country. Candidates for
senator are voted for Fl st in the par
! ty primaries. AT the regular election
the names of the candidates for
United States senator are printed on
the ticket and voted for by the D ople
Just as are the candidates for .ofher
| officer. The Legislature merely ra,i.
! fes by les vote the action Of the
people at the polls. This is fart or
thar most states have gone although
Michigan is about to adopt the
Oregon plan and Ohio will adopt
something akin to it.
An examination of the records at
the congressional headquarters of the
lrepublican and democratic parties in
dicates that nearly half of the states.
in which the election of senators is an
issue at this time, have adopted
some plan for the practical election
of the senators by the people The
question is being agitated n everv
state and in little while it is
reasonably certain that senators will
owe their seats either to the majority
given them at party primary or at u
regular state elect on and rot to their
ability to manipulate a legisl stute
During the past Summer United Stat
senators were nominated at prima ies
Ill eleven southern states: Alabama.
1 Arkansas. Florida. Georgia. Ken
tuckv, Louisiana, Mississippi, South
Carolina. Tennessee. Texas and Vir
ginis. The legislatures of these states
simply will Ia ify the vote of the pri
maries, for, Of course. no majority of
a Legislature could be ar ayed against
the will of the people 30 expressed.
| In many other than southern states
this method of eleciing senators has
been adopted Only few weeks ago
primary was held in linois TO make
C hoice of Senator Callom's successor.
| Senator Cullom, hims-lf. was given
so overwhelming a majority that his
reel ction is beyond noubt Conven-
tons of both parties in Iowa and Wis.
consin have declared in favor OF the
primary plan of choosing senators. In
Idaho, the legislature is bound by
the action OF the party conventions
as TO candidates, q candidate being
elected who represents The party IN
majority in the legislature. Seri ous
objections have been raised 10 this
plan on account of the machine
| methods employed