The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1906-07-07

Idaho, and as time rolls on we will
have occasion to consider the claims
of these men, but as We can select
but one at time their claims should
be deferred"
Opposed to Senatorial Nomination
1T appears, senator, that a deter
mined effort will be made on the part
of an element of the party in the
state to inject into the coming cam
paign the question of nomintion of
candidate for the United States
| senate at the state convention
Yes, but this question has been
raised and met heretofore in Idaho,
notably in the convention of 1894,
when it was voted down. l took a
firm stand against such a procedure
by the convention at that time, and
on all other occasions when it has
been discussed. 1t must be obvious
to those who will give the matter
their earnest consideration that I'M
less the primaries are held under
conditions which would enable only
Republicans to vote, and at which a
county conventions are held under
legal provisions as to the regularity
of their proceedings, the state con-
vention would represent nothing
more than political laXity in the
primaries or county conventions. 1t
IS also obvious that the ordinary
methods of selecting delegates to the
! county conventions are imperfect,
and the delegates selected do not
represent in a full degree the SEN
timent of the party as to the political
Conventions Hasty and Irresponsible.
While the Legislature may take
ample time to determine its duties
in the matter of electing a senator,
conventions generally do their entire
work in a day, or two days at the
most, and with the trading and COM
bining for nominees for the various
state and district offices, and the de-
yermining of party platforms, 1T
would have but little time for con-
sidering the important duty of Sc
lecting a candidate for United States
senate.
Then, again, legislatures are gov
erned by laws in the performance of
which adequate punishment is pro-
vided, but what law could be made
Tor the punishment of member of
a political convention for the sale or
trade of his vote on question of this
kind? Conventions are not respon-
,ible bodies under the law, and have
no recognized responsibility as part
of the machinery of the government.
Election by Popular Vote.
1.-The responsible vote of the peo
pie at legal election, with the
full knowledge that the members OF
the legislature to be elected will
elect senator, comes much nearer
of the people than the selection of a
senator by a political convention not
composed of members elected at all
IN pursuance of any law, but selected
in an entirely informal manner, re-
sponsible to no one under any law.
'If the people of the United States
really want to change the method
of electing a senator as it is provided
in the constitution, let it be done in
a legal way not by circumvention or
| indirection. If the party is to ex-
press preference for the guidance
or assistance of the legislature, then
let primary law be passed that shall
result in the deliberate casting of the
vote at the primary, under strict
guarantee as to the integrity of the
election, and also a law governing
| he convention which shall insure
| elaboration and individual legal re-
| iponsibility on the part of the mem
| )ers of the convention. 1t would
result doubtless in protracted meet,
| Gal 4-1209
lng in duration the sessions of the
| ieadlocks
II am strongly opposed to the con-
vention attempting to usurp one OF
the important functions of the legis-
lature resposed in II by the constitu-
ton of our country, and do not be-
iieve that the Republicans of Idaho
can be induced to authorize it to dc
So