Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-26
Fate of the Measure i'm the
House Still a Matter of
Conjecture
IOWA BEHIND OTHER STATES
Friends of the Bill Point to the Fact
That the State is Not Up With 9th
ers in the Matter of Primary Legis-
Neutrality-suspicious. Not Indifferent
Other News.
IBy Ora williams.l
to Times-Rep,lblican.

put the question to the first dozen leg
islators met with and get at least
half dozen different views. Nobod.
seems to know. And yet it cannot b.
said there is Indifference, for it is TIL
Invest state issue now before the PEG
pie, and a real issue in more sense
than one. There is much earnestnes
on the part of those who want state
wide primary for the nomination o
state officers. They are able to poin
to the fact that already Iowa is behint
other states in this respect, and unles:
it is to be classed as a back numbe1
state, set in its ways and unwilling
to meet the problems Immediately con
fronting it, something must be done
for a state-w wide primary election sys'
tenn. And the opponents of the meas
ure are fully determined that it shall
not be adopted 1t is not the so-callec
politicians alone who are deeply in
terested and are thinking about It, as H.
Illustrated in the case of a member the
other day who had a peculiar expert
ence A well meaning but somewhat
\ unsophisticated farmer from his coun-
ty called him to a cloak room and ask
ed to be introduced to the governor as
he wanted to tell the governor that the
primary bill was not needed. 1t so
! happened that the member is for the
bill. He entered into an argument.
But it won't do at ALL" finally in
| terposed the countryman Il tell you
that if a primary law is passed all -
| can't prevent the nomination of Cum
Minis for another term for governor.
The farmer was one of those who
believe that the things for which
Cummins and Larrabee and Roosevelt
| and others stand for are little short
| of rank political heresy and he was
| terribly in earnest.
The member wanted to know If that
was the only reason he did not want
primary bill was the fear that the peo-
pie would nominate Cummins, and he
suggested thar if the people wanted
Cummins. or a man of his kind, 1t
might not be bad to let them have their
way. The farmer said he had other
reasons He finally got his desire to
see Cummins, but he did not present to
the governor that which he regarded as
the chief reason why it would be ter
ribe thing to adopt the primary sys-
tenn.
1t has been dinned into the ears OF
the people so often that the pushing of
the primary bill is only asfad of Cum
MINIS that some people really believe
it. The significant fact at the be-
ginning of the controversy is that the
primary bill has been prepared, by a
standpatter and perfected by a stand
patter and will be urged and cham
pioned in the senate by one, while In
the house the most ardent friend the
governor has is unreservedly commits
ted to speak against the bill and to de-
feat it if possible.
And so it cannot be said that the
primary bill is merely Cummins fad.
1t is not even a fractional matter, at
present, and cannot be made so save
by the interposition of outside influen-
ces.
The fact is that the bill will pass
one of the houses at least 1t will be
close in both houses. 1t may not be-
come law. But only by making use
of the most desperate efforts can it be
kept off the statute books. 1t will be-
come a law in time so that the Sc
lection of state ticket this year will
be submitted to primary. 1t will aft
feet the men who are to have their
on the congressional tickets
next fall.
Committees Position.
A member Of the elections commit |
tee of the senate before which COM
mittee the bill is now, has declared
openly that in his belief the bill could
be killed in committee, if that was de-
sired. But as matter of fact he is
one who would do that very thing if |
possible. There are however, some
members Of the committee who will |
vote to bring the bill out on the floor
of the senate who are really opposed to
the bill. They are willing to have it
discussed. They say that to do other
wise would be poor politics. Senator
Crossley, the author of the BILL is
confident of success in the senate He
made a good fight two years ago. Since
then he has given the matter much
study. He is prepared to make better
than ever before. 1t has
been declared by some of the OPP
of the bill that while Cross
ey is for the bill, he will change front
f any amendments are added but
his is unlike the tall Winterset lawyer
and it is not likely to happen.
In the house the primary bill is
likely to meet with fiercer opposition
han in the senate. Local reasons af-
'ect the position of different members,
md some who would naturally be for
my forward movement are forced by
'eason of conditions at home to break
away from the progressives and align
themselves with the bourbons. One
member of the house, who holds po-
'ition of great influence, declared to
he writer his firm belief that. with a
stiff fight the primary bill can be got
hru the house. Others there are who
IRE quite as confident say it has no
show at ALL
There are a number OF members of
he house who have most excellent ar
deduced from home expert
noes in favor of the primary system.
Primary Experiences.
Major Cheney, the quiet business
nam from Clay county. told of his ex
'erience. 1T was along about 1875 or
S76 l think" ne said. that we got
tart with the primary system in our
ounty. We had a convention and a
deadlock so that we couldn't organize
t all. day had been consumed with
othing done. The issue was on admit
ing the delegation from my township
The convention was adjourned and the