The Cairo bulletin., 1907-10-20
DIRECT PLURALITY
PRIMARY LAW
WILL PROBABLY PASS ILLINOIS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY AT
PRESENT SESSION.
DEEP WATERWAY ALSO
viii Receive Attention--Speaker OF
House Determined to Deprive
Gov. Deneen OF Campaign
Argument.
Special to The Bulletin,

Especial to The Bulletin.
/ Springfield Ill.,, Oct 19.--The first
week Of the adjourned session Of the
Legislature developed one Of the mcst
complicated situations ever witnessed
in Illinois politics, The principal
cause was the decision of the SUI
Ipreme court wiping ont the primary
election law The first impression
among politicians was that the deci-
sion was blow that would prove
fatal to the aspiration Of Gov. Deneen
/ to succeed himself. But when the
arrived In town last week
| they were confronted with a special
message from the governor that for
the time being at least turned every
thing topsy-turvy. The governors
| friends. who had been somewhat
downcast when the supreme court de-
cision was announced, were elated as
they watched the cards tumble from
1.-THE executive sleeve. The legislature
seemed to be in hole" Indeed,
most Of the leaders privately won.
Idered why they had been so stupid
as to take a recess from May to Oc.
tober ito consider the subject OF a
deep waterway" Now 1t seemed that
the waterway was 20 be overshadowed
BY other things by the discussion Of
primary legislation and eight other
subjects which Gov Deneen handed
out" TO the assembly. There was to
be no end Of politics in the session
and no one could forsee the result.
1t was not comfortable situation
for the legislators. Division sprang
up between the two houses. The SEN
ate proposed to do certain things and
those things only; but the house lead
ers got huffy" aud announced that
they would attend to their own bust
ness, and intimated that they expect
ed the senators to follow the same
judicious course
The crisis was met by the house
Republicans in way that was en-
tirely unexpected They held con
ference to decide what subjects
should be taken up. Speaker Shurt
left, whose influence dominated the
conference, came forward with the
proposition that all restrictions
should be removedthat the bars
should be thrown down"-that bills
on any and all subjects be admitted
and considered. OF course the house
could act only by itself; 1t could not
prescribe a rule that would bind the
But the speaker, in con
formity with the action of the confer
ence, made a ruling in the house that
Opened the noodgates ruling |
that nullified, so far as the house was
the resolution of May 10
that only the deep water
way measures should be taken up at
the adjourned session. The effect Of
this rulint is as We; uncertain; 1t may |
mean a protracted session. or 1t may !
tend to bring an early adjournment. !
But as to its political effect, 1t may |
be said that in the end it will be
to ShurtIeff: for ii viii !
make it impossible for the friends
of Gov. Deneen to charge Shurtlef |
with standing in the way of leglsla'
ton desired by the governor
AS this letter is written it seems |
probable that a primary bill will be
passed. There is little doubt that II
will be a direct plurality primary |
doing away with conven-
tons except for the purpose of de-
claring party platforms. While there
is in reality feeling among the legis'
lative leaders that direct plurality
law will be mistake--a feeling that !,
is given expression IN private CONVEX
few want to take the re-
sponsibllity of opposing such a meas /
ure. MY personal opinion is, said
one senator last week. that a piu-
rality primary law will prove unsatis
factory I'm actual practice. Yet the |
people of my district. so far as ! can I
discover. seem to favor such law. |
think. if the question were PIT TO a |
popular vote in my district. a plurality
primary would be favored by three
fOurths of the voters. For tnat fea-
son I will support such measure II
the opportunity is presented. notwith-
standing my personal views on the
subject" That is a representative
view OF the natter Something of a
stampede is on. Men who heretofore
have vigorously opposed plurality
primary Law now say they are willing
to go to the limit in that direction.
Unless there Is a decided reaction !
within the next few DAYS. a plurality |
primary law will be cnacted-the only |
question being whether a sufficient |
number of votes can be secured 10
pass II with an emergency clause.
No Developments in gubernatorial
pclnics arc expected until after final
Then several candi
4.srs may rrrr4a into the omen