The San Francisco call., 1907-01-06

That partisan platform pledges,
wrung from unwilling delegate con-
ventons, are appreciated at their face
value as false pretenses, mere sound
ing Of cymbsls to catch votes, is
painfully illustrated by the unwilling
ness of a majority Of the members OF
the California Legislature TO agree IN
any manner TO assist IN the redemp-
tion Of the Republican and Demo-
cratic party pledges TO give the peo-
Tle of California a direct primary
election law
Through the insistence of The Call
the Republican State convention at
Santa Cruz pledged its candidates to
the support OF a law for direct pri-
mary election system in lieu of the
corrupt delegate convention system
Of nominating partisan candidates for
public office. The Democrats in State
convention made the people of Cali
fornia a like promise. The Republi-
can party has elected its State ticket,
and an almost exclusive majority of
both branches of the Legislature The
Republican party, through its legis-
lators, is in a position to redeem that
pledge That il viii be redeemed de-
pends upon the unceasing vigilance
and the emphatic insistence OF the
promisees-the people Of California,
ONE-THIRD KEEP FAITH
Only a. few more than one-third
Of the members Of the Legislature
which will be convened on Monday
have put themselves on record as will
ing TO keep faith with the people. The
first step leading to proper and ade-
quate direct primary reform, or, in
fact, the enactment of any direct
primary election law that will stand
the test Of the courts, is the adoption
of an amendment TO the constitution.
The constitution cannot be amended
without the consent of the people
Any proposition for a change in the
organic law must be submitted TO the
people for their ratification or rejec-
ton Before such proposition can
be submitted to the people for rati-
hcstion or rejection ii must be agreed
10 by at least two-thirds Of the mem
bers Of each legislative house. One
third Of the men who are all bound,
morally al least, by the platform
promises OF their parties have signi-
fed their willingness TO keep faith
with the people through the submis-
sion Of a proposition for a constitu-
tional amendment. Those Senators
and Assemblymen who are willing TO
admit that they are IN favor Of and
will vote for direct primary reform
are with few exceptions agreed that
a constitutional amendment is pre-
requisite. The few excepted ones, un-
doubtedly believing that a satisfac-
tory law can be secured without
amending 1he constitution, promise to
vote for the submission of a proposed
amendment if the same be found ne
cessary.
STAND OF LEGISLATORS
The Call. fully appreciating the fact
that party leaders believed that the
people had been lulled into a sense
Of security by the promises of both
parties TO provide diSect primary re-
form, courteously called the attention
Of the Assemblymen and Senator's to
their party pledges and asked that
the people be advised through this
paper as TO the attitude of the ndi-
viduals. who in campaign time can
and do hide behind platform pledges
and, too frequently, after election
calmly forget both people and prom
ises. That the matter Of the expense
involved IN showing the individual at
titude toward the party promises
might not deter any statesman The