Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-10-09
LEGISLATURE IN
SPECIAL SESSION
a STRONGER PRIMARY LAW is
THE GOVERNORS FIXED
PURPOSE.
LOBBYING GETS A TOUCH.
AAHacks the Forty Per Cent Clause and
Wants Delegates to National Con-
Sentiou Elected at Primaries.
The Message.

The Message.
We state legislature was called TO
ssder at noon Monday In special SEES
sion TO consider the matters to be pre-
sented for It's consideration by Gov
warner In his message. Nearly a full
rel call was present. The message OF
nov. Warner, read to the legislature, is
~ follows:
To the forty-fourth legislature-Act-
bes by virtue of authority vested In
AAe governor by sec. z OF Art. V, of
me constitution OF the state OF Michi-
Gan. l have convened the legislature
~ extra session, sincerely believing
Aat the failure OF the legislature at
hs recent regular session TO enact a
better primary election law and to
make necessary provision for the
maintenance of Central Michigan Nor
nal college fully warrants such &C
acn-
There cannot, fully believe, be the
slightest doubt In the mind OF any
caadid person who has given the mat
- even casual consideration that a
wax majority of the people OF Michi-
gaA desire that there be embodied In
ear statutes provisions which shall
apply alike to all offices which they
affect and which shall place the nom
nation of candidates for these offices
shsduteiy and finally In the hands of
- people. without recourse at any
tAne or under any conditions TO a dele.
go convention. The truth of this as
seftSoa is so apparent that ii should
b Unnecessary to more than state It,
v cannot be successfully controvert'
-
TIE demand OF the people has been
recognized In all primary election leg
iaAtloa thus far enacted In this state
so~e enly as such legislation applies
" ne nomination of candidates fol
governor and lieutenant-governor. In
- cases where 1t applies TO the nom
nation OF candidates for congress. the
legislature. county and city offices. II
pr0wides that the candidate receiving
Ne highest number of votes cast al
the primary shall be the party nom
mated. In no case is there any refer
saee whatever to a percentage, how
ever small, of the total vote cast
These laws were petitioned for by the
people because OF their desire to make
their own nominations and not dele
gate that power to conventions which
might or might not carry out theil
will. Not only Is there no percentage
provision in the laws covering the
nomination in the cases mentioned
bat NO legislature ever had the temer
ity to suggest the inclusion of such
provision. All clearly understood wha
the people demanded.
II is well known to all OF you tina
the 40 per cent provision OF the pres
ent law was included in that statut,
as a matter of necessary compromise
The house passed a general primar,
bin which contained no percentag,
feature. In this form the bill could no
pass the senate. and In order that thu
best possible start toward the accom-
ylishment OF the reform demanded b.
the people might be made II was neces
sary TO include the percentage provis
ion. II this had not been done no pri
mary legislation would have been en-
acted at that session OF the legisla
ture.
In 1906 a total Of S64 candidates 70
psliticaI office, including candidate
Dor state, congressional, legislative an
county offices. were nominated by di
rect vote. This number likewise In
siuded 70 subsequently successful
candidates for seats IN this honorable
body. Yet in 862 OF these cases n,
enc ever for a moment thought OF re
curing that the successful candidate
poll any given percentage OF tota
vote. IL would be as reasonable TO sue
rest that the constitution be amende
% as TO require that unless som
party candidate for governor or lieu
tenant governor received 40 per cen
OF the total vote cast at the genera
election the choice OF those official
should be made by the legislature a
to make II necessary for delegat
convention to choose the party cand
date IL no person polls 40 per cen
Of the total vote cast at the primary
There is no argument that can be &C
vanced in support of the one propos
ton that will not apply with equa
force to the other On the other hand
she absolute weakness of the sO-calle
argument in its application to eithe
proposition Is so apparent as to ADM
of no dispute.
Tho utter folly of maintaining tina
the protection OF the people demand
that. In order TO become the nomine
OF his party for governor or lieutenan
governor, a person must poll any sp'
CITED percentage of the total vote cas-
whereas the constitution of the stat
provides that the person having a
the general election "the highest nun
Der OF votes for governor or lieutenan
governor shall be elected" must In
press itself upon the mind of every IL
telligent person. 1t hardly seems nece
sary to throw any greater safeguard
around the nomination OF candidat
for an Office than the constitution
the state throws about the electio
after the nomination is made. &c
nearly so years the person receivin
the highest number OF votes has bee