The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-02-23
HOUSE PASSES MEASURE WITH
Committee AMENDMENTS.
Every Member of the House
Present Voted fort the Measure.
Candidates Having Highest
Number of Votes to Be De-
clared Party Nominees.


on privileges and elections, the house
yesterday afternoon passed the primary
election law. No word was uttered
against it during the debate, and the
roll call on final passage of the mea
sure showed SO affirmative votes. Ev-
cry member Of the house present voted
for the bill.
The changes adopted ty the house
tend to strengthen the measure in
some ways. Limitations were put upon
the board of canvassers by the substi-
tuition of q new section for section %
of the bill, which was vague and APP
parently had no reference to public
Offices. In the case of the party con-
vention provided for in section 81, the
duties Of the convention are specifi-
cally set forth and such conventions
are not authorized to nominate for
any public Office except presidential
electors.
A. to Political Boosts"
Mr.. Reid, Of Pierce, wrote q new
section into the bill, which disquali.
fies any man who aspires to be a can
didate for public Office, when it can
be shown that, within ninety days
prior to such candidacy, his biography
or photograph had been printed in any
newspaper or other publication for a
consideration. The Reid amendment
was designed to shut out the paid po-
litical boost. It is independent Of
the other section relating to newspa-
pers and which requires that paid
printed matter shall be go marked,
though it may be regarded as an elab-
Grafton of the principle involved in
the section agreed upona at an earlier
stage of the proceedings.
No effort was made on the floor of
the house to write the majority princi.
pie into the law. Even the Michigan
minimum percentage plan was not men
toned during the time the bill was
under consideration. The amendment
offered by the committee with respect
| to the number of votes necessary to q
choice, and which was adopted with.
out debate, provides that candidates
receiving the highest number of votes
shall be declared the party nominee.
In this particular the law follows the
Wisconsin plan, though there is in 1t
q protective proviso which makes il
obligatory on canvassers to declare
candidates nominated in the order OF
the total number of votes received by
them in cases where more than two
candidates are to be selected for the
same position; in other words, if there
are six candidates for three offices,
the three receiving the highest mum.
Der of votes are to be declared the
nominees
Hours Are Not Changed
Megler attempted to change the
hours of voting in districts where nc
registration is provided for, so the
polls would open at p. m. and close
at p. m. The amendment passed,
but was sla0uhtered on q motion to
reconsider, 80 tho hours Of voting re-.
main as originally provided, uniform
throughout the state, the polls open.
ing at II a. m. and closing at p. m.
Madison, of King, made an effort to
change the provision in the same sec.
ton which provides that all qualified
electors who may be present at the
hour of closing, but who may have
been unable to vote, shall be given an
opportunity to vote. Madison's point
was that the provision made the clos.
ing hour indefinite, but his contention
was not needed.
| Smalley tried to strike out the sec
ton which requires candidates to
swear to their legal qualifications.
The amendment was defeated.
Beach put through an amendment
which allows primary election officers
the same compenastions now allowed
officer. in general election.
Such are the changes made in the
substitute primary bill recommended
by the house committee. Kirkpatrick
said on the door that the Direct Pri.
mary Election League had suggested
the changes proposed by the commit.
tee, and the house accepted them on
this assurance.
SUNDAY CLOSING IN
| SEATTLE and TACOMA