The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-28
House Amends Primary Meas.
ure Out of All Recognition,
Then Accepts It.
MANNER Of ELECTION OF
UNITED STATES SENATORS
State University Batted in the House,
Likewise "Johnnie" Anderson-Sen.
ator Taylor Almost Alone In Senate
: Bills Sent to Bone.yard-Insur.
ance Bills Recommended to Pass.
(By Georx. Davis,

(By George Davisl
Bismarck, Feb. 28.-The Sharpe
primary bill was passed in the house
so completely changed that even its
author would not recognize its mean
ing. 1t passed the senate several
days ago, taking the place of the Sor-
ley bill, which was considered too
weak and too uncertain to be given
serious attention for the purpose of
enacting it into law. Some of the
features incorporated in the bill in
the house were such as should con-
denim it in the minds of all reason
able republicans SO far as these
changes were concerned. 1t was a
measure that certainly pleased the
democratic leader, Mr.. Casey, and
we'll 1t might for 1t in principle put
into the bill the very measure which
he sought to have openly enacted into
law in the early days Of the session.
More than this. 1t was in some fea-
lures remarkable endorsement of
the White primary bill which was
turned down by the committee on
privileges and elections during the
time that the primary law was un-
der discussion, and is really another
evidence to any thinking man that
in time the principles of the White
law will become the primary system
of the state or else the primary idea
will be relegated to the political
scrap pile.
The discussion OF the bill came in
committee of the whole during the
session of the afternoon when the
bill was amended. The principal
change was in the manner of select
ing United States senator's. The bill
when it came from the senate pro-
vided that the selection should be
made by the people at the primary
election to be held under the provi-
sions of the bill. The person receiv-
ing the highest number of votes at
this election should be the candidate
of his party before the legislature and
provisions were made for binding the
members of the legislative assembly
morally to support such candidate,
or else permit their constituents to
know they would not do so before
the two candidates for United States
senator having the highest number
of votes at the primary election shah
have their names placed on the ballot
at the general election and be voted
for at that time, the person having
the highest number of votes at the
general election to be the candidate
of the party to which he belongs in
the legislature. This provision opens
the door to more political fraud and
INSCRIPTIONS political combinations
than any political methods that have
ever been used in this or any other
state. Not only that, but 1t makes
provision for combination between
the defeated faction of the majority
party and the minority party to force
an under-able and weak candidate on
the party and the state. To illus
trate. The Sharpe bill had wisely
thrown around the primary election
the protection which kept every man
in his own political barnyard by re-
quiring him to vote the ticket of his
own party. Now IL one faction of the
majority party is defeated at the
primary election and that members
of that faction have no more honor
and political principle than had the
Grand Forks Herald and its adher-
ents in the late election, they would
combine with the members of the mi-
nority party in the general election
and force the weakest candidate upon
the people so that the faction which
was defeated would be able to profit
at the expense of the state. This
was not so honest as the method pro-
posed by Mr.. Casey, but it gets pretty
close to the ends which he sought.
Then again if there were a dozen
candidates in the republican party,
one of whom was sufficiently strong
to secure a plurality of the party,
the other eleven candidates could
agree among themselves in advance
that the one receiving the highest
number of votes among them should
have the entire support of all in the
general election, so that they would
be able to force a man of small stand
ing upon the party. 1t will place the
election Of United States senator's up
on the bargain counter and allow it
to be handed about to the most un-
scrupulous politician.
The majority leader was repeatedly
put into hole by the proposal of
amendments which were proposed
and which while voted down, showed
the absurdity of some of the positions
the leader has taken in the matter.
Among these was a proposal from
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