Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-14
MEMBER or The ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRIMARY ELECTION MEASURES.

: 81 . . fn.. ; &
Two primary measures are now before
the legislature, differing in detail some
what but each radical. The Sharpe bill
passed the senate with only one dissent
ng-democratic- and was sent to
the house. ss.. ..
Later in the day the Sorley bill passed
the house and now goes to the senate.
Aside from it's meritorious features
filling completely the demands of the re-
publican state platform and giving to
the people the broad and complete pri-
mary system they desire-the senate
measure has the advantage of being the
first primary bill to pass one house and
be messaged to the other, and it thus
naturally will be considered the basis of
the measure to be finally enacted into
law.
The house may, and doubtless will
discover some important and meritorious
amendments. 1t may go SO far as to
hold out for the Sorley bill, but it cannot
in reason be over persistent for the form
when the people only desire the
substance. .4 &asS@
The Sharpe bill has been we'll con-
sidered in committee and the only op-
position comes from the democrats
They naturally stand out for some de-
tails, some provisions giving the minority
parsy advantages that they numerically
and through traditional policies are not
entitled to.
For instance they would favor the
plan pledging legislative candidates, to
vote for that person for United States
senator who receives the most votes,
irrespective of party. Thus it might
happen that through multiplicity of
republican candidates and centraliza-
tion of democratic votes for democrat,
the latter might receive the greatest
number of votes in a state overwhelm-
ingly republican.
This is the plan avocated by the Grand
Forks Herald, which does not believe in
political parties, and advocates any and
all schemes to demoralize and abandon
plrty lines.
The Sharpe bill provides an excellent
feature in the manner OF carrying out
the desire of the mem bers Of each party
in the matter of selection of United
States senators. It provides that the
petitions of all candidates for members
of the legislative assembly shall contain
e. =. =. q y - 49, r . D. s nd q. sg,
the following pledge:
I, the undersigned, a candidate
for the legislative assembly of the
state of North Dakota, do obiigate "A
myself to the people of the state of
North Dakota and to the people of
my legislative district that during
my term OF Office will support and
vote for that candidate for United
States senator in congress of the
party of which am member, who
has received the highest number of
such party votes for that position at
the, primary election next proceed
ing the election of United States
sena tors in congress.
Such pledge constitutes moral
obligation that will seldom be violated
and insEres the selection of United
States senators in accord with the dom
inant party of the state.
The Sorley bill possesses most of the
features of the Sharpe bill but it is
somewhat longer and more cumbersome.
Had it passed and gone to the senate
first it would have been up to the senate
to dispose of 1t, either pass, amend it
or pass it or both, or reject it. This is
now the position in which the house
finds itself in relation to the Sharpe bill.