Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-02-11
DIRECTPRIMARYLAW
OPPONENTS OF CLEAN POLITICS
TRY TO OPPOSE Law.
{. w. HOrr, President of the Direct
Primary League of the State of
Washington, Believes Enemies of
the Measure Will EndeavOr to so
Amend as to Kill Effectiveness.

The opponents OF the direct primary in
the Legislature dare not fight the meas
ure in the open, but are trying to cripple
the effectiveness OF the proposed law by
amendments, according to Christopher
W. Horr, president of the Direct Primary
League OF the State OF Washington. Mr.,
Horr has just returned from Olympia,
where committee from the league was
given hearing, says the Seattle P..I.
"Our direct primary committee was
given hearing before the joint commit.
tees OF the senate and house," said Mr..
Horr yesterday. "The committee treated
us very courteously and kindly, and We
feel that they will give our bill due con-
sideration and treat it fairly. We have
not expected at any time that any repub.
lican or democrat would come out openly
and fight the bill, but from the informa-
ton which we have had from different
sources we did expect that some one
would try to get in amendments to the
bill that would destroy it's effectiveness
Without discussing the reason impelling
anyone to put forth these amendments or
introducing other bills, we will state the
facts of the case.
IA resident Of King county offers an
amendment to our bill to have conven-
tions called before the direct primary,
and at thst convention to have persons
recommended for the different positions.
This would be pernicious system, and
if anything more Objectionable than the
present system, which is about as bad as
it could be. 1t seems to me that such a
proceeding as this is an insult to the in.
telligence of the voter. They have not
or will not ask for political guardians to
be appointed for them, instfuctiug them
how to vote or for whom to vote. All
they ask is to be given chance at the
primaries for the free use Of their cleo.
tive franchise. There are thousands and
tens of thousands OF citizens in This state
from states now under operation of the
direct primary laws. They are intelli.
gent and we'll posted on direct primary
laws, and do not need the dictation of
any boss, clique or coterie OF politicians.
"Another means of dissension which is
sought to be thrown among the friends of
the direct primary is that the smaller
counties will not have as much power as
they have now at political conventions.
Some of our best and truest friends of
the direct primary movement have been
from and are from the smaller counties,
They are thinking more about the best
interests Of the people than they are of
political pap 1t is little strange that
this is brought up by residents of the
populous counties, who seem to have
such a solicitation for the welfare of the
smaller counties that is really quite re-.
markable. This objection which is raised
here has not been raised in other states
having the direct primary. The people
can be trusted to do right more than can
the political bosses or political machines.
"Another bill has been introduced, the
Iull tCAt VI WIlCu l. IldV0 LOC Sccn, 'LndC
no county should have more than one
state officer nominated from said county,
This bill, in my opinion, was not intro.
duced with any hope or expectation of
having it passed, but is merely done in
order to create dissensions among the
friends of the direct primary and to de.
feat its passage. All we ask in this fight
is square deal and fair play. If anyone
is opposed to direct primaries let him
come out squarey and openly and say so.
And il he wants to break his party's
pledges, why that rests with the people
to say whether he did right or not.
ave know that at this time at least 90
per cent OF the voters Of this state are in
favor Of direct primaries, and that we
have majority in both houses and the
senate, and the only hope or expectation
Of the enemies Of direct primaries is to
create dissension in the ranks of the
friends OF the direct primary BILL"