The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-07
ON A SIDE TRACK.
Primary Bill Goes Over With
out Formal Action.
Time for Further Consideration
Is Not Fixed.
CHANGES ARE MADE.
Democrats Insist ON the Wis
cOnsin Plan.
Threaten to Bolt Unless 1t Is
Adopted.
CHANGES ARE MADE.

1.-THE Battle of Democrat Run"
would be an appropriate name for the
primary election law fight in the house
on Wednesday afternoon.
The engagement opened promptly at
2 O'Clock. with everything looking
favorable for the Stubs primary law
The sentiment of the house seemed,
outwardly, to be friendly to the law.
and even those who were supposed to
be hostile to the law appeared to have
given up any expectation of defeating
It, and to have concluded that the best
thing would be to amend 1t into the
best shape possible and let it go.
Everything was moving along
smoothly until H. S. Thompson, leader
of the Democrats in the house. pro-
posed an amendment to the SECOND
subdivision of section 10. The Dill as
originally drawn provided that each
voter coming to the primary to cast
his vote should state the name OF the
party ticket which he desired. and
copy of that ticket should be furnish
ed him. Thompson's amendment was
to change this so that on entering the
handed a copy of each party ticket
from which he might choose any one
ticket and vote il, without declaring
which ticket he was voting. me et-
feet of the Thompson amendment
would be to permit a person to vote
the primary ticket of any party he
might choose, while the original pro-
vision of the bill would make man
vote his own party ticket.
Fright here on this proposition"
declared one of the Democrats, I'VE
will take our stand. and unless we
can get what we are asking Ior' We
will Kill this bill"
IT think it's about time for the mi
nority to quit debating to this mouse |
right of Wyandotte. The majority OF /
this house is quite able to decide about
this primary proposition. and the mi
nority can do what it likes
Nevertheless, the bolt" of the
Democrats was a significant circum-
stance. as it indicated a split in the
square DEAF alliance, between the
Stubbs Republicans and the minority.
Thompson said that his amendment
was an exact copy of the Wisconsin
law, and that it should be adopted by
the legislature for the sake OF the rae
tory and corporation employees, who
want to vote at the primary without
having their bosses" know how they
vote.
advisors had considered carefully the
merits of the two propositions, and
mad finally concluded that it would be
better to make each voter call for the
ballot of his own party. and not give
the voter a chance to vote any ticket
he might choose. want to say.
however" said Mr.. Stubs, that I
think the Wisconsin plan is good
way the house votes on the project.
think the house should settle the |
question" g~'-s7e-
Archer of Brown. Mitchell of Doug |
las, Leydig of Butler and others, OPP |
posed Mr.. Thompson's amendment.
c. F. Foley of Rice, a Democrat, |
threatened indirectly that the Demo-
Gratis might bolt the whole primary
want He spoke for the amendment.
He said the Stubs plan of only one
ballot would drive just the people
away from the polls who ought to
i
Hendricks of RawIins, and Neihart
of Usage, both favored the amend
ment.
IT won't support this primary an
other inch unless it wipes out party
bossism," said Hendricks.
The Thompson amendment was kill
ed by a vote of 81 to So. 1t was a
strict party vote. only ten or a dozen
Republicans voting with the Demo-
Gratis.
Fight on Senatorial Question.
Mitchell of Douglas, moved as an
amendment that the certificate of cleo
ton of members of the legislature
should show the vote for United |
States senator both In representative
and senatorial districts and the state
at large.
]. S. simmons moved to strike out
the last part referring to the state at
large
Mr.. Simmons said: 'I can see no
reason why each representative should
not be instructed by his own district
on United States senator, but there Is
no reason why he should be burdened
by the vote of the entire state"
Robert Stone said: You should give
the member the benefit of both the
vote of the district and of the state.
You give him just one of these and the
courts might say it was an instruction
and therefore unconstitutional"
w. r. Stubs said: zone of the great
objects of the primary election law is
to vote on United States senator.
think the member ought to be glad to
get the information as to what the
people of the state want.
"The object of this law is to give the
people of Kansas chance to elect the
United States senator. instead of al
lowing the corporations. and the poll
ticians and railroads to elect the Unit ;
ed States senator as they have done for
25 years.
DO you include the last senatorial
election % asked ]. S. simmons
That's personal" replied Stubs
The vote was ~ to 81 in favor OF
Simmons amendment.
sSecond Choice" Gets In.
s. B. Haskins offered an amendment
to the bill providing for the system of
second choice voting which has beer
proposed to strike out this portion of
the fifteenth section:
1.-The person receiving the greatest | ,
number of votes at primary as the
candidate Of a party for any office shall ,
be the candidate of that party for sucf !
Office, and his name, as such candidate |
slS6ll be placed on the official ballot at
the ensuing election
The substitute offered by Mr. Has
lkins was as follows:
Each voter desiring to vote any bal
lot shall designate his relative choice
for every candidate on his party tick
ct at l. g g. and so on, for as many
candidates as there may be for any
particular office. Provided, that should