The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-20
BIC FIGHT OPENS.
Battle Over Primary Bill Starts
in Senate.
Indications Point to Defeat of
House Bill.
MIR. YOUNG LEADS OFF
Mitchell Senator Emphatic for
the Stubbs Measure.
MIR. YOUNG LEADS OFF
Porter Of Montgomery Calls All
Primary Movements Fakes.

With thirty-six senators yet to hear
from in the speechmaking way, and if
they take proportionately as much
! time as the four who occupied the at
tention of the senate this morning,
continuous sessions of three or four
days will be needed before the senate
takes any definite action on primary
legislation. And the way things SEEM
ed to have been framed up the pri-
mary question will be disposed of be-
fore the many important measures
concerning railroads are taken up Tor
consideration, although these meas
ures were down for special considera-
ton this morning. But primary legis-
lation has been so handled that 1t has
the right of way, and although moth
ing but four speeches were made on
the merits of such legislation and
nothing like definite action was taken
it is safe to conjecture on the author
ity of those who are supposed to
know, that the senate will kill the
Stubbs primary bill and act favora bly,
in lieu thereof on the Fitzpatrick bill
which provides for direct primary
nomination when a majority of the
candidate, but that when a majority
does not make choice the candidates
shall be nominated by conventions.
In the event that such action is
primary legislation of any sort will be
passed by the legislature because of
the strong stand taken by the house
on the Stubbs bill and of the almost
impossible barrier that will exist be-
tween any agreement of conference
committee of both branches of the leg
islature on the proposition.
According to the programme arranged
Tuesday afternoon the primary bills
were taken up for consideration as
Ordo in Of he
whole at 1920 o'clock this morning.
Senator Benson was called to the chair
and then Senator Fitzpat trick started
the ball a rolling with a motion that
the senators proceed to the considera-
ton of the Stubs bill. This motion
prevailed.
As the clerk started to read the bill
section by section, according to the
rules Senator Fitzpatrick moved that
this reading be dispensed with in view
of the fact that the bill had been read
in its entirety on yesterday. This mo-
ton prevailed and amendments general
ly to the bill were in order. Senator
Fitzpatrick then moved that all after
the enacting clause in the Stubbs bill
be stricken out and that all after the
enacting clause in the bill presented by
him be added to the house bill. This
motion practically meant the substitu-
tion of the Fitzpatrick bill for the house
bill and on the question as to whether
this motion should prevail the debate
on the bin which promises to have no
definite conclusion started.
Senator Young Speaks. =
Senator Young was the first man in
the chamber to get chance to publicly
express his opinion on primary legisla-
tion
I'VE are not facing the issue on this
primary legislation" he said among
other things The motion as made
brings the question squarely before the
,I1xlx1, %1,,@e 81 t. IL,
favor of enacting a direct primary law,
or whether it shall perpetuate the con-
vention system that in the minds of a
great many people has grown in great
disfavor
ssI understand the motives of the peo-
pie who are in favor of a direct primary.
They believe that if they can cast a
vote for the nomination of candidates
for office that vote will have weight.
Under the bin proposed to be substituted
for the house bill they would not as
matter of fact have their actual wishes
registered. The bill sought to be dis
placed at least preserves to the people
the right to have their votes registered
in the selectioIfSof candidates Outside
of all consideration of politics believe
that the people are entitled to this
right
Senator Young declared that he had
never worked very much at the trade
of politics and that he did not care
might be benefited by any sort of a
primary law 1--WE ought to rise above
all political interest" he said, land
settle this question on the theory of
what the people are asking. If there
is anything in these bills that will help
one man more than another it ought
to be cut out, but we should pass a,
bill, I believe. for the direct nomina-
tions at primaries That is the kind
of a bill that the people want"
Porter Opposes All Measures.
Senator Porter of Montgomery. was
the next man to speak, and he deliv-
cred a discourse of some length, the
essential point of which was that he
was personally opposed to any sort of
primary legislation because he did not
think it was needed and that the peo-
pie generally were not demanding 1t.
He asked for information as to any
person or locality that was actually in
favor of primary legislation
'sIs it not a fact said Senator Get
ty. that seventy-fve per cent of the
county conventions passed resolutions
primary legislation %
Il did not keep track of them" re-
piled Senator Porter, but L know that
the convention in my county did NOT
do so. I tried to get them to instruct
me how to vote on this proposition
and they refused.
.sIf there ever was a hallucination,
fake and hoodoo in politics it IS
primary election law. l would like
some man TO point out to me single
Individual who has suffered through
the convention system
Senator Porter characterized the
letters and dispatches appearing pIe in the