Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-10-31

| 49,
The most sensible reply yet mad
to Congressman Anthony's letter t.
members Of the Republican state cen
trail committee on the subject Of
state primary is from w. Y. Morgan
member Of the st,te committee from
Reno.
Mr.. Morgan cannot be accused o
desiring to rob the people Of theil
liberties because he does not want
haphazard state primary. During
| two sessions OF the legislature he hal
rendered valuable service In eli
matters Of concern to the people. He
took q strong stand for a primary In
the last session Of the legislature. In
his letter to Mr.. Anthony Mr.. Morgan
says:
II am and have been an earnest
advocate Of q primary election law
which should provide for nominations
by all parties on the same day, at the
expense OF the state, with safeguards
around the primary ballot boxes and
the canvass Of votes, and should pre-
vent members Of one party taking
part in the nomination Of tho candi-
dates Of another. Such primary as
you propose, without any safeguard
Of law, admittedly mere makeshift,
would have the result OF queering the
plan Of real primary in the minds OF
the people and perhaps defeating it.
A primary election without law to
protect the polls from illegal voting
would be farce, and the effect would
be to defeat the enactment Of real
primary law such as favor.
"The suggestion is made that there
should be an extra session OF the leg
islature to pass primary law. The
regular session had this question for
consideration. Governor Hoch came
before the legislature and appealed to
the members to pass the only primary
bill that then had chance for success,
the compromise measure which re-
ceived the support Of more than two
thirds Of the Republicans Of the house
and failed because twenty-one Repub-
licans voted with the Democrats
against it. That bill provided for the
most effective safeguards Of the pri-
maries that could be devised. 1t pro-
vided for a direct vote on every office,
from United States senators to town
ship trustees. 1t makes plurality
vote nominate for all officers below
congressman and state officers. The
only convention in the bill was to be
made up Of delegates elected direct by
the voters and not by caucuses or
county conventions. l think all OIL
GERS should be nominated by plurality
vote but the bill came SO near meet
ing my views that was glad to sup
port it along with nearly three-fourths
Of the Republican members Of the
house. 1t was defeated because Mr..
Stubbs and those members he could
control, were not satisfied and said
they would be with any compromise
whatever. The makeshift primary |
without law or order now proposed
was far beneath what they then re-
iected. An6 as they then denounced
Governor Hoch's personal plea for
primary law as improper and wreng,
do not think they would change
heir views in an extra session but to-
yether with the Democrats would beat
my measure which did not permit Of
he fraudulent voting Of Democrats in
primaries. The bitter de-
lunciation Of Governor Hoch on the
loor Of the house by the spokesman
Il the Stubs faction, because he pre-
umed to urge a primary law, and
heir refusal to follow his wise sug-
,estion, makes me think an extra ses-
ion would be an expensive and vain
and I prefer that the
natter be checked to the people so
hat they can elect legislature that
will give the state q real primary
aw." Il
Bro. Junkin Of the Sterling Bullitin favors
he candidacy Of W. B. stub5s for the United
tates Senate over Senator Long. he says