The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-10-11


and no one has yet even thought OF
advocating a change in this provision
Of the constitution.
The fact is that no argument worthy
Of the name has been or viii be adj
vanced in support of the retention of
the 40 per cent clause in the present
primary law of Michigan. Beneath
whatever may or can be said in sup
port of this clause lies the desire Of
is advocates to preserve, il possible,
the old delegate convention system
and thus keep from the people the
light to make these nominations them
selves. This phase of the matter Is so
real that 1t needs simply be mentioned
Even those who in public strenuously
advocate retention of the percentage
clause frankly admit in private the
truth OF this statement 1t is hardly to
be presumed that a delegate conven
ion viii come any nearer expressing
the will of the people than will the
people themselves by direct vote. The
percentage provision of the primary
aw now on the statute books Of this
state should be repealed.
/ am firmly of the opinion, too, that
the members of the different political
parties should be afforded the oppor
tunity to elect by direct vote the dele
gates to the national conventions. Del
egates to conventions act in a purely
| representative capacity and should be
chosen by the most direct method.
know of no reason why the county and
state conventions should come be
tween the rank and file of the party
nd hn H.,
and second choice of candidates for
delegates should be indicated on the
ballot. In any event it is altogether
probable that there would be candi
dates for delegates whose presidential
choice would be well known and in
accord with well defined public senti-
ment.
This primary election could be ar.
| ranged for with but little expense. as
the delegates could be elected on the
first Monday in April, an election day
throughout the state. A general law OF
this kind for electing these delegates
would prevent the holding of any
caucuses and conventions long before
the call for the national convention
is issued and enable those who are ex-
pected to elect the nominees to have
more to do with their nomination.
In this connection, / desire to call
your attention to the necessity of pro
viding more stringent regulations gov
erning the holding of county and dis
trict conventions in localities where
the direct nomination system does not
prevail. No convention should be
called to elect delegates to a national,
state District
not been called. The other course is
sometimes taken from good motives,
no doubt, but they are seldom made
public. Cleaner politics and good gov
eminent will be promoted by making
such practices against the letter as
well as the spirit of the law.
Experience has conclusively demon
strated that there should be but one
primary day and upon that day all
nominations under the provisions of
the law should be made. This change
would result in a large saving to the
people.
/ would be pleased to see needed
amendments made TO existing special
primary election laws affecting speci-
| fed localities in order that all laws
on this subject may be made as uni.
! form and harmonious as possible. The
| extension of the primary election sys-
tenn to meet any demands of the peo-
pie would have my approval.
The desire of the people of Michi-
gan to directly participate in the nom
ination of candidates for United States
senator is, / believe, generally conced-
ed. The method of gratifying this over
whelming wish of your constituents is
] simple and thoroughly understood by
all of you. By making provision in the
| primary law so as to permit the people
of the state TO nominate party candi-
dates for United States senator by di-
rect vote you will perform an act that
will have the unqualified approval of
the people of the state, regardless of
political affiliations.
The lobby evil is no less dire and
corrupting than it was when directed
| your attention to II at the commence
ment of your regular session. At that
| time / said:
In all matters of legislation the peo-
pie are entitled to your best thought
and most conscientious judgment, and
you should see to it that your thought
| is not directed nor your judgment af
ACSNNu NY ony II
hearings and the right of petition as
to all matters coming before the legis
lature are legitimate methods of in
| fluencing legislation. The legislature
should always be willing to grant pub
| lie hearings to and receive petitions
from all who may be interested in
measures under consideration, wheth-
er those persons represent public or
private interests. Aside from the hear
ings there should be no place, either
in the legislative halls, the committee
rooms or the lobby for the profession
al lobbyist. His right should simply be
those enjoyed by the humblest citizen
of the state. The professional lobbyist
has no proper place in legislation and
the sooner he is eliminated therefrom
the better, not only for the public, but
for the special interests by which he
is employed.
The first step In this direction must
necessarily be taken by the individual
Legislators in treating with contempt
the introducer of any so-called Strike"
legislation designed for the sole pur-
pose of attracting the attention of
these special interests, thereby invit-
inn then, ~ afthor NOV frfhufa ar fo