The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-15
MISSOURI PLAN.
1t May Be Adopted in New
Primary Law.
Provides for Separate One for
q. s. Senators.
HOCH FAVORS THIS.
Has Been Hobby Of His for
Years.
Governor Talks of His Forth.
coming Message.

duction in the state senate a new di-
rect primary biIl-new in that it pro-
vides for the 'sp1ft primary" similar
to that in operation in Missouri.
| The "splft primary is a primary
where all the officers except United
States senator are nominated prior to
| the November election, and at the
November election everybody is given
a chance to express his choice for
United States senator. The member
of the legislature gets his instruc-
| tions on how to vote for senator at
| the time of the November election,
and up to that time he merely
pledges himself to vote for whoever
may be designated at that time.
This arrangement, it is claimed,
will prevent the defeat Of candidates
| for the legislature who are pledged
to some senatorial candidate at the
| time Of the primary.
For example. Jones and Smith are
candidates at the primary for Repub-
lican nomination to the legislature
At the same primary, the voters ex-
press their preference for United
States senator. Jones is nominated,
and his county votes for Long for
United States senator. Jones is
| thereby pledged to Long. Friends of
Stubs might refuse to support Jones
and help to defeat him and elect a
|
sible that in a bitter senatorial fight,
| under this plan, neither Jones or
Smith could be elected, and that so
many counties would send up Demo-
Gratis that both Stubs and Long
| would be beaten for the United States
senate, and Democratic United
States senator elected.
If the candidate for the legislature
| is merely obliged to pledge himself to
abide by the decision Of his county
at the November election, there
would be no chance for his enemies
| to get his scalp because of the sena-
| torial row.
| 1t seems quite likely that this plan
will meet with the approval of both
| the factions. Theslaw would probably
be so drawn that no man could be a
candidate for two jobs at once. This
would be demanded by the anti-Stubbs
crowd, for the purpose of shutting the
door on Stubs senatorial aspirations.
Governor Hoch said this morning: Il
am heartily in favor of the plan of
holding two primaries. one of them at
the time of the November election on
the choice of United States senator.
I years, and I stilI believe that it is
| the only proper way. Senator Smith,
I understand favors this plan, but I
do not know whether 1t is in his bill"
1t is; not likely that there will be any
| either house or senate, and they will
| probably all be reappointed in a
| bunch.
! Lieutenant Governor Fitzgerald said
| this morning: "At the last SESSION the
| committee on banking was opposed to
| the guaranty deposit bill, but I shall
| make no changes in that committee.
| will leave it to the members of that
committee to fight it out. If there has
not been enough change in sentiment
to enable that. committee to get to-
gether, the committee will have to kill
it."
The committee on banks and banking
in the senate is composed of the fol-
lowing: Fulton, chairman; Chapman,
Caldwell. Buschow, Harrison, Quincy,
| Carver, Lower, Benson.
| The senate committee on elections,
which will have to deal with the pri-
mary election law, was friendly to that
bill at the last session. 1t is COM
posed of Hayden, chairman; FitZpat-
rick, Young, Simons and Smith.
Young, Simons and Smith are friends
of the direct primary.
Both Speaker Simmons and Lieuten-
ant Governor Fitzgerald, the presiding
officers of house and senate, have ex-
J pressed their determination to rush the
business of the legislature as fast as
possible. They will not stand for any
delays, and the indications are that
there will be almost continuous night
sessions. By hard work, the legislature
ma get away at the end of ten days,
which would be Saturday night, jan
uary 25.
1t would not cause much grief among
the members, however. If the session
should continue until WEDNESDAY. jan
uary 90, for that is Kansas Day and
the Kansas Day club banquet occurs.
, w. Y. Morgan said this morning: Il
, am in favor Of takign up just those
, | things which are mentioned in the gov
ernor's message grinding them through
as rapidly as possible. and taking up
, no other matters except those upon
which there is practically unanimous
consent BY doing this we can hold the
. session down to one week, and if we
do this, the special session will meet
! with the approval of the people. Other
, wise. it may be subject to much crit
: icism.''
: Governor Z. w. Hoch said this morn
e ing in discussing his message: II have
r discussed four matters in my message
3 upon which I think the Legislature
! should act I believe that the session
e should be limited pretty closely to those
] four matters 1t certainly should moi
= | take up any new matters for co1side"-
. | alton. II there are some little matters
Z considered at the last session which
s need adjustment, such as minor amend
e ments to the pure food law, or to other
r laws which have been passed and
e agreed upon, there should be no objec-
d | ton, but I do not believe that more
: | than two days at the outside should bs
e devoted to matters not mentioned in
: my message"
: Senator Fred H Quincy of Saline
e county is here with printed copies Of
n his proposed guaranty deposit law
: This is the bill which was introduce
at the last session of the legislature
by Senator Quincy and which wa:
smothered in the banking committed
n of the senate. It is the bill which a