The San Francisco call., 1908-04-03
NONP PARTISAN
DIRECT PRIMARY
LEAGUE FORMED
Prominent Men From All Parts
of State Join in Fight
for People
All Committed to. Measure to
Take Government Machin-
cry From Bosses
Clubs to Be Formed and a Cam.
paign Prosecuted for
Needed Law

Strictly nonpartisan in character
and representative of. the whole state
of California an organization COM
n1itted 20 direct primary legislation is
now an accomplished fact 1t is
called the Direct Primary league OF
California and it was formed by prom
inent republicans, democrats and
union labor men from all parts. of the
state who met at the Hotel Stewart
in this city yesterday.
At the meeting were state senator's,
sssenblymen, professional and busi-
nessmen TO the number of so, all of
them committed heart and soul to the
measure which is to take the ma
chinery OF government away from the
political bosses and restore it to the
people.
A constitution and declaration OF
principles was adopted and permanent
organization was effected by the cleo
ton OF president, i've vice presidents,
q treasurer and a secretary organizer.
OFFICERS ARE CHOSEN
These officers are: President Paul
Bancroft, San Francisco; vice presi-
dents-Assemblyman A NJ. Drew of
Fresno. AssernbIyman ]. Q. Davis Of
HolMster. Senator Leroy A Wright OF
san Diego, Assemblyman ". D. L. Held
Of Ukiah and Walter Macarthur of san
Francisco; treasurer. State Treasurer
" r. williams Of Fresno; secretary
organizer, George A Van Smith of San
Francisco OF the vice presidents three
are republicans and two are democrats.
These. ofhcers are empowered to Sc
iect an executive committee Of le mem
bers, one republican and one democrat
from each congressional district. A
state organizing committee win then
be appointed, consisting Of one repubi-
can and one democrat from each as
sembly district in the state.
subordinate clubs viii then be
formed all over California and a cam
psign to roll up a big vote for the
direct primary constitutional amend
meat which will be placed on the ballot
s4 the next general election, will be
vigorously prosecuted
FOR DIRECT PRIMARIES
The meeting was called to order by
George A Van Smith. who stated that
its purbose was TO perfect a nonparti-
san state Organization to take up the
direct primary work where 1t was left
by the last legislature, which passed
= constitutional amendment for sub
mission To- The people.
Senator Wright Of San Diego was
made temporary chairman and several
brief speeches were made. Walter
Macarthur, editor Of the Coast Sea
mems Journal, said that there was Z
6rying need for the direct primary law.
He said that organized labor was in
favor of IL, from the federation OF
labor down to the remotest and small
est local. BE commended the absolute
~ nonpartisan plan Of organization
and devoted himself unreservedly to
the work ahead
John w. Sweeney, international busi-
ness agent of the pattern makers
association, said that he was not pre-
pared to speak with authority for or
ganized labor, but promised that the
rank and dle would be found lighting
for the direct primary. and assured his
hearers that he was ready and anxious
to enlist Ia the good work and to serve
until its successful conclusion.
TELLS HOW FIGHT STARTED
Ernest s. Simpson, managing editor
of The Call. told how the direct primary
hght started in 1906 when The Call Sc
cured from the convention at Santa
Cruz q plank in the republican platform
favoring the direct primary. He told
how the democrats followed suit and
how the struggle for q constitutional
amendment was carried on in the leg
islature. He said The Call purposed to
carry on the work it had commenced
but that the direct primary movement
was bigger than any party or faction,
any newspaper OF combination of news
papers. and that now the work would
be committed to the people. to whom
it belonged He promised that The
Call would always be found supporting
the movement
FREED FROM BOSS CONTROL
Charles w. Hornick, general manager
Of The Call. told of his participation in
the direct primary movement in Mime
sofa and how it had freed that state
from railroad boss domination. He ex-
planned how his observation of califor-
MAS political conditions had deter
mined him to enlist The Call in the di-
rect primary movement
Following other short addresses the
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