Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-08-28
Legislature Must Go Thru Form
Of Selecting Successor to
Senator Allison
SESSION TO LAST TILL SEPT. 9
Can Not Adjourn Inside Of Ten Days
and Follow Provisions Of Law =
Dolliver Plan Of Amending Primary
Law Probably Will Be Followed -
cummins Favors Good Schemes.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times s-Republican.
Des Moines, Aug. 2S.-With the de-
parture of the last of the state fair
visitors tonight and tomorrow there
will arrive the first of the members of
the legislature for the special session
which opens Monday. Altogether the
legislature will be in session about
week and a half. 1t is the idea of most
who have given the matter thought
that the legislature will get away about
the 10th or 11th of September.
The provisions of the law are such
that this legislature will have to go
thru the motions of electing United
States senator for the unexpred term
of Senator Allison whether it wishes to
or not. The law provides that when
there is vacancy the next legislature
to meet shall vote on candidates for
the vacancy. If the legislature got in a
deadlock it could adjourn without
electing but it must at least make the
attempt to make an election.
The law provides further that the
houses shall meet at noon on the sec
ond Tuesday after organizing and bal
lot upon candidate. The next day
they must meet in joint session and If
both have agreed upon the same cam
didate he is declared elected. If they
have not elected the same they ballot
jointly The legislature will meet Mon
day, Aug. 81 and will complete it's or
ganization that day. The first week
will be devoted to the amendment Of
the primary election law so that the
republicans can select another candi-
date fo, the United States senate.
Must Be in SESSION Until Sept. 9.
The first consideration by the two
houses of the question of electing a
senator will be on Tuesday, Sept. 8,
which will be the second Tuesday af-
ter the legislature meets and organ
ICES. The next day, Sept 9, both
houses will meet Jointly. The legisla-
ture will have to be in session there
fore till Sept. 8, tho it can adjourn
sine die on that day. The caucus of the
political parties on senatorial candi-
dates will probably be held some time
next week.
Many members Of the legislature
have remained in the city, having
come here to attend the conference of
republicans Tuesday or the state fair
or both They are busy giving discus
sion to the form into which the amend
ment of the primary election law is to
be placed. So far as the enthusiastic
friends of Governor Cummins are con-
cerned they are not particular except
that they want the law to be constitu-
tional. They are SO confident that there
is an overwhelming majority of the
republicans of the state, no matter
what the test Of party feality, that they
join with Governor Cummins in ia
voring the most rigid qualifications.
A Suggested Course.
So far as the chances Of Governor
Cummins being nominated are con-
cerned they are willing that the law
be drawn in most any form. The meth
ods suggested are:
First-As announced by Senator
Dolliver at the conference Tuesday
after it had been adopted by con-
ference of the congressional delegation,
that no votes for United States sena-
tor be counted unless the citizen has
voted for all the republican nominees
on the ticket from presidential elector
down to and including the nominees
tn the legislature. Some object to this
idea on the claim that the state has
feen progressing steadily to the en-
cou.agement of the independent voter
so that there will be no "yellow dogs"
elected and that the scheme as suy-
gssted by Senator Dolliver Is getting
back to the hard and fast party lines
of many years ago, and while very
good for the purpose of preventing mi
grafton from one political party to an :
other is not always the most patriotic
course for the good of the state at
large.
Second-Permit no one to vote at the
senator except those republicans who
voted the republican ticket and de-
clared their affiliation as republicans
at the June primary. This would limit
it to about 100000 of the 100000 re-
publicans of the state.
Third-The Oregon plan of allowing
the people, all qualified voters, to vote
on United States senator regardless of
party lines.
Fourth-All the republicans who
voted at the June primary and such
others as declare their affiliations to
be with the republicans to vote.
Some Objections to DoIIiver Plan.
There are combinations Of these
p,ethods Some claim that to ask a
declaration of party affiliation at the
November election is against the Aus
tralian ballot law, the secrecy of which
every citizen seems determined to
maintain. At least one has had the
timidity thus far to suggest such a
thing To follow Delivers plan would
not cause ny citizen to disclose his in
tentions but after his ballot was cast
If it was found that while voting on
the republican candidates for senator
he had voted for one or any of the
democratic candidates from presiden-