Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-29

the reign OF the ufect primary. IL
has been the cause of many party
feuds and factlonal fights, but 1t is
now accepted as an institution. Wheth-
er or not the voters In a primary are
wiser In their selection Of candidates
than delegates In convention Is an
open question. But the effect of the
primary on party government is un- 1
doubtedly for the better. Important
as political organizations are to the
business of government under our sys-
tenn, 1t was not until the primary as
serted its power that the parties We're
given legal recognition.
The necessity of enacting laws to
protect the primary elections and to
latures of many states to enact laws
which govern parties and methods Of
making nominations. This has pre-
vented the snap" nominations which
were frequent in the old days when
the only party laws were those pro-
mulgated by the party committee and
which could be changed at the VIII OF
that body II the present disposition
OF both parties to yield more and more
to the direct primary continues many
great changes In American politics may
be looked for. Suppose that in 1912
there is a demand upon the national
committee of one or both of the great
parties for a presidential primary. 1t
win be refused, II precedent is fol-
lowed. Then 1t may become an issue
In the campaign, the defeat of party
candidate may be traced to his attitude
on the question. Thus 1t is entirely
possible that by 1916 there will be a
general presidential primary.
It would be held, of course, on the
plan of that being held today in Ten
nessee-the convention delegates from
each state being bound by the major
ity OF the votes cast in their several
states. From this step 1t is not far
to direct primary of all the states.
There Is already sentiment to aid this
development. The Republicans of the-
northern states object to delegations
from southern states which never cast
Republican electoral votes controlling
Republican noIrdnations. IN the Demo-
cratic convection, Texas, with it's solid
majority, is always outvoted by Penn
syivania, which will never cast DEM
ocratic electoral vote. The proposition
to cut the. southern representation In
the Republican convention was defeat
ed the other day by very close mar
gin and by force Of political necessity
A direct presidential primary would
knock the props from under the no
tion that the United States is q fed
Grated system of semi-sovereign states,
perhaps. But 1t would be no more un-
constitutional or extra-constitutional
than the present method of electing
presidents. 1t would add vastly to the
trouble of conducting campaigns for
the nomination. but the chief expense
would be borne by the various state
organizations. What it's effect would
be upon men and issues is a matter
of pure conjecture. But 1t is alto
gether likely that If primary had
been held this year Foraker would
have had more votes at Chicago than
he did. An ultimate effect would be
a renewal of the demand for election
OF the president by popular vote and
revival OF all the old questions OF
states rights in a form which would
appeal to the popular appetite for con-
troversy.
In the beginning, the fathers gave
as little power to the voters as pos
sible. The only function the people
can exercise under the constitution i'm
directing the affairs of the federal gov
ernment Is to elect members of the
house of representatives. That is a
body which is wholly renewed every
two years. The constitution holds as a
check against that popular and there
fore dangerous element, the senate,
which Is elected by the legislatures
of the states and which is a per-
petua1 and self-continuing body. In
the executive branch the constitu-
dent and vice president chosen by
electors appointed" by the states.
The judicial branch is totally removed
from popular control, as the judges are
appointed by the president for life. That
was the theory by which the federal
government was to be conducted.
AS matter of fact the people have
A1arfad ha
choosing between nominees, In the
first few elections some states chose
electors by the legislatures, but the
popular vote had become general in all
the states, except. South Carolina, by
1882. South Carolina's legislature ap-
War. The election Of senators Is be-
ing taken from the hands of the legis-
latures by the spread of the primary
election system. The federal Judiciary
is still beyond popular control. which
fact, 1t must be admitted, does not add
greatly to its popularity.
The tendency of. the nation from the
beginning has been toward a more di-
rectly democratic form of government.
Whether this tendency will carry the
people forward until the federal repub-
lie of semi-sovereign units is displaced
by democratic state the future alone
can tell. Thus far many changes have
been made in that direction. yet the let
ter OF the constitution still stands.
These changes have been accomplished.
and other changes will be accomplished.
by the methods which the voters of the
political parties choose to decide upon
for making the nomination"
Copyright. 1908. by Frederic J. Haskin.)
Tomorrow-Floods and Freshets.