The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-08-17
WOULD AMEND PRIMARY LAW

| Oklahoma's new primary law.
recently for the first time, is already
/ the subject Of comment looking TO its
amendment by the next Legislature.
The general election law. which was
a companion measure in the last ses-
sion, will be given its first work In
November. The general application
of the law 10 all parties and to all Of
| fees, II Is understood, viii not be
tampered with, it being only the pur
| pose to correct certain of the details
| leaving the primary system intact.
When the constitutional convention
more than year ago. adopted the
| primary election section, those oppos-
| ing it agreed that the convention
method was vicious, but they doubted
the expediency In fastening in the Of
/ ganic law Of the state provision max
| ing the primary mandatory In place
of optional as the Oklahoma Territor-
| ial law then provided. The Democratic
majority Of the convention supported
| the idea as a party principle, and, in
short served notice that the people
We're to be given an opportunity to
name their officers without the inter-
| ference of q machine" From its pra-
teal workings observed last week, the
| Oklahoma law is satd to be both ooil-
er and bomb proof against anything
suggesting machine domination.
While the sucnessful operation Of
the law is not doubted. 1t has been the
subject Of liberal complaint. John S.
| Allen. editor OF the Peoples Voice
publisher at Norman. recognized as q.
| Populist of the ancient order, and Ma
tional committeeman Of the Watson
| wing OF that party. in a letter TO Gov
Haskell recently said that his conf
denee i'm the executive had received
an awful jar when he signed the p3i-
mary and general election bills He
| complained of the election evperees
being paid by the state. and charges
| that the law coerces the votcr in his
| suffrage, thus tending 70 dcstro. the
! independence OF the ballot This
/ question was thoroughly fought out
/ hy the legislature, IL being the pre-
| yailing opinion then that a voter was
entitled to vote any ticket he chose
irrespective OF the political party for
which he registered, but thar he
coulH not vote what Is called q mix
ed" ticket. or for some candidates OF
/ one party and some of anotaer.
The identity of the political tickets
was so wholly preserved 10 prevent
the voters of one party debating the
opposing party's nomination for any
particular office or set of offices. As
| primary is regarded as strictly fam
| ily affair the Legislature concluded
that II might be surrounded by all
! the conditions necessary TO keep II
clean; however, in the general cleo
tion the vOtertis free to exercise his
fancy
From expressions Of the leaders
since the election It is doubtful II n
cnange will pe made in applying the
general expense, as that Is consider.
ef now equitably distributed to all
counties OF the state. There Is sen
timent for repeating the section re-
quiring candidate to circulate petit
lions in order 10 get on the ticket to
the end thai all races will be open to
all comcrs Irrespective OF personal
following The petition methoi It
is urged, serves no purpose other than
80 confuse the voter and make him
feel Obliged to support the candidate
FOR whom he signed. In many IN.
stances candidates paid others TO cir
culate their petitions for them an
il was frequently the case that the
same voters signed petitions OF rival
candidates.
Il Is Understood the legislature will
be opposed to repeating the sections
requiring an candidates. whether sue
csssfal or not 70 file with the respec
tive election boards an itemized state
men OF their campaign expenses
There is con,5iderAble complaint
against this provision. notwIthstand
ing the legislatures intent, from tae
debate IN both the senate and th'
house. was 10 make Il check againi
lavish expenditure of money for tht
purpose of influencing the result
The newspapers appear 10 have wol
many friends TO support a repeal OF
modification of the provision requiring
an political matter. whether pail fol
or not. TO be so designated. th'
. amount and the person. firm or cor
. ] poratlon paying for me same. Thii
feature was only partially compiled
With m certain localities, where at
II torneys advised publishers that thl
provision itself was OF doubtful legal
y iiy la other instances papers printe'
what they pleased without label AS q
price or origin.
/ Milton Bryan Of Shawnee, renomi
mated ny the Democrats OF PottSwa
tonic county was the author of
} primary law during the last session
many sections OF which are la Ia
| present law II returned 70 the hons
! he win Introduce q new hlll seeklnl
fo rhnnee "a number Of the "details nos
regarded a. obieetlonablc.