Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-07


there are possibilities of numerous diff
ficult entanglements by reason OF the
second choice provision.
A feature of the law that commends
itself is the provision restricting the
use of money, thus giving the candi-
date of moderate means as nearly pas
sible an equal chance with the wealthy
man in making a campaign, preventing
also wholesale buying of newspaper
support.
The law provides that no candidate
may directly or otherwise give, pay or
contribute any money or other valu-
able thing, except for personal ex-
penses. These shall include only such
expenditures directly incurred by
candidate for travelling, writing or
printing any letter or circular, tele-
phone, messenger service and similar
personal expenses and for nlrlng mans
for public meetings.
Anv person who pays or promises to
pay a newspaper for any article raw
oring him or for printing his photo
graph or biography is disqualified from
office.
Fine and Imprisonment are provided
| for any newspaper accepting pay Tor
supporting candidate. except wnere
the matter is printed under the n 1eau-
ing, in boldface letters, paid adver-
tisement."
The law also provides, under penalty
of fine and Imprisonment, that every
candidate must file an itemized sworn
statement, within ten days after tne
primary, setting foIth in detail ia nsid an
by him or anyone for him, with his
knowledge or acquiescence.
While there are no absolute means
of preserving party organization, ana
such that are appear unsatisfactory;
the enactment has a stronger ana
| more comprehensive provision than
anv other primary law contains, and IT
nrotects party organization so far as
| can be done by legislation under direct
nomination. This is the manner in
which party committeeman are Sc
| 1ected:
The present party organisation
| in both state and county of the
| several parties shall continue until
their successors are elected under
the provision Of this act. Each po-
| litical party shall have the power
to make its own rules and regula-
tions, elect delegates to convenr
tions, state and natlonal, M "a
cancies on the ticket. provide Ior
the nomination of presidential cleo
tors and perform all other func-
tions inherent to such organlzd-
tions the same as though this act
had not been passed. PROVIDED
that in no instance shall any con-
vention have the power to nomi-
nate any candidate to be voted TOT
at any primary election.
People Elect Directly
Thus the people will elect the COM
mitteemen directly, and the coHliih1.ee
should therefore be in close touch with
its party.
separate party ballots are provided
for hv the new law, which also re-
quires that every properly registeIe.u
voter at the primary shan qeciare ms
aftiliation, and If challenged ne must
make oath or affirm that he INTENDS 10
become identified with that party at
the ensuing election and generally 10
support its candidates.
This. in a way, destroys the Sc
crecy of the ballot law, SUGGESTING
that as it is acknowledged that tne
government is one of parties every
voter participating at the primaries
should be an outspoken party man.
'The primary purpose is to select the
strongest and best representatives or
the marty for its nominees, so that the
elacfion to follow will become then a
fair choice of the people at large.
politicians of the old convention
neriod did not approve of the new
order of things when the first test OF
the law was made at the city election
| in Spokane in April, 1907. ana IL is
| worthy of note that in almost every IN
stance they supported the losing can
| didate
sionIficant indication
The nomination of c. Herbert Moore.
Republican, by 1900 majority over
Doust, Republican, and Mayor Dag
gett Democrat, and his subsequent cleo
fion hv 1900 majority over Daggett, an
excess of 20 per cent over the normal
Republican majority, is taken as a sig
nificant indication that the new law Will
accomplish it's purpose at the nrst state
election under it's provisions, also that I
the knell of the boss and the poitlcai
ring in Washington has been SOUNDED
and the nominating power restored 10
| the people. .1,,z
state is the result of an agitation
started in 1906 by the Direct PRIMARY
| league of Washington, of which Cnrls-
| topher w. Horr is president. Inc nrst
|, bill was introduced seven years ago and
came within one vote or passing. All
other measure was offered nve years
| ago hut was refused a place on the
senate calendar.
The third bill was submitted three
| wears ago, when it passed the mousse
| but the senate, then controlled by a
political ring, promptly killed It, Inc
present law was forced through at tne
| session OF lSUG, dllSI lllC ACeboSAS - 49,
"Old Guard" were put to rout. Ihere
was only one opposing vote.
Inception of Law
Direct primary legislation had its In
ception in Crawford county, Pa, In
1850 when it was adopted by the Re-
nublicans. Several attempts were made
TO return to the old convention system,
but they were defeated. 1t was ex-
| tended TO the congressional district,
| composed of Crawford and Erie coun-
ties in 1887, and later 1t was given TO
other counties in the state.
The legislature passed an act for the
protection of the system, permitting
| anv party to adopt 1t, but applying 1t
| oniv to Crawford county. South Caro-
lima, adopted the direct primary In 1890,
and it is now in force in nearly every
The Republicans in Cleveland took it
M as an experiment in 1885, and 1t
proved so satisfactory that it remains
in force.
The legislature of Minnesota passed
an governmental law in 1899, applying
it only to Hennepin county, including
Minneapolis.
Demand Spreads
Tt worked so we'll that others wanted
1t, and the next legislature extended
the law to cover city, county, legisla-
tive and congressional nominations, but
not for the state ticket. Wisconsin
| followed in 1903, after a battle of ten
years between the advocates of the
law, led by La Toilette and the old