The San Francisco call., 1908-08-30
VOTERS SERVE NOTICE ON THE LEGISLATURE THAT
YOU WANT A GENUINE AND EFFECTIVE
DIRECT PRIMARY LAW

people OF California That the
venons OF the republican, democratic and union labor
parties The which shall be depends
upon the people
The direct primary promises were made as
hundreds of other platform have by
oed conventions They response demand
of the fewrown bone upon which dconented
might gnaw and for time forget wrongs.
The demand of the few up by people of Cali
oa instantly The people, without regard partisan affiliations
recognized the direct primary panacea for all political
ills from which they suffered worst of
all political poisons-the boss
The people of California knew adequate and proper
direct primary election law would against repetition
of the scandal and born convention They
knew that direct primary protect them from
the shameful necessity of reading party
mentions.
AS with people from Humboldt to San Diego
insisted that the direct primary pledges which the party per
ed their conventions make should
good faith and should be redeemed in good faith.
Partisan spebnders made splendid capital promises
h begged that the sins of the be condoned saying
all would be wiped by the prompt of law which
would party partisan candidates
for public Office where they beonged-n the people
That prior the election of 1906 The silence on the
subject OF direct primaries painful Immediately that cleo
ton The machine proceeded to the redemption promise by
opposing bitterly the submission of constitutional amendment
which would enable subsequent legislature o direct pr
law That opposition continued throughout virtually the
entire legislative of 1907 That constitutional amendment
passed for submission people due rather to the
eCeSeS OF machine men than to intent deal fairly
the people.
The air is again camor similar to that made by the
sPebnders OF 1906 Party leaders announcing from
ton stages This is the last party Our next
ticket viii be selected by the people voting primary cleo
tons Not all these talking in bad recognize
the handwriting the admit that some kind Of law
which shall be called direct primary regardless what It NAV he
IN fact must be enacted Some of to see
ne direct primary law the California of them
relying the peoples lack with direct primary
systems hope foist upon the people makes which will be
direct primary only and which will stand the tests
reform. r'
An improper direct primary be worse than none Such
law would afford immediate relief result inevitably
IN delay of accomplishment of the reform
demanded by all but the professional politicians
lhe preparation OF proper direct primary system for Cali
lorna will be comparatively simple matter The primary
splendid groundwork for direct primary California
may poht by the mistakes made other All California
demands IS comprehensive genuine direct primary Cali
lorna wants no lads Calornians
not driven to the necessity experimenting From the existing
dozen successful direct primary the best features
may be welded to the best features of and Cali
lorna VIII have better direct primary system any its
sister states.
In the simplicity the before Caifornans lies their
danger Onscrupuous politicians will California what
has been attempted, with
Ihey viii attempt to ost upon the people substitutes
or to inject invadatng bugs into good ONLY ncea
vigilance the of the people will insure against scb
sudugge The first duty of electo believes in direct
primary election reform to assembly constitutional
amendment No. g. tremendous popular vote for that .e,d
ent will notice that the people submit TO tre
With his for the amendment should
against any legislative candidate who pledged himself -
work and for genuine direct primary Such bl ,u;
be introduced by the who fought against great odds
submission of the amendment Having the amendment
and legislators pledged unequivocay primary leoao
will be- the duty Of every watch legislative
sentayes Proper interest the of all the result