Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-07
TEST FOR NEN Law
Washington State Will Try
Advanced Form Of Direct
Primary
LAW HAS UNIQUE FEATURES
Direct Vote for Senator'S, Non Partisan
judiciary, and Severe Penalties for
Those Who Solicit Anything of VAL
ue for Influencing votes-seconel
Choice Provision.

Spokane, Wash, Sept. What Is
declared by authorities to be the most.
advanced form of direct primary cleo.
ton law on the statute books of any
commonwealth in the union will be
used for the first time turnout WASH.
ington, tomorrow, when candidates for
state offices, United States senator's,
representatives in congress, judges Of
the supreme and superior courts and
county offices will be nominated, to be
voted for at the general election in
November.
The unique features OF the law,
which was approved March Is, 1907,
and given its initial test at the city
election in Spokane the following April,
are tho direct vote for United States
senator, the non partisan judiciary. the
second choice, and the provisions re-
stricting lavish expenditures of money
and lessening the intrusion of venal
publications. Fines and Imprisonment
are also provided for any one who
solicits money, liquor or anything of
value for influencing votes, thus throw
ing every possible safeguard around
the franchise, and. in way, eliminat-
ing the o1d-time war-horse politician
as a factor in the nomination of can
didates.
Any qualified voter can declare his
candidacy for any office on the ballot
used at any primary election, provided
he pays the fee required by law and
files his name, address and party af-3
filiation with the secretary of state
at least thirty days and not more
than sixty days prior to the primary.
The fee for registering is $40 for any
office with salary or compensation
attached of $1,000 or less year, and
where more an additional amount.
equal to / per cent of the salary on
such excess. There are no party eau
cuses of conventions to nominate
candidates or the jobbery and machine
methods usually attendant upon them.
"A feature Of the law not in use IN
any other state requires the voter to
designate his first and second choice
in all instances where there are four
or more candidates of any political
party for one state or congressional Of
flee. The language of this provision
follows, in part:
s.No voter shall vote for the same
person for first choice and second
choice, and no voter shall, where
there are four or more candidates for
such nomination, vote for one person
only, either as first or second choice,
and no ballot so voted for one person
only, for either first or second choice.
or for the some person for both first
and second choice, shall be considered
a complete ballot, but any ballot un-
der said conditions, falling to show
both first and second choice of differ
ent persons, shall not be considered or
counted for that office"
Candidates for the judiciary are not
required to declare their party dffil-
iationsj and the voter has but one
choice. The voter for United States
senator also has one choice, and In the
latter case the candidates for repre-
sertatives of the state legislature may
pledge themselves to vote for the party
choice for United States senator.
The big tight is for the United States
senator ship, for which office there are
five candidates. Senator Levi Ankeny
of Wailla Walla, who owns a chain of
banks that encircles the rich wheat
belts of the state, asks for reelection.
His chief opponent is Congressman
Wesley L. Jones OF North Yakima, In
the heart Of the big red apple district
Both are republicans. The other can
didates live on the west side OF the
Cascade mountains, the natural divid :
ing line OF the state, and are: William
H. Smell, Tacoma, republican,; and
George f. Cotterilt and M. M. Cod
man, Seattle, democrats.
Candidates for party Offices who re-
ceive a plurality of the votes cast shall
be the nominees of such party, except
for offices where first and second
choice ballots are designated. In the
latter instance, if no candidate receives
more than 40 per cent of the first
choice votes, then a canvass shall be
made Of the second choice votes re-.
ceived by the candidates. These will
be counted with and added to the first
choice, votes and the candidates re-
ceiving the highest number Of both
votes shall be declared the nominee for,
the office Of the political party repre-
sented by him. If he polls 40 per cent
or more of the first choice votes of
his political party the candidate re-
ceiving the highest number Of first
choice votes shall be declared the nom
inee without reference to second choice
votes.
K 1t is declared by prominent rep
resentatives of both parties that the
second choice provision adds essential
Nv toy.he effectiveness of the Washing
ton primary law, as without 1t the can
didstte of a small minority could be nom
mated An instance of this can be cited:
There are thirteen candidates for gov
ernor in Washington this year. II
they had nearly equal support the one
receiving one-twelfth of the votes cast
could be high man and be nominated.
altho the large majority of his party
opposed him. Under the new law, il
no candidate has a majority of first
choice votes, the second choice votes
are added to the first, and even if a
candidate fails to receive a majority,
he will undoubtedly have a large plur-
ality.
on His Feet.
Thank you" she said, as he finally
gave her his seal in the car. It's I'M
possible to stand ION your feet"
.srhat was because kept EN- out of
your way, ma,amk he replied
81 ss1st cn.sn,e 4 kratjonS