The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-29
Kansas Day Is Birthday of
Primary Bill.
No Excitement Attendant Dpon
Passage in House.
SIMMONS EXPLAINS.
Speaker Says That He Ia Really
Opposed to Primary.
Question of the Cost Is Now
Being Considered.

Being Considered.
January g., the birthday of Kansas
and Of William Mckinley, was by the
Kansas legislature today made the
oirthday of the direct primary election
law.
Ihe hnal roll call on the bill in the
mouse Of representatives this morning
resulted lob to 10. with nine members
absent.
Inc Dill must now be engrossed sign
ed by the governor, and printed in the
official state paper. after which it be-
comes the law Of the state.
There were rumors this morning. as
there were last night in the senate.
that some of Stubs friends would
make an effort to throw the conference
committee report into the judiciary
committee, for the purpose of breaking
down the compromise, and securing
revision of the plurality plan for nona-
mating United States senators. But
| these plans failed to see daylight, and
| in explaining his vote this morning in
| the house, w. R. Stubbs said:
Concerning the provision in this bill
| for the nomination Of United States
have no right by a primary election to
| deprive the western part Of the state
| to its due representation under the
constitution. While personally I would
like to see a statewide primary vote on
| United States senator, 1 believe that
| the provisions in this bill are fair and
| just, and in accordance with the spirit
| of the constitution Of the United
| States
Some say that this was merely
Stubs way Of making virtue OF
| necessity, and others declare that
| Stubbs favored the plan for the purpose
| of currying favor with the western half
| of the state which will retain much
more powerful voice in selecting q Unit
| ed States senator than it would under
| statewide vote for that office. But the
| fact remains that Mr.. Stubbs is salts
fed. and it was his primary bill which
| stirred up all this rumpus during the
past two or three years.
/ What VIII It Cost?
There are widely conflicting opinions
| as to the cost of the primary election
Enemies of the primary declare that L
will cost the taxpayers Of the state
| S400 900, for every time a primary is
held That is probably too high. Some
think that about 100000 will cover the
| cost of the election. and they add sou
| 600 more for the expenses of the speciai
session of the legislature.
| w. r. Stubbs says that the cost OF
printing ballots for the primary should
not exceed $4,000 for the entire state.
! and the cost of holding the election VIII
| be about the same as the cost or
| regular election. Mr.. Stubbs says that
| cost of 10 cents apiece for the popu-
| lation of Kansas will pay the expense
| of the primary. The bill itself makes
| the following provision regarding ex-
penSe:
Ian tickets blanks and other sup
| niles to be used at any primary. and
all expense necessarily incurred IN tne
preparation for or conducting such prl-
mary shall be paid out OF the treasury
fofn a.
may be- in the same manner, with IKE
effect and by the same officers, as IN
! the case of elections. The cost, print,
| ing and distribution of the tickets shaH
| he under the charge and control OF the
same officers and official bodies as are
prescribed for general elections ana 1or
city elections by existing statutes, ana
| amendments now or hereafter made
thereto, insofar as the same are ap.
| plicable to and not inconsistent Win
the provisions of this act
| sneaker Simmons Explanation
Sneaker Simmons explanation OF
! his vote, submitted in writing, was as
| follows
at do not believe in the funda-
| mental principles of a primary cleo
| ton law do believe in the princi-
| pies of representative governmens' s..,
and think it should be applied win
! nroper safeguards in the selection or
! deIeeates to nominating conventions
| think this bill is as good one as
| can be made but believe it VIII be
found cumbersome and expensive, ooth
to the candidates and the pubic, ana
will in the end be a disappointment
/ to the people but I have often been
wrong in the past and may be In this
matter The demand for a primary law.
whether actual or created Is nearly
universal and as 1t has been long
| enough considered by the people
| feel that they should have an oppor-
tunitv TO test il. For this reason L
| have done whatsI could to get the bill
| in the best possible shape and to get
an agreement between the two houees
! and for the same reason l vote aye
MANY Speeches Were Made.
| II was about IL O'Clock when Repre-
/ senta tive s. B. Haskins, one OF the
house conferees on the primary, arose
and presented the report of the com
| rnittee Nearly an hour was spent in
| reading the report. which consists OF
| a detailed statement of all the amend
| ments made in the Stubbs bill by the
committee.
| Then the roll was called. The names
| of the ten men voting against the bill
| were Craddock of Morton. Curran OF
| Comanche, Flanagan OF Decatur
| Johnson of Miami Lennen OF Ness,
| McGilHvray of Grant-Stanton. O'Con-
ner of Leavenworth, Policy OF Repuo-
lie. Snyder of LeavenWortn' rama
| hill of Phillips.
The nine absentees were Creech.
Hendricks. Husey, Padgett. Saunders
Stannard. Warren, Westcott and Will
son.
There were many short speeches IN
explanation of votes. and a numDef
of written statements sent to the
| reading clerks desk
When the time came for approx
/ ing the title of the bill, W. L. Cum
ningham moved to amend by making
it read, can act to insure the re-elec-
| ton of Senator Chester I. Long
(ContinueJ on Page Two.)