The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-20
SPLIT PRIMARY.
Caldwell Bill Goes Through the
Senate.
Provides for Nominating .. 8.
Senators
AT GENERAL ELECTION
Would Hold This Primary in
November.
The One Passed Is Senate Bill
No. /.
At GENERAL ELECTION

Tell me the old, old story" sang
the advocates of Caldwell's split pri-
mary measure in the senate Saturday
evening, and after less than three
hours of coy pleading the senators
yielded 20 the tuneful lay with the
familiar and popular slogan of not so
long ago Twenty-Five to One" and
the first of three direct primary bills
on the calendar was passed.
The fight made against it by the
square dealers was not so fierce as
had been expected. They were unable
to convince the opposition that be-
cause of the delay in printing the sew
eraI bills they had not had time to be-
come acquainted with their features,
or that by adjournment until Monday
they would be prepared to vote more
1ntelligently. On the other hand the
friends of the split primary were
equally unsuccessful in their appar-
entity intense eagerneSs to earn the
money the people were paying them
by taking a sixteen hours recess and
working overtime on Sunday, as was
proposed by Senator Noftzger. The
senator from Harper said that if they
did not work they would not be en-
titled to the SO paid them for Sun
day. This would not only not be right,
but it wouldn't be moral. 1t was
suggested that the people would be
the gamers by paying the members
to knock off and go to church. but
the suggestion was rejected 1t was
further vainly urged that the bill was
designed largely to benefit the Re-
publican party, and that the Republic
cans would acquire much profit by not
having the senatorial question post
poned until the general election, but
hn G11't
see it that way.
The bill, among other provisions,
prohibits placing the name of any
candidate who is on the state ticket
on the United States senator ticket,
which is alleged by the square deal
ers to be d direct blow at and par
ticularly offensive to Mr.. Stubbs and
q victory for Mr.. Long. Incidentally
it also strikes at congressman and
other aspirants to both state and ma
tional office. Senator Smiths amend
ment to restrict the number of sena-
torial candidates whose names are
to be placed on the ballot, so that it
will not be as confusing as Cincin-
natl directory. would have been lost
on tie ballot, but Senator Miller,
who was chairman of the committee
of the whole, came to the rescue and
Il was written in the bill that candi-
dates must file petitions signed by the
same percentage of voters as other
candidates.
The danger of violating the secrecy
of the ballot, so zealously guarded in
the Australian system, and the i'm
propriety of compelling voters to
stand before the election judges and
declare to which of the two parties
they would give allegiance were en-
iarged upon, but the majority of the
senators could see no red lanterns
swinging across the track and trust
ing that the switches were set for the
main line went ahead at full speed
without stopping at the small stations.
Statewide primaries are provided
for in both bills and under the re-
uuirements of the Caldwell measure
one for the nomination of state and
county officers will be held in August
this year and in March on succeeding
election years. The senatorial pri-
mary will be held at the general cleo
ton
When the senate shortly after recon-
vening Saturday afternoon, had declin-
ed to make the three bills relating to
the primary election law the special or
der for 10 a. m. Monday, by a vote OF
10 to 16, the first reading of bills came
up as the regular order of business and
seven were added to the list of proposed
measures. These were introduced by
Senators Smith, Porter of Montgomery
Getchell, Dolley, Robertson, Martin OF
Bourbon and Chapman, bringing the
session up to Sc.
The senate Immediately thereafter, In
spite of cries of MOI Nor went into
committee of the whole, Senator Miller
in the chair, for the consideration OF
bills in their regular order.
Senator CaldwelPs bill providing for
the selection of party nominees for
United States senator (S B. No. u
head edthe list of general orders and il
was read section by section for con-
sideration and amendment.
Senator Smith precipitated the strug-
gle when he offered a substitute fol-
section 2, designed to safeguard the
ballot by restricting the number d
candidates." but this was opposed by
Fitzpatrick as in derogation of the very
principle for which the direct primary
Is demanded. AS originally drawn this
section provided that each person de-
string to be a candidate for the office
of United States senator need merely
file with the secretary of state his ap
plication to have his name placed or
the ballot.
Smith insisted that this would throw
down the bars so that every crank
monomaniac and cross roads politician
in tine country would seek notoriety b,
applying for a place on the United
State senator ballot. which would thu
become so cumbersome as to call TO
an impossible search by the voter afte
entering the booth to discover the can
didate of his choice. Why not adopt ;
provision followed in the other state
where the direct primary has been trieC
with success, he asked. Any bona fid'
candidate should have friends enough
. to arrange for the filing of petitions
containing the names of the same pc
cent of voters required of other candi
dates, as provided for in the substitute
Porter of Montgomery said the onl,
objection urged to this section was tina
1t might open the way to too many can
didates My understanding is that tn
very principle of the direct primary i
to let any man run for office who want
to- If there is anything in the primar.
system, it is the right of any man t.
run the same as any other man.
Smith asserted his belief in the bill
and his readiness to vote for it If /