Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-28
A New Primary Law.

There is much work to be done be
ffore the special session of the leg;s-
lature assemblies in November. if =
desirable. comprehensive, honest and
constitutional primary law is to be
passed at that time
In sense the state of Illinois is on
trial in this matter 1t is fight he
tween public sentiment and public in
trests on the one side. and "bossism,
private snap and political chicanery on
the other
AS the Chicago Record Herald says
Intelligent and upright citizens know
that the state needs a primary act :;
that at present all is chaos-there he
ing grave doubts whether we have anv
primary or even election act i'm exist
court decision. and that to leave so
contentious a matter to the regular
session is to play into the hands of the
spoiIsmen and obstructionists and 10
court defeat
"The pretense that direct primary
constitution as interpreted is the off
spring of deep hostility to honest pri-
maries and popular rule. No doubt
there are difficulties in the way. but
an earnest and methodical legisla-
ture can overcome them. The aid of
the best lawyers, including the judges
! of the supreme court itself. can and
| should be invoked by the legislature
AS Justice Carter said in his separate
opinion. the court. having annulled
three acts. is morally bound TO offer
| positive guidance to the lawmakers.
There is. moreover. constitutional war
rant for requesting the court to iudi-
cate how the defects found i'm previous
acts NAV be cured or avoided in new
measure. We cannot. as in other
, states. directly ask the court to pass
upon the validity of the proposed bills
as part of its ordinary duties. bur.
since it Is made the duty of judges
to point out omissions or flaws i'll
laws and recommend improvements, it
involves no violence to the conS.i-
tuition 10 solicit their advice and sus-
gestions in particularly complicated
legislative subject.
THE paramount need in primary leg
islation is good faith on the part of
| the majority in the house and senate,
| 1t has been VIGOROUSLY lacking in the
past hence our trials and tribulations
The governor will perform his part
and place the responsibility where il
belongs The people should come &c
his support and demand honest service
from the legislature
That last paragraph emphasizes the
very point which The Argus has
been making in recent articles upon
this subject. Good faith on the part
of many of the members of the house
and senate has been VIGOROUSLY lack
ing. The people should demand hon
est service from the legislature. u
is disgraceful that there should be am
questions about obtaining honest ser
vice from the legislature. but the doubt
exists. MANY of the offenses perpe
trated by this legislature have giver
good reason for the onclusion that Il
is bossgoverned, and that some of itS
members are mere political chatteis
i'm the hands of powerful politica
lSchemerS
| So there is work to do. Public sen
ltiment must present itself in sucf
formidable manner that the legisl1
ture, lacking as it may have been II
the past in the matter of good faith
cannot dodge or evade the demand
which is sweeping this state froT
Cairo to F'reeport. and from Quincy K
Danville. for the enactment of a pri
mary Law