Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-01-22
Our Topeka Letter
Concluded From Page One)

CdjiuiudItS w De V0J6Q I0r, at
the next coming November cleo
ton and on the first Tuesday in
March, 1909 and annually there
after in all cities having 5000 or
more population for all candidate
to be voted for at the ensuing
city election.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Len
non abOlishes the present system
of circulating petition in order to
get the names of candidates on
the primary ballot and substitute.
a fee and registration system. 1t
provides that anybody may be-
come a candidate for office un-
der the primary by. the payment
a fee equal to one-half of one per
cent of the annual salary of the
office for which the man is a can
didate. This proposition was full
ly discussed at the time the pri-
mary bill was under considera-
ton a year ago, but was cast
aside for the petition system.
However many Of those who wer
candidates for office at the last
primary are dissatisfied with the
petition system and would well
come relief.
The money received shall be
paid into the state, city or coun-
ty treasury and shall constitute
a primary election fund. The pro
vision for petitions under the
present law is repealed and in
stead local friends Of the variOu
candidates answer for their COM
potency and political qualifica-
tons.
The Lennen bill also provides
for a blanket ballot. Under the
system now a voter declares his
politics when he enters the booth
and is given a ballot carrying
only the name of the candidates
for nomination by his party. The
Lennon bill would place all of tn
party tickets on one ballet and
the voter could cast his vote for
any of the candidates, irrespect-
i've of party. This would mean
the secret ballot, longed for by
the Democrats. Democratic mi
nority stood out for the secret
ballot, at the special session last
winter for days, and for a time
it appeared that the primary
would be defeated because of tina
very thing. The Republican fac
tiOnal lines were too closely draw
to admit of the passage of the
bill without the minority sup
port. Finally the Democrats
gave in and the primary passed.
The Leunen bill brings this ques-
ton up again.
Senator Glenn of Greeley also
= has a bill to amend the primary
law.The senator from Greeley
has introduced a bill amending
the law so that beginning March
of next year, the bill proposes
to have the state primary held
in all cities Of 5000 inhabitants
or over on the first Tuesday in
April coincident with the city
election. The choice of United
States senators not to be made
until the regular election. Sepa-
rate ballot boxes are to be pro-
vided to keep the primary bal
lots.
The grist of new bills continue
Also of concurrent resolutions.
There have been more bank guar
antee bills put on, also more on
the tax law. The big bone of con.
tention in the tax law that is
getting the worst Of it is the
county assessor. About every bill
introduced aims at that individ-
ual. What the people in the state
are also much wrought over in
the new tax law is that the rail-
roads paid less in 1903 by almost
100000, and the real estate by a
most 100000, more than last yes
It seems, after listening 70 an
able argument BY JUICE Glass o
the tax commission, that the only
way this can % remedied, q ,.
an amendment % the eousa sstior
One has been proposed By Ns~lil
of Douglas which ID thought will
fill the bill. We shall comment
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