The San Francisco call., 1909-03-06
Measure to Be Reported With
One Amendment Which
VIII Start Row
Change in Senatorial Provision
Viii Force Concurrent Ac=
ton on Measure
Machine Forces Plan Final
Fight TO Keep Law From
Joint Passage
BY George Van Smith
ESpeeiaI Dispatch 10 The Call


O ACRAMENTo. March By
- vote Of to the assembly COM
mittee decided tonight to report
the wright-stanton direct primary
bin out amended to provide for
district advisory vote on United
States senators instead of the state
wide vote plan as passed by the
senate. Pending a conference be-
tween Assemblymen Hinkle and Drew,
touching the advisability of making
minority report, the majority report
viii be held up.
Drew went home yesterday after
noon. but before leaving said that he
would be willing to stand for the dis
trict vote on United States senators II
no other attempts to shoot the
bin fun OF holes were made. and, if
Drew is OF the same opinion when Hin
kIe communicates with him by tele-
phone tomorrow. there viii probably be
no minority report If there is to be
no minority report the bill will he re-
ported in tomorrow and the amend
ments adopted. the bill made a special
order for Monday or Tuesday and be
back 10 the senate for concurrence not
later than Wednesday.
HinISle Stands Fast
Hinkle and Drew participated in an
Independent caucus which declared for
the bill as IL was passed by the senate,
and Hinkle refused tonight to back
down from his position until he should
be released by the men with whom he
entered into an agreement to pass the
bill as it came TO the house.
No attempt was made tonight to in
ject a majority or fixed plurality
scheme. johnson presented his amend
ments for that purpose last night and
the committee lined UP against them at
tonight's meeting. Aside from the
purely mechanical amendments the ad-
visory senatorial vote was the only
material amendment offered.
The committee was unanimously in
favor Of the typographical corrections
and equally Of one mind in the mat
ter of allowing candidates TO agree to
be bound by the platforms Of their
several parties. Leeds. Rech, Hinkle
and Pugh voted for the advisory vote
amendments. Johnston of Contra Costa
and Webber, democrat, who voted for
the same amendments last night, were
absent Drew is i'll in Fresno, and Hop
kins, democrat, is indisposed in San
Francisco. All Of which, reduced to
its simplest form, leaves Hinkle alone
to battle for the bill as it passed the
senate
The assembly amendments affect the
policy OF the bill in a single particu-
lar, but they make the measure essen
tally different in that particular from
any OF the northern states direct pri-
mary laws. under all Of which the
partisan candidates for United States
senators are nominated by statewide
votes.
Instruct Legislators
If the assembly amendments are
adopted, legislators viii be instructed
in the matter Of United States senators
by their respective assembly and sena-
torisl districts and the candidate who
receives the popular vote of his party
in a majority Of the districts which
elect legislators of his political faith
viii be the caucus nominee of his
party.
The adoption Of the district advisory
plan by the assembly will precipitate
row in the senate over concurrence.
Some OF the machine men who worked
day and night to defeat the bill in the
upper house in anticipation Of the as
sembly's action are preparing now to
fight concurrence. with the hope that
the measure can be thrown into con-
ference and finally beaten.
Up to the Republicans
Against their efforts are the inter
ests Of the republican party. The re-
publicans can not accept responsibility
for the defeat Of the direct primary
bill. The Wright-Stanton bill is the
only measure before the legislature.
The session will end in two weeks and
party leaders admit frankly enough
that adjournment without the enact
ment OF the direct primary bill means
party disaster.
Responsibility for the enactment of
the direct primary law rests on the
republican party. The bill must pass.
and win pass"
Lieutenant Governor Warren Porter
is at last in the same frame of mind.