Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-04
DIRECT PRIMARY
BILL MUTILATED
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ELEC-
TONS IGNORES DEMANDS
Provision Relative to Popular Nominal
ton of United States Senators
at Instigation of LeavItt
Is Eliminated
Especial to The Herald.s

SACRAMENTO, Feb. 3.-It has be-
come quite evident that if the people
of California are to have a direct
primary law that is such in anything
more than a name, it will not come to
them through the good graces of SEN
ate committee on elections and election
laws.
This week the Wright-Stanton bill,
SO called, has passed through the first
stages Of the campaign of mutilation
and manning which the majority of
the members of that committee appear
bent upon carrying to a successful
finish.
One Of the chief features of this
measure, and one which apparently has
appealed strongly to a great majority
of the people of the state, is the pro-
vision relative to the nomination of
United States senator by direct vote
at the primaries.
On the initiative Of Senator Leavitt,
who is suspected of being unfavorable
to giving the people anything ap-
preaching a voice in the election or
nomination of United States senator,
and who, upon his own admission be-
lieves that the people have no consti-
tutional rights in the matter, the COM
mittee has decided by vote of six to
three to eliminate from the bill it's pro-
vision for the submission of the Ques-
ton of the nomination of United States
senator directly to the people.
Makes Strong Plea
Senator Stetson made a strong plea
for the retention of this section. SEN
ator Wright, while expressing a belief
that the legislature will not satisfy
the people of the state if it eliminates
the section referred to, went upon rec
ord as radically opposed to the pledg-
ing Of candidates for the legislature as
to their votes for senator.
Senators Leavitt and Wolfe insisted
that nomination of senators by the peo-
pie is unconstitutional Senators
Wright and Stetson took the ground
that it did not contravene nor evade
the constitution of the United States
or of California-that it most certainly
was not evasion of the letter of the
federal organic law.
On this feature of the bill the COM
mittee is lined up as follows:
For permitting nomination of sem
ators by direct vote - Senators Estu-
dillo Stetson and Wright.
Against such provision-Senators
Leavitt, Hare, Hartmann, Wolfe, Ken
--ody and Savage.
The campaign of the machine ele-
ment in the Republican party on cleo
ton laws generally appears to be
planned along the lines of confusing
the mind of the public as much as pos
sible in regard to the intent of some
provisions of this and other election
laws, and of exciting dangerous diff
ferences of opinion among the insur-
gent Republicans and the Democrats
who, thus far, have been marching
along harmoniously toward one COM
mon end.
Hope to Break BuIWarks
By specious arguments, by the methods
of sophistry usually adopted with
greater or less success by demagogues,
it is hoped that the bulWarks of de-
fense erected by the yet united friends
of general popular government will be
so shaken and disturbed as to make
certain a breach when the crisis shall
have arrived.
One thing, and one thing alone, can
avail to save to the people such meas
ures as are inspired by a general de-
sire to advance the welfare of the
greatest number = perfect harmony
within the ranks of the true friends of
popular government, regardless of
party.
If, as a result of the diabolical tactics
of the performers" dissensions are al
l. wed to develop within the ranks of
the reformers, farewell to all hope of
anything practicable or practical in the
way of reform legislation affecting
elections.
This is a subject which warrants the
immediate and profound attention of
the voters in every community in Cali
fornia, and the friends of a good di-
rect primary law and f1rst-class ini-
t.ative law such as is proposed in Sen
ator Blacks constitutional amendment,
should organize at once in every coun-
tv and town in the state for the pur-
pose of bringing proper influence to
bear upon their Representatives in the
legislature.