The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-09-01
TaURsnAYIsx.FI n

THURsnAY.NSEryr sso q
NATIONAL. PR1MAkY PRO
POSED.
Something new In politics was pro.
possd b. Senator camnins OF low
last week. when be gave out IN In.
tsfvisv urging the adoption Of nat.
ional primary election Law. for the
purpose OF putting the nomination Of
c~andidates TOR president and vice
prssident N the hands Of the people
themselves.
When Col. Roosevelt crossed Iowa,
he - Joined by Senator Cummins
and, II the course OF an hours con-
terence. Tho two discussed at length
the latest proposal by the Iowa sena-
tor. u b reported that the ex-presi-
dent Endorsed the plan. at least in
some OF Its respects. Il appealed to
Roosevelt as highly desirable that
participation In the nomination OF
presidents and vice-presidents be
based on the votes in the parties and
not upon population.
Any reform that commends itself
to two men Of so much prominence
IS Roosevelt and Cummins, invites
attention.
Senator Cummins points out the
dimculty Of changing the method OF
nominating presidents and vice-pres-
ldenta. because a constitutional
amendment would be required. Prac-
tice MSS In effect amended the consti-
tuition IN this respect, for 1t vas the
intention Of Its authors to leave the
selection of the president and vice.
president entirely to the members OF
the electoral college. These electors
are still chosen, the Noters marking
their ballots for them instead Of the
actual candidates. But the require
ments Of government by party re-
CURED the nomination Of candidates
by the parties and custom DEGREES
that the electoral college shall mere
" ratify. the choice of the party to
which the majority Of its members
belong.
Heretofore the nomination Of can-
dtdatess for president has been in the
hands Of the delegates to the national
oovention. nominally at least. But
even their power has in actual prac-
tice been transferred in large part
to the voters. In some states already
delegates to the national convention
are chosen az . primary election. so
that. % far q these states are con-
eerned. : national primary would
maksano difference. In other states
the delegates are chosen by state con-
Ventions. IN turn made up Of dele
gates. chosen by county conventions.
IN turn made up OF delegates selected
at caueuses. IN these states better
opportunity is given TO political lead
ere 70 manipulate the result than in
. primary election. So far a the
participation Of the voters in the
nomination Of candidates for presi-
Dent and vics-president is concern
u, tAen. the national primary would
% merely IN extension Of the pri-
mary system now in use In about
half the states.
TAs most radical feature Of the
proposed national primary. then, is
that the voice Of any state In the ma
tional conventions would depend up
on ito party vote and not upon Its
population. On this point Senator
Cummfns says:
That the nominations for presi-
dent and vice-president may be deter
mined 1t any time, IL not at all
times. and indeed, actually has been
determined, by the vote Of delegates
from states which cast practically nc
votes for the party ticket and never
elect the party electoral ticket, Is alb.
surd and indefensible. for manifestly
Il Il unfair to the voters who do elect
the candidates of the party. Any one
Will perceive that It cannot be fail
that the 10000 or $4,000 republi-
cans in Georgia, q state whose vote
never is cast for the republican cleo.
toral ticket. shall have in the nation
q republican convention equal voice
with the 100000 republicans Of Iowa,
. state whose vote always is cast fol
the republican electors. That is the
situation now. In the roll call on
nomination Of candidates for presi.
4 ,nt and vice-president. Georgia and