The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-17
ELECTINC SENATOR
Explanation Of Kansas Law and
Proposed Oregon Plan.
John Dawson Tells About the
Kansas Law.
HOW 1T APPLIES.
Attorney General jackson
Quotes Senator Bourne.
Oregon Senator Tells How Will
of People Is Registered.

| % many people nave inquired OF the
State Journal lately regarding the
Oregon plan of electing United States
| senator and have induIged in specula
| tion regarding the present Kansas plan,
that an explanation of the two laws is
/ timely. Already the Kansas senatorial
fight of 1912 is felt in political discus
sions and plans.
| John Dawson, attorney general-elecI,
in an interview today, gave the follow
ing explanation of the present Kansas
law for the election of United States
| Senator:
The Present Kansas Plan.
1t should be remembered that
United States senator is now elected in
Kansas by receiving a majority of the
votes of the senators and representa-
tives itting in joint session of the state
legislature, and the state constitution
gives representative to each county
in the state having 250 votes. The conf
plant that great and populous coun-
ty in the eastern part of the state has
only a fraction of the influence of
western county in nominating a United
States senator at the primary is only
criticism of the state constitution
which gives each sparsely settled
county an equal voice in the legislature
with the thickly populated counties;
and it was to preserve that power to
the western counties which they are
entitled to under the constitution that
prompted the legislature to enact this
peculiar provision concerning the nomi-
nation of United States senator as It
now appears in the primary election
law. That provision reads:
1.-THE candidate for United States SEN
atOr receiving the highest number Of
votes of his party in the greatest num-
ber of representative and senatorial
districts of the state shall be declared
by the state board of canvassers the
nominee of such political party for
{ United States senator
1t is true, therefore, that a repre-
sentative is in honor bound to vote for
the successful nominee of his own
party at the primary whether that per-
son receive the highest number of votes
/ in his own county or not
/ Attorney General Jackson, when
| asked for an explanation of the Ore
gon law. furnished extracts from Sem
ator Bourne's speech as follows:
! The Oregon Plan.
! Editor Topeka State Journal: Re-
plying to your request for an explana-
tion of the oregon plan of election of
United States senators, which is adopt
ed in the Kansas Republican platform
of this year, permit me to state that l
can give you no clearer explanation
than that included in the speech of
Senator Jonathan Bourne, jr., made in
the United States senate on May 5,
1910. On this subject, Senator Bourne
says:
I'm the case of a legislators nomi-
nation, the candidate may. in addition
to his statement, not exceeding 100
words specifying measures and princi-
pies he advocates, also subscribe to
one of two statements, but if he does
not so subscribe he shall not on that
account be debarred from the ballot.
1t will be seen, therefore, that three
courses are open to him. He may sub
scribe to statement No. l a., follows:
i ct further state to the people of Ore
| gon, as well as to the people of my leg
| islative district that during my term
| of office 1 shall always vote for that
candidate for United states senator in
congress who has received the highest
number Of the peoples votes for that
position at the general election next
preceding the election of a senator in
( congress without regard to my indi-
Vidual preference.
cor he may subscribe to statement
! No. 2, as follows:
During my term of office I shall
consider the vote of the people for
United States senator in congress as
nothing more than a recomm endation
! which I shall be at liberty to wholly
disregard if the reason for doing so
seems to be sufficient.
"Or he may be perfectly silent on
the election of United states senator.
It is entirely optional with the can
didate.
United States senators may be nomi-
mated by their respective parties in the
party primaries. and the candidate re-
ceiving the greatest number of votes
thereby becomes the party nominee.
Then in the general election the party
election thereby becomes the peoples
and the individual receiving the great
est number of votes in the general
election thereby bcomes the peoples
choice for United States senator.
How Democrat Was Elected Senator.
"Mr. President, in this connection I
| deem it proper to divert for time
| from an explanation of our primary
/ law and give concrete illustration of
its operation. Both my colleague, Ser
! ator Chamberlain. and myself were Sc
| lected by the people and elected by the
| legislature under the provision of this
law. Opponents of popular government,
and especially of the election of United
| States senators by direct vote of the
| people, have bitterly assailed statement
| No. 1 of our law because legislature,
overwhelmingly Republican. elected my
| colleague, who was q candidate select
1 ed by the Democratic party and nomi-
| mated by the whole electorate of the
| state as the peoples choice of our state
| for United States senator. Upon re-
Election, I think every intelligent man
J who is honest with himself must con-
cede that this fact. instead of being
/ the basis of a criticism, is the highest
| kind of evidence as to the efficacy Of
| the law, and every advocate of the
| election of United States senators by a
/ popular vote must realize that Oregon
| has evolved a plan through its state
ment No. 1, provision of its primary
| law, wherein. in effect, the people en-
joy the privilege of selecting their
| United States senators, and, through