The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1910-04-14
WRITES ABOUT
PRIMARY LAW
John r. Addison Gives Opin-
ion on Important Phase
of New Measure.

1--WE from JnlS county, Is or interest
to every voter as 1t gives the opin-
ion of one of the trainers of the bill
Mr.. Addison differs with the editor
of the American Falls Press and
quotes portions of the law to prove
his contention:
(The article referred to is taken
from the American Falls Press.
rather than the Times" as Mr..
Addison has said.)
Editor Grangeville Globe.
Dear Sir: In your valuable paper
OF week ago you published an ar
ticle from the American Falls Times
In regard to some of the provisions
of the direct primary election law
OF this state. The Times takes the
position that there is no adequate
provision in regard to party plat
forms and pledges, and that each
candidate may make his own plat
form.
This is certainly a very erroneous
impression, and for the edification of
his readers we would call his atten-
ton to section 20, line IL, after the
word provided" viz:
That the present party organiza-
tons of each party, both state and
county. shall continue until their sue
cessors are elected under the pro-
visions of this law. A county or
state central committee may elect
its chairman, secretary, or other Of
ficer, and fill vacancies in said com
mittee and shall have the power to
make its own rules and regulations
and prepare and announce party plat
forms, call platform conventions,
county, state, or national; provide for
the election of such delegates, other
wise, fill vacancies ON the ticket, pro-
vide for the nomination of candi-
dates to fill vacancies, or for officers
not required to be nominated as here
in specified, and may perform all
other functions Inherent in such
organizations by virtue of law or
custom not inconsistent with the
terms OF this law, the same as If this
law had not been enacted; Provided,
That the state platform convention
OF all political organizations subject
to the provisions of this act shall
meet at the seat of state government
at IL m. of the goth day after the
primary election and shall forthwith
organize. and each and every of such
conventions shall by majority vote
adopt and promulgate the party prin-
ciples and declarations of the re-
spective parties, and shall within
forty-eight hours after assembling
file copy of such platform with the
secretary of state and which copy
shall be duly certified and attested
by the chairman and secretary of
such convention. County platform
conventions desiring to adopt and
promulgate any principles, declara-
tons, or pledges, shall in like man.
o'clock NJ. on the goth day after
such primary election and forthwith
organize and by majority vote adopt
their platform and file the same
with the county auditor within
twenty-four hours thereafter and
which said platform shall be duly
certified by the chairman and secre-
tary of such convention"
Gould there be any language en-
ployed that would make the matter
of platform or political pledge more
certain? Under this law how could
an individual candidate make his own
platform? Certainly candidates could
pledge themselves to certain meas
ures not covered by the state or
county platform, but the party could
not be bound by it. When a candi-
date is nominated he must stand
upon the platform adopted by his
party convention.
The principal argument employed
by Senator Hepburn in his address
before the last state convention In
opposition to the direct primary law
was that 1t would destroy the party
organization and this was most care.
fully considered by those who formed
the present law. We believe that
every safeguard has been thrown
around 1t; that the platform conven-
ton, coming directly from the peo-
pie, deriving all it's power from them.
Is the most representative conciey.