The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-23
roo MUCH LEGISLATION
CAUSE OF CONFUSION
Three Gensral Election Laws
Enacted By as Many
Legislatures

AS d result OF the proposed refer
endum by Republicans upon the Bry-
an act of the special session, the state
commission, codiIylng the laws 10 be
eported to the next legislature, has
been unable to agree upon what stat
ute, ii any, governs gene. al elettiolls,
The confusion arises from q supera-
hundance Of legislation upon the sub
jeot, and the apparent eyer-leady de-
Sire In Oklahoma to invoke The ini-
tiaiye and referendum,
There have been three sessions or
the Legislature since Oklahoma be-
came a state, and there have beez
three general election laws enacted.
When statehood came the emblem bal
lot law enacted by a territorial leg
islature, with nominations to be made
by convention or by primary election,
at the option Of the political party.
Democrats coming into power thor
oughly committed to the mandatory
primary feature, at the First legsla-
ture repealed the old territorial law
substituting entirely new general psi-
mary acts, retaining Of the former
the emblem ballot, which is consider
able of aid to the elector, unable to
read and write The second election
was held under its terms.
When the second legislature met,
Senator l.. X. Taylo. secured passage
OF what became known as the Taylor
ribbon ballot law, dealing with the
subject of general elections. 1t did
away with all party emblems, and ar
ranged candidates for given Office
by groups without sign or word iu-
| dicating to what political party a
/ particular candidate belonged, and the
electo was required to vote on each
candidate SEPARATELY.
With this law, everything else on
/ the subject OF general elections was
repealed Soon after the legislature
adjourned Republicans pre- enting pe-
titicns for referendum on the Taylor
law. which had the effect OF suspend
ing II from operation, as il remains
today, pending before the supreme
court on an appeal affecting the bal
lot title. Republicans took the ap-
peal When the special session came
around Milton Bryan. Democratic
member from shawnee, secured pas
sage of new general election law,
returning to the emblem ballot lea
tu G, and included repeal OF the
Taylor ribbon ballot law, as well as
everything on the subject of general
election. Anticipating that the OPP
posite political party would refer the
Bryan law, Senator Taylor secured
passage Of an independent act repeal
ing the ribbon ballot law Of the sec
ond session That law Will become
effective in June, having passed with
out the emergency clause Since al
jon nment of the special session, at
which both the Bryan law and the
Taylor repeating law were enacted
: Republicans have given notice OF a
referendum upon the Bryan law
which has the effect Of hanging II al
! until put in force BY the courts, OF
passed upon at an election.
The attorney general gave an opin
ion that the Taylor repeating law
would be effective but that II th,
ibbon ballot law were adopted BY
/ the people. II would become the gen
/ eral election law OF the state. Tht
: code commission Is confronted will
: these propositions: If the r1bboi
ballot law was alive at any stage 0
! the proceedings, then 1t has been spec
/ ifieally repealed and with II goe
down everything on the subject o
general elections save the Bryan ac
), OF the special session. and the Bryal
/ act is suspended from effect on rel
. endum petitions which the republ
cans iiave given notice OF filing. III
der this view there is no general elet