The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-05-14
Primary Elections Laws

The Hinman-Green direct primary
bill, which the New York legislature
is expected to enact into law, is
vouched for by Gov. Hughes. It con
tains an important provision, which
simplifies the makeup of party or
CARNATIONS and gives them a legal,
publicly exercised function of propos-
ing candidates for nominations at the
primaries. The disruption Of party
organization or the advent of politi-
cal anarchy is not likely to occur I'M
der this wise provision. Inc party
proposals, however, must be made six
to seven weeks in advance of the pri.
maries, with ample opportunity for
voters within the party to propose OPP
position candidates where those nam
ed by the party organization are I'M
satisfactory. The beneficial results
of this provision will be many. In
the first place forcing the organlza-
tion to reveal its hand before the
primaries will OF itself raise the level
OF candidacies-because unfit pro
posals may be dissented from within
the party, and not alone at the final
election. as at present, and then only
by desertion of the voters party. In
the second place reasonably fit pro,
posals. will not be generally opposed
and the attention OF the voters at the
primaries will be concentrated upon
the offices in regard to which there
is vital question OF fitness or policy
at stake. Lastly, the party commit
teemen who propose candidates fol
nomination will eventually come be
fore the same primary for reelection
to their party positions; and the &C
ton they have taken in proposing
candidates for nomination will give
the party membership definit,
gauge OF the members Of the part,
organization. In other features tn
Hlnman-Green bill follows the hes
laws Of other states.
The Review OF Reviews for June
from which this information Is OF
tanned. contains in It's May humble
an Illuminating article on primar
elections laws generally under tn
title of "The Doom OF the Old Macl
inc Convention" from the pen q
Robert S. Binkerd, secretary OF IN
City club of New York.
The gain OF the direct nomination
system I'm the past few years ha
been very remarkable according {
The Review OF Reviews. Twent
states and one territory with tot,
population of over 32.00O.000 hav
mandatory laws requiring the use {
this plan for selecting candidates {
the principal parties for PRACTICAL
all Offices: California. Idaho. Illinois
Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana. Michigan
Mississippi, Missouri. Nebraska. n,
vada. New Hampshire, North Oak,
In. Oklahoma. Oregon, South Dakofi
Tennessee. Texas, Washington. WI
consin, Arizona. Three others hay
mandatory laws covering PRACTICAL
all except state Offices: Minnesota
Ohio and Pennsylvania. Three othe
states have mandatory laws GOVERN
certain localities or Offices: lndiani
Massachusetts, New Jersey. Eigl
states have optional laws coverln
practically all offices. Alabama, A
kansas. Florida, Georgia, KentuclC
Maryland. South Carolina and Virgil
ia. Party rules have established dl
ect nominations for at least the mi
iority party In nearly all OF the Sout
ern states not previously mentione
About one-half OF the states, lnclul
ing those In which the system ht
been established by party rules, US
direct nominations for practically a
elective Offices. The total populatio
OF all the states which use the dire
primary system in some form is abol
10000, 900 or 81 per cent OF the entil
population OF the United States I
the 1900 census.
Mr.. Binkerd is OF the opinion thl
the direct primary law within natlo
nj lines Is only transition point {
stepping stone 20 the remedy OF
fundamental defect In our electors
machinery. That defect Is the a
sence OF proper machinery for the nj
alysls OF public opinion prior TO ele
ton. This defect goes to the bottol
OF our political evils aud Ia lIttl
understood even by reformers.-
Rrattleboro Phoenix.