Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-10
DEMOCRATS SEEK
To BETTER LAW
State Primary Faults to Be Con-
sidered at State Con-
ference
LOS ANGELES MEN CAUCUS
Organized Effort on to Frustrate
Legislation Favored by
S. P. Machine
Los ANGELES MEN CAUCUS
RY T. SHELLEY SUTTON

BY T. SHELLEY SUTTON
The Los Angeles county delegates to
the California state conference to be
held in Los Angeles April 1913 met In
caucus at 10 o'clock yesterday morn
ing in the music room OF Blanchard
hall. 232 South Hill street, and after
an unusually interesting debate went on
record as opposing the phraseology OF
the new primary law.
There was a large attendance ana
exceptional interest manifest at the
caucus as to the probable attitude OF
several delegations at the state con-
ference, and also as to the issues
which NAV arise at this meeting
Police Commissioner Charles Well
horn was elected chairman of the cau-
Gus delegation and L. G. Guernsey was
made secretary.
The resolutions which had been
drafted for introduction at the state
conference caused a spirited discus
sion and after a number OF arguments
the resolutions were amended to set
forth that the direct primary law now
in force is step in the right direction,
hut at present unsatisfactory, which
fact is attributed by leading Democrats
TO the fact that 1t was drafted ana
adonted by its enemies as compro-
mise step to prevent the enactment or
the direct primary law as advocated
by the people. -.
The Democratic leaders repeatedly
explain that the present primary law
was enacted in its present form to cast
discredit on the principle of the direct
primary-its authors believing that II
the conditions imposed by the present
law are enforced for one or two elec-
tjons the voters will ask for It's re-
peal. a..
This is the thing against which the
Los Angeles Democrats are preparing
the battle which now seems imminent
The fight is on, they say, to compel
tbe next legislature to amend the prl-
mary law so that 1t will embody the
reo11irements and represent in spirit
and in letter the real principles or the
direct primary reform, as adVocated
and expounded by Democrats and oth-
ers.
NOT ANXIOUS TO ENDORSE
THE state conference of Democrats
was called more for this purpose, IL Is
claimed, than for the reported pur-
nose of indorsing any candidates.
MANY of the Los Angeles county dele
oates insist they are not anxious 10
indorge candidates, but that they wish
10 forestan the efforts of the machine
10 support men who may subserYe the
o1d-line interests and knowing Iheo-
dore A. Bell to be an advocate OF tie
true direct primary reform, an anti,
machine man, fearhss adversary u
the Southern Pacific push and a
clean and competent man, these dele
pates believe it is their duty to lndorse
him and conscientiously maintain IL
will not be i'm violation OF the spirit
of the direct primary.
The resolution clearly sets forth the
nosition and attitude of the Los An
geles delegation and on the eve OF ls lne
state conference when 1t is important
their stand at the conference should
he clearly understood. Chairman Al
hort M Norton of the Los Angeles
county Democratic central committee
urges that all who are not familiar
with the issue. who have any doubts
in the matter or who did not atteh9
the caucus yesterday, should reau eau
carefully and consider thoroughly the
issue SET forth in this resolution, which
is as follows
"yVhereas, the Act to provide for
and regulate primary elections
commonly known as the direct pri-
mary law is not, in the form en-
acted at the last session of the Cal
ifornia legislature, as satisfactory
in it's provisions as the people OF
the state desire but is step in
the right direction; and, inasmuch
as events have indicated that 1t was
anparently adopted in it's present
form for the purpose OF dlsefedlt-
ing the direct primary principe
and of making 1t unpopular Dy
making nominations for once nhder
il difficult unless candidates are
hacked by a large organization or
are men independently wealthy
and.
"yVhereas. the delegates from Los
Angeles county to the Democratic
conference realize that the imper-
fections of the present primary law
seriously impair Its usetulnessi ana
"Whereas, the Democratic party
has ALWAYS been and now is the
party Of the people and Is an ad-
vocate Of a genuine direct pri-
mary law and does not desire 10
see the principle underlying such
law discredited. but is desirous OF
making the best of the present law
by giving men Of ordinary hnan-
cfal means an opportunity to rep
resent the party at the coming cleo
tion:
"Now, therefore. be II resolved.
that the said primary law should
he amended so that the expense
of perfecting nominating petitions
viii be reduced to a minimum, in
order that all men may have equal
opportunity to become candidates
at the primary elections; and
"Be it further resolved by this
Los Angeles delegation. that said
delegation does and will favor hay
inc +he state conference take such
action as will insure the presence
upon the Democratic state primary
ticket of one candidate Of high
character and known opposition to
the Southern Pacific machine for
each Office"
TRY TO DECEIVE VOTERS
Tnasmuch as the Los Angeles dele
satf0n insists the principal object Of
the state conference Is i'm the interests
of the direct primary, and not, as has
been charged by northern delegates,
for the purpose Of in1orsing any pet
candidate, Chairman Norton believes
the public should be thoroughly ad-
vised as to the truth in the matter.
Called for this purpose, the confer
ence is not in conflict with the re-
ouirements of the direct primary law,
but becomes simply an assemblage Of
Democrats who will discuss and decide
the problems involved, and take steps
10 see that the voters. Of California
are given a direct primary law not
in name only. but to conform to the
principles Of the institution for which
such a strenuous fight was waged in
the last California legislature.
AS affording an insight to the history
of the passage of this primary law,
which in reality, say the Democrats,
is bungled to deceive the voters and
injure the direct primary principles,
on page 6S of Franklin Hichborn' 8
STORY of the California Legislature