Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-18
NEW JERSEYS PRIMARY LEoIs.
LArIoN MAKES ENTIRE PARTY
RESPONSIBLE.
PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION
ADoLishEs CAUCUS SYSTEM
DsIssatss Not Definitely Pledged to
Any Candidate, a. in Other States
Law Gives People Right to Say
Whom They Prefer for Offiee-Other
News,
Special to Times-Republtcan.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 1S.-The idea that
the members of any one political par
ty, not a few nor a group but all the
members, are in fact the party, and
the responsibility is on them for the
selection Of good men as party can
didates, formed the ground work for
the progressive legislation in New Jer-
sey providing for abolition Of he old
caucus system of disposing OF party
matters in presidential years. The law
provides !:
1T sha be lawful for not less than
1000 voters of any political party in
this state to file a petition with the
secretary Of tate, on or before the first
day OF April in any year in which a
president of the United States is to
be chosen, requesting hat the name Of
tho person endorsed in said petition as
a candidate Of the said party for the
office Of the president of the United
states Suali DS tliIlScO upon az ~
cial primary ballot of a party for
the then ensuing election Of delegates
TO the national convention Of said
party"
Delegates MOI Pledged.
The delegates who are elected are
not pledged directly, as in the case of
some other states. to any candidate.
but the theory Is that the result Of the
ballot on candidates for president will
have the same moral effect that the
expression on choice for United States
senator has. and while leaving the del
egate free does direct him.
NJ. ". Higgins, editor of the Newark
News, in explaining the New Jersey
law and why it was enacted writes.
THE enactment of the law was led
up to by the sentiment that the PEG
pie Of the state should have the right
to say whom they preferred for presi-
dent in each party n that the del
egates to the conventions should not
be allowed to act upon the dictation Of
a few leaders in each party. The
arguments for the law were the broad
ones incident to the belief that the
people should have . say about the
things that affect the people and the
candidates whom the people elect"
The New Jersey law provides for
election Of both delegates and alter
mates to the national conventions.
Petitions with 100 names are neces-
sary to place names Of candidates on
IN, tirKst 1or either delegates at large
or district delegates.
Petitions must be filed before the
first day Of May and the secretary OF
state certtfies them out prior to April
20.
Candidates for delegates may be
grouped together and have placed op-
posite these groups the names of the
candidate for president they favor.
Primary held on the fourth Tuesday
of May from l to 9 o'clock.
Eligibility to vote is shown by names
on the poll book Of the last election and
a primary registry list.
This New Jersey law was approved
by Governor Woodrow Wilson April
10 last.
Offers Ballots Free.
James NJ. Pierce, the editor Of the
Iowa Homestead and several other
farm journals, is so anxious TO see a
presidential primary in Iowa that he
wants to furnish both the republican
and democratic parties with all the ball
lots necessary for b proposed pri-
mary, free of charge.
Mr.. Pierce forwarded his offer to the
republican and democratic state central
committees today.
Those who have been pulling back
11om the presidential primary move
Nent have been using the expense ar
gunent as the weight with which to
hold down their approval.
The expense Of ballots Is one Of the
largest items in considering such a pri-
mary, politicians have said.
II the central committees accept Mr..
Pierce's offer, and follow out the pri-
mary plan, along the old fashioned eau
Gus idea, as submitted by w. c. Hay
ward. secretary Of state, it is believed
the expense question will be out Of
consideration.
The republican state central commit
tee will not take any action on the
presidential primary matter until af-
ter the meeting Of the national COM
,mittee in December. 1t is certain hat
the democrats will not hold a presi-
Dental primary unless tie republicans
decide to do 20.