The Washington herald., 1911-12-24
OLDFIEtD WILL
URGE PRIMARIES
Continued from Page One.

next month and report it to the full COM
mittee. 1t is known the bill has at least
one earnest advocate on the subcomrit-
tce in the person of Senator Kenyon.
Bill Carefully Drawn.
Il spent q great deal of time on the
biIl.'' said Senator Bristow yesterday,
''and believe it will do away with many
evils in connection with the selection of
delegates to the national conventions and
the election OF national committeeman.
Also, it will be the means of procuring
Tor the people of the District greater
consideration at the hands of Congress.
AS matters now stand. the system of
selecting delegates and national commit
teemen for the District is worse than
joke. Under the prevailing system it is
rot to be wondered at that representative
citizens refuse to become interested in
politics or that, as a political factor the
District of Columbia is represented prin-
C:pally by large round zero in the eyes
Of the country.
All New Machinery.
The work of drawing up a preferen-
:ial primary law for the District was
much harder because there WAS no ma
chincry to build from. Tho whole cleo
tion machinery had to be constructed
anew. Ny bill will / believe lend an
air Of respectability 10 the Districts
participation IN national conventions.
The principal points Of the measure
provide for the filing with the District
commissioners of notices Of candidacy
duly iudOrSed by citizens OF the District
by Ill desiring election as delegates to
jIatiUnal conventions. These names ar"
TO b" printed on ballot. the form OF
whi"h IS prescribed in the bill, and which
shall bear At the top the names of can
didal"s :Ur ,hr Presidential nomination
Of N" party. The qualified voter in cast
ing MS hHilUt Indicates his preference for
delegate and candidate as well. so that
the delegate is elected for the prescribed
purpose of casting his vote for one par
tiCular randidate. The bill specifically
sets forth that the delegate shall be
guided nv the wishes Of the majority OF
those who voted for him.
Would Help District.
"One Of the mist important effects of
the bill. to my way Of thinking. would
he the added weight it would give the
desires of the citizens of IN" District in
the eyes of Congress. In addition the
present unfair representation allotment
i'm the Republican national conventions
would stand a better Chance of being
riEhted. The call sent out by the Repub-
lican National Committee now provides
ONLY TWO NtItEdltS 10 the udllOidl con-
Nention from the District. The Demo-
cratic call is for six delegates, | believe.
The Republican allotment for Alaska
Hawaii. and. during the Territorial days,
was. for Arizona, six deIeGat ties, an alto
Eeth,r disprOnOrtiOnate division of power
both in regard to comparative population
and average intelligence of the citizens.
The only way this can he righted is
through the National Committee, and if
the District m hoIN-
is not clothed. in the eyes of the other
Wembers, with the Endorsement of the
representative citizens of the District re-
corded at fair primaries. naturally his
opportunities will not carry much weight
Il have been assured that the subcom-
mittee to which the bill has been referred
will consider it soon after the Senate
Convenes next month, and ] am sure the
Senate will pass it if the District Com
mittee REPORTS 1t out.