The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-25

of the respective political parties
should have the rightsto declare that
their choice for senator in the con-
gress OF the United States. am pro-
foundly convinced not only of the
wisdom, but OF the necessity, OF pre-
serving to the voters this vital privi-
lege. In these times, especially, the
welfare of the country imperatively
demands that authority to make laws
shall spring directly from the body OF
our citizenship. Gammins in 1908.
Ifithere is one thing more than an
other which viii make the ordinary
insurgent member shake in his shoes
these days it is to ask him how he
stands with regard to primary cleo
tions-whether he thinks the people
should be allowed to express their
individual choice in the matter of
electing successor to United States!
Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver. or
whether the selection should be de-
cided in the reyiled and abhorred
caucus.
The follower of Cuinmins, il he says
he's feminist the primary and in IA
vor OF the caucus, why he's up
against the real thing in politics It's
a case of looking right square into
the mouth of loaded cannon for
him, that's all. AMI that cannon is
rammed with some load. too. The
shrapnel is made up OF just such dec
iarations as the above by Iowa's high
priest of insurgency.
Mr.. Hardins's Comment.
w. L. Harding, who has introduced
a bill for special primary, said the
present spectacle of squirming being
made by the insurgents is highly
amusing and would be a huge joke If
1t We're not for the serious side
which the situation presents.
Mr.. Harding said he had been great
~ interested in watching men who
We're members of the Thirty-second
general assembly-men who then
were sitting up nights to pass pri-
mary law. These same men now are
saying special primary is not need
ed that the people do not care for
such law
y was member Of the Thirty
second general assembly which en-
acted the first primary law Mr..
Harding continued. "and, by the way.
1t has been said this first primary
law was special primary law, and
the opposition now would indicate as
much; at least. the law passed in the
Thirty-second general assembly has
needed lot of fixing to make it fit
the needs and real conditions of the
state since. also was member of
the special session of the Thirty-sec
ond general assembly, called to
amend the primary and make another
special one. 1t makes difference, IL
seems, who the candidate is. whether
a special is needed.
What the Governor Said.
When good old Senator Allison.
who was nominated in the June pri-
mary in 1908, was called home by
the grim reaper and vacancy was to
be filled, the then governor OF the
state issued proclamation calling a
special session OF the legislature and
asking this legislature to make a
special primary law; two specials in
a time OF peace and quiet-and these
specials were in 1905. In this proclama-
ton the governor said-this was in
1908: An overwhelming majority of
the people of Iowa believe that the
individual voters of the respective
political parties should have the right
TO declare their choice for senator
in the congress OF the United States.
| am profoundly convinced not only
of the wisdom, bat of the necessity,
OF preserving to the voters this vital
privilege. In these times. especially.
the welfare of the country Imperative
ly demands that authority to make
laws shall spring directly from the
body OF our citizenship'
Further on In the same paper the
governor said: The senator to be
cicSlSu ny me nifty -LulTQ general
assembly viii serve the people OF his
state and country for a period OF six
years that Will be full OF the mos
difficult and perplexing problems
This, to be sure, vas In 1908. but
does anyone say that these difficult
and perpIexing problems have all been
settled AS matter or fact, is it not
a good thing nov to send a senator
10 Washington fresh from the hands
Of the people TO hold up the hands Of
our senator who got his commission
from the people In a special primary?
Surely the Thirty-fourth general as
sembly Of Iowa is not ready TO say
that all the big excitement and noise
used in 1903 was only for effect and
just bluff for the purpose OF landing
an Office.
For myself believe there Is
something in this movement to have
popular election Of United States gem