Fergus County Democrat., 1911-12-12

La Toilette and Wilson respectively.
They have no more actual free will
in the matter than have the manikins
of the electoral college who elect the
president.
This system is now in force in
North Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska
out doubt be adopted at the coming
special session of the legislature in
California. The plan might also be
adopted, as Golfers points out, in the
following other states which have leg
islature sessions this winter: Ken
lucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New
York, Rhode Island and South Caro-
line The rapid growth of the senti
ment for this reform justifies the be-
lief that before another four years
have passed we shall actually be nom-
mating our presidents by nation
wide direct primary.
But fortunately it is not necessary
to wait four years before the presi-
Dental preference principle may be
put into effect. 1t is possible to get
each party to adopt the rule for it.
self Note the recommendation of the
republican progressives at their recent
meeting in Chicago:
1--WE favor the ascertainment of the
choice of republican voters as to can
didate for president by direct pri-
mary vote, held in each state pur-
suant to the statute, and where no
such statute exists, we urge that the
republican state committees provide
that the people be given the right to
express their choice for president"
The republicans of several states
are urging their respective state COM
mittees to permit such primary In
some states the machine has been put
in the embarrassing position of fear
ing to trust its favorite candidate to
the voters of the party. Senator
Bourne has solicited support for the
movement from the republican ma
tional committee. This is an extract
from his letter to each member of the
committee:
in the near future the republican
national committee of which you are
a member, will meet to issue call
for the next republican national con-
vention at which candidates for presi.
dent and vice president will be nomi-
mated In behalf of that large ma
jority of republicans who believe in
direct primaries, I earnestly request
you to insist that when the call is
issued, it shall contain a strong rec
OmmendatiOn that in all states
wherever practicable the state com
mittee call presidential primaries at
least thirty days prior to the republi-
can national convention, thus giving
every member of the party an oppor-
tunity to express his preference for
party candidates for president and
vice president"
In the democratic party the move
ment is prospering. Missouri leaders
express their willingness to permit
such a vote. There is an excellent
ton in Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia,
Kentucky and Maryland. Louisiana
has adopted the rule.
Those who believe that our govern
ment must be made more responsive
to the popular will before we can ade-
quately grapple with our serious in
dustrial and social problems, would
do well to urge this action upon the
organizations with which they are af-
filiated. If any candidate for office
shows such distrust of the people as
to oppose such a method of recording
the popular will it is obvioNs that the
distrust should be mutual The adop-
ton of the direct presidential primary
is a necessary step in our democratic
progress. 1t means ultimately the
downfall of the office-holders' delega-
ton, of the "steam roller" of nomina-
ton by barter and SALE