Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-26
PROGRESS OF THE PRIMARY
By Frederic J. Haskin.

All indications now point to important
legislation in numerous states within the
next few months for the establishment OF
the direct primary. Along with primary
legislation will go, in some cases. legis-
lation for the establishment of other fea-
lures of what is known as the popular
government movement. These features
include the initiative and referendum. the
recall, corrupt practices legislation.
stricter registration laws and the like.
Every student and every casual OBJ
server of politics in this country is well
aware that for years there has ragged
great controversy over the merits OF the
direct primary system and the value of
other forms of legislation calculated to
give the voters more direct participation
in the nomination of candidates for pub
lie Offices. and in the shaping of legisia-
ton. Despite controversy and contention
however, the growth of the direct pri-
mary system and the movements closely
related to 1t has been marked. At first
the progress made in these lines was slow
and in the face of great opposition. OF
late it has been much more rapid.
The direct primary movement in the
United States has been a recent as we'll
as a rapid growth. While
A Rapid the subject had been agitat-
r- ed for some years before
uAO"sn' 1901, it was not until then
that a statewide set of mandatory laws
for the control Of primary elections was
established. This was in Minnesota. The
Minnesota law, however, went but
short distance as compared with more
recent legislation. It established direct
nominations throughout the entire state,
except for state officers 1t did not apply
to the adoption of the state platform.
Exponents of the movement for popular
government look back on the Minnesota
law, for the time it was enacted, as
great step in advance, though 1t was only
the beginning of what was to follow.
In the same year. 1901. important direct
primary laws were enacted in Florida
and Oregon. Mississippi followed In 1902,
and in the following year the state of
Wisconsin went much farther than any
of the other states had gone. Under the
urging Of Gov. La Toilette, a statewide
primary law was enacted with quite COM
plete provisions for legal supervision. The
convention system was fully set aside,
except for the purpose of forming a state
platform. Under this Wisconsin law OF
1903, the delegates to the national party
conventions were to be elected by direct
vote. 1t was provided that two were to
be elected in each congressional district
and four at large.
Since that time there has been rapid
sweeping away Of the former systems
for making nomina-
Old Systems tons. The party con-
c..4 49, vention has become
the past in a considerable part of the
Union. Eighteen states have mandatory
tically all the Offices. except that Of dele
gate to the national convention. These
states are California, Idaho. Illinois,
Iowa, Kansas. Louisiana, Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska. Nevada. New Hamp-
shire. North Dakota. Oklahoma. Oregon,
South Dakota, Texas. Washington and
Wisconsin. In five states there are OPP
tional laws covering practically all the
Offices except delegates to the national
convention. These states are Alabama,
Florida, Kentucky. Michigan and Ten
nessee. In Minnesota, Ohio and Penn
sylvania there are optional laws covering
delegates to national nominating con-
ventions. In Indiana, Massachusetts,.
New Jersey and Tennessee there are
mandatory laws covering certain locali-
ties or Offices. In the eleven states of
Connecticut. Delaware, Indiana, Mary
land. Maine, Massachusetts,. Michigan.
New York. North Carolina and Rhode
Island there are optional laws covering
certain localities or Offices. Direct nomi-
nations obtain now in practically all the
southern states. 1t is noticeable in the
history of the primary movement that the
southern states as rule, fell into line
early.
Considering the United States as
whole it can be said that the southern
and central parts of the country are most
thoroughly committed to the principle of
the direct primary. The northeastern
states have been slower to take it up
But in nearly every part Of the Union the
direct primary system is either estab-
lished Or there is strong agitation in
favor of it. United States senator's are
directly nominated in twenty-one of the
states.
The Oregon plan of the direct primary,
the Huntley law of 1903, is the plan that
Is now receiving most at
The oregon tentiOn throughout the
DE-. country This plan cannot
be considered fully with
out consideration Of the oregon system of
direct government in it's entirety Oregon
was pioneer in going to great lengths
in the direction of abandonment OF the
system of delegation Of powers, and in
giving the public direct authority in both
| nominations and in legislation. It's system
comprehends the Australian ballot, the
stringent regulation of the registration Of