Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-12-15
mn rnIsIDENTI,L rniN NsN

fi1 risfsiDENTIti RIM alsN.
Much Il being said BY the se-caiied
"pr0pr,snyc' press 90 the country ~
present about the deslrahility o. pres
laenuai primaries whereby the voters
may be- enabled 70 express their pref
cr.ncc ~ 20 who shall receive the
nomination Of their party national
convention.
The presidential primary IKE the
Initiative. referendum and recall. is "a
rcft nluring device on tho face OF IL.
ami when garnmhed az with the
usual iino OF talk abou, bringing the
government closer TO the people.
IN. anthlnking voter finds II difncult
10 resist Us aiiractiyeness Hut stu
dents Of government and men expert
,nccd IN political affairs will nasur-
ais give the proposition careful con-
SHERATON before endorsing u with
ont qualification.
The argument IN favor OF the pres
id,utlM primary. Of course, II tina, u
win prevent the manipulation OF con-
ventions by politicians and Result IN
tho expression ~ the will % the
people as 10 the party nominations.
nui viii ~ This Is q great big coun-
try. ana there 8. not section of ~
that does not contain some man who.
IN thc estimation Of himself and his
frienar. at least. ~ Of presidential
sntufe. This condition 10 reflected
w the npmbsr " "fayorite sons who
IN every national convention recoivc
complimentary vote from NV dcie-
gates OF their section. only To drop
back into oblivion after they have
bacn duly aud satisfactorily eomph-
mcntcd. Nothing would be easier than
10 carry a sufficiently large number
VI state delegations for favorite sons
~ render IL impossible to make
nomination on the flrfr ballot. and In
aeadlocked convention the political
mampulaior II in his element.
The present Democratic situation II
q striking illustration OF this point,
because under the rules OF that party
a ,wN. thirds majority II necessary
for thr nomination. -Four Democratic
candidates are most conspicuousl,
before the people at present wo6d-
row Wilson. Judson iIarmgn., chanAn
clark and oscar W Underwood. VT
bryan looms mrgc In the background.
but there ~ no doubt on earth that
the grca, bulk ~ his party do not
want him ~ candidate next gear,
ana that n the win of the Democratic
rank aul filc u expressed at the con
xentlon one Of the four men named
van be nominated. Il Is foregone
o1nclrsion that no one Of them can
lie nominated on the first ballet. and
ssrog probability that many ballots
would De- required before any choice
could be- made as between them.
WIN prniractcd deadlock on hand
nothing could be more simple than
to Atamrode the delegates to Mr..
ilryan. for he Il remembered that
~ tbs ART % stampcdinE Mr. BRYAN
il no apprentice hand. In thsa event.
which Is ~ no means Improbable. the
Democrats Will have nominated ~
man shu ~ not the choice OF five
per cenl q his party and who world
have the greatest difficulty In carry
ing presidential primary IN single
state OF the union. not excepting his
oAn baillwick OF Nebraska.
Except for the faet tina, President
Tafs l. the most conspicuous figure
In his party today and that HIS
nomination Tor second term II im-
lssfa,iyaiy demanded. the same stu
alton would confront the Republicans
or the making vi faYorite sons there
y no md. and IN the multiplicity OF
favoritc sons there IL swell oppor-
ianity for the velvet handed politi-
elan.
t'ndtr the present system Of party
nominations W have managed 60 oh.
iain some rrctty fair presldentr. ana
d has bern tho rare exception IN the
political hipsoTy ~ she country that
an, man has recevied the nomina-
iicn for president Who vac not the
overwhelming ehesee OF ths masses
81 hit party. why shouid ~e 60 20.
experimenting with system which
"a wholly unsrlcd and which IL frausht
with the greatest danger