El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-26

and central parts Of the country are
most thoroughly committed to the
principle Of the direct primary. The
northeastern group of states and the
Rocky Mountain states have been slow
er TO take 1t up. But in nearly every
part Of the union, the direct primary
system is either established or there
IS a strong agitation in favor of it.
United States senators are directly
nominated in 21 OF the states.
The Oregon Plan.
The Oregon plan Of the direct pri-
mary, the Huntley law of 1908, is the
plan that is now receiving most at
tention throughout the country. This
plan cannot be considered fully with
out consideration OF the Oregon sys-
tenn OF direct government in it's en-
tlre1y Oregon was a pioneer in 60
ing to great lengths in the direction
OF abandonment Of the system Of del
esation OF powers. and in giving the
pubic direct authority in both nomi-
nations and in legislation. It's system
comprehends the Australian ballot,
the stringent regulation Of the regis
tration Of voters, the initiative and
referendum, the direct primary, a cor
rupt practices act and the recall In
speech IN the senate during the
iast session of congress, senator JON
athan Bourne of Oregon, explained the
workings Of the Oregon system. This
speech was later printed as a docu-
ment and applications for 1 500, 900 cop
les OF 1t have been received from va
rious parts OF the union.
feature Of the Oregon plan. hav-
ing especial relation TO the choice OF
United States senators by the direct
primary, is what Is known as State
ment No. /. This statement, If signed.
pledges the candidate for the 1egisla-
ture always to vote for the candidate
for senator who has received the
highest number Of votes at the gener-
al election United States senators IN
der this system may be nominated by
their respective parties in the party
primaries, and the candidate receiving
the greatest number of votes thereby
becomes the party nominee. Then. IN
the general election, the party nonf-
nees are voted for by the people. and
the individual receiving the greatest
number of votes in the general election
thereby becomes the peoples choice
for United States senator Under the
constitution Of the United States, the
legislature must elect the senators.
But as an instance of how the Oregon
plan works, an overwhelmingly Replrb
Hcan legislature in Oregon chose gov
ernor Chamberlain. a Democrat, to the
senate, following out the will Of the
people as expressed at the primary and
the polls.
Presidential Reference law.
One Of the latest outgrowths of the
direct primary movement is the pres
idential preference law. Oregon has
such a law and the subject is now be-
ing agitated IN about a third of the
states OF the union. Attempts win be
made to get such a law enacted this
winter and the coming spring in about
10 of the states The presidential pref
erence law provides for the direct pri-
mary election Of delegates to national
conventions and gives the opportunity
TO the voter to express his preference
Tor president and vice president in
MS primary 1t IS apparent that if this
system should become general through
out the country, it would result in the
nomination OF the candidates for pres
iuent ana vice president By the voters
themselves. National conventions. IN
der such system. would merely reg
lster the will OF the people as voiced
at the primaries. The delegates to
the national conventions in that case
would become functionaries with as
little real say in the selection OF can
dldates for president and vice pres1-
dent as the presidential electors now
have In the choice OF these officials.
The constitution, Of course never
contemplated that the people should
have as large a voice in the selection
OF the president and vice president as
they have Each state was to choose
a body of electors. who in turn would
elect the president and vice president.
The trainers Of the constitution ex-
pressed the idea in practically all they
wrote or said on the subject The cleo
tors were not to be bound to any man
or party. This was the law in 1889 and
the theory Of the constitution Is the
same today. But the force OF public
opinion has entirely changed the opera /
ton of the constitutional machinery.
In practice. the electors would never |
venture to depart from the mandate I
Of the voters OF their respective states. /
(Contfnued on Next Papa1