Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-01-27
BY JOHN j. HANNAH

" EIfNININANs
Misunderstanding the reactionar-
les In congress have employed their
time with speculation as to the make
up OF the future committees of the
house and senate or as to the control
Oh the party after 1912, the Progress.
slVe program has developed and there
" movement on over the country
70 secure the enactment of laws
winch VIII bring the control of the
party and of the government into the
hands of the voters and take the con-
troll OF both out of the hands of the
bosses.
Progressive Republicans and Pro-
sresslVe Democrats are cooperating
to attain this end. The impetus to
this progressive campaign is In the
little group of Progressives In con-
gress. These men are using their in
1uence with the legislatures in their
states to secure laws guaranteeing d.
rect legislation. They not only pro-
pose to make their state govern
ments more responsive, to secure the
oregon plan for the election OF sena-
tors, and direct nominations for all
ohces, but they also intend to make
the presidency more directly respon-
sible to the people.
Two things are necessary to attain
this end. The people must be given
opportunity to vote directly and ex-
press their choice as to presidential
candidates within their parties. Then
the president must be shorn of the
power to appoint more than 10000
federal Office holders. This vast
army of employees gives to the in
cumbent of the Office of president a
machine which enables him to exert
4 too powerful influence either to the
end that he may perpetuate himself
In power or that he may be able by
Its use to dictate the succession. At
least the use of this machine can die
tate the nominee Of the party in
power.
+. For Presidential Preference Bills.
Progressive Republicans and Dem.
ocrats have already started the cam
paign in the states to secure the en-
actment of presidential preference
bills under which, after all OF the
states adopt such laws. the voters
can express their will as to who
should be the nominee of the party to
which they owe allegiance. Such q
vote by the members of the party
within a state will be instructions to
The delegates to the national conyen'
i tJ1., xti1l mot he
violated. Members of state legisla
lures in states having direct primary
laws providing for the nomination oil
United States senators do not as q
general rule violate the instructions
Of the people.
Delegates to national conventions
will be just as mindful of the will o.
the people of their particular state
It is recognized that this system
would be used to secure the delegates
from state for some favorite son
To guard against the log-rolling AM
trading in a convention made of dele
gates pledged to fayofite sons, 1t Il
provided that the voters shall hav'
opportunity to express their secont
and thlrQ cnOlces.
Progressive Republicans recognize
that it will not be possible to secur
the enactment of such laws in man.
of the states in time to have ma
jority of the delegates to the l9l
conventions chosen under this sys
TEN. These laws will be enacted Il
some of the states. Under such law
the power of the federal machine Il
the southern states would be weaken
ed IL not entirely broken.
Recognizing that such laws woul
be popular. and at the same time dar
gerous to them, the reactionarie
laugh at these proposed statutes.
Progressive Republicans are organ
lzing to make an aggressive campaign
During the holidays the ground wa
prepared In the states. Senator L
Follettes friends are busy in WiscoI
sin. Senator Clapp's supporters ar
aggressive in Minnesota. Senate
Cummins declared for the orego
plan in Iowa. After decrying againf
every popular government movemer
for years. Senator LATE Young find
, himself where he must succumb
the demand of the people Of that stat
and he followed with doleful, m
too"
; Senator Bristow and Governc
Stubs In Kansas and Senator Brow
: and Governor Aldrich in Nebraska al
: putting ginger into the campaigns
those states. Poindexter in Washing
ton, johnson In California, Gronna
North Dakota. Borah in Idaho an