Omaha daily bee., 1911-03-05
President Choosing-Old Way and New

ss Oregon boasts. especially n 10 discloses
an emphatic preference Tor one particular
standRrd-heurer IN any party. viii have
potential influence on the delegates from
other states and point 20 them the only
Nomination that can command popular
support The extent 20 which this infiu-
encs could go would Of course depend on
whether the delegates OF other states were
chosen and instructed before or after this
vote
victims IN Open Primary.
BE that as # may. let me note in this
connection that the Oregon primary IL the
so-called open primary and that nothing
whatever In the Law or practice prevents
any one there from voting any party ticket
regardless Of his own party affiliations or
his intention 20 vote the same party ticket
in the subsequent election. in other words
there is nothing 10 prevent republicans
from helping the democrats TO choose their
presidential and vice presidential nominees
and vice versa. or packing the straw vote
for an unpopular and weak candidate Tor
the express purpose OF having an easy
mark 70 combat IN the campaign. This
difficulty would not be presented so
strongly in a closed primary with participa-
bers Of each political party but with the
open primary, il the piecemesl presidential
primary proved to be what is claimed for
H. assurance that the strongest man would
be the high man would stin be wanting.
The DARK Horse"
As chief merits OF the presidential pri-
mary are set forth that IT would make the
dark horse" impossible and would tend to
eliminate the ''fHvorite son, both results
contributing 10 reduce the power OF 'spe-
cial interests TO trade In the nominations
for their own subservient or trusted repre-
sentHtives. The extinction Of the dark
horse" would unquestionBbly follow a re-
Qurement barring RspirRnts not listed
on the primary ballot American history
reveals some interesting ozark horses Do
Garfield would never have been president
had we then his this new way Of president
choosing; Bryan would never have talked
himself into nomination on q cross Of
gold and crown OF thorns; Roosevelt would
not have succeeded the lBmented Mckinley
Yet the dark horse" is admittedly an ex-
ra-hazardous risk; there would be com
Pensating benefits to offset the loss.
The ssFavorite Son"
When it comes 10 eliminating the favor
lite son" by direct primary process, that is
more doubtful. What is to prevent a
''favorite son" from filing In each state
where a presidential preference is TO be
recorded and why should not state pride
prompt cross-markE after the name most
familiar because the home man" is an es-
teemed neighbor? II 'fBvOrite son
springs forth in each state or has his name
filed by interested parties RCtuRted by
either Legitimate or questionable motives
the votes thus diverted must come from
the real candidates and prevent the re-
turns OF the primary election from reflect
ing the true state Of public sentiment or
serving as a dependable guide for delegates
from other states. In fact, the setting up
OF 'favorite sons would be as much and
more q thriving business under a presiden-
tiRl primary than under the convention
scheme. II other states, or all the states
copied Oregons presidential primary law
the national nominating conventions would
still in all probability be called upon 10
choose the stRndard-bearers much the
same as they do nov. and the preferential
vote would exert the same sort OF in
fluence as the instruction passed by CON
ventions and the straw votes taken here.
there, and everywhere by seh-RppOinted
monitors
way Tor HfleCNlNF primary
How. then, shall we ever get to an ef-
fective direct popular choice OF presidential
nominees II it is thought desirable? Ny an
swer is that It must come through the ma
tonal organizations Of the political parties
themselves OF through congressional legis-
iation, for which perhaps a constitutional
amendment may be prerequisite. Any one
Of the national party organizations can
at will introduce the direct primary for
president choosing and either do away with
national nominating conventions altogether
or continue them only for plRtform-mRlling
and the contingency Of no nomination at
the polls A constitutional amendment
could abolish the electoral college which
We all know has become mainly orna-
mental and give us direct popular cleo
ton OF presidents. il could predicate
such an election on direct primary nomi-
nation or II could combine II with q pre-
liminary election and subsequent by-eleC-
ton 10 determine between the presidential
race horses polling the highest votes in
the trial heat Such changes In our ma
chinery OF government would be decidedly
radical and are not 10 be expected 10
materialize IN a DAY or a year. If the
demand for direct presidential nominR-
tiOns, however. should become general
and inBistent one Of the political parties
might respond 10 II IN the hope OF strik-
ing a popular chord and scoring an Rd-
vantage over the political enemy. In the
meanwhile the sporadic efforts Of Oregon
and states that may follow suit. 20 pro
iect q presidential primary on the Install
ment plan must be al best only expert
mental