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Naming the Next President.

Naming the Next President.
Tie two candidates for President
next year will he chosen by the two
great national conventions next June
Or July. The delegates to these two
conventions in most of the Stafes will
not be chosen by the people; in some,
they will be chosen by the local bosses;
ii others. bv Federal officeholders,
srateful for past favors and hopeful of
future enes. These delegates will go
70 the conyentiors and will v; teas heir
particular State bosses tell them aid,
when the convention ,adjourns, the par
~ nominee will be not the choice of the
Individual members Of the party, but
fhe net result of the private necotia-
lions of the various bosses, with just
so much prudent Difference to popular
sentiment as seems necessary tBack
ST the bosses. of course, will be the big
orations That is the old way of
nominating candidates for the Presi-
dency.
The New Way.
In few States, where the direct pri,
mary idea has penetrated deeply, anew
system will go into effect the coming
year. In New Jersey, Nebraska, North
Dakota. Wisconsin, and Oregon the IN
diaidaol member OF the Republican party
,oiH 90 to the polls and sag iehether he
,ca4ets Taft or La Toilette or some ont
else to be the Republican nominee for
the Presidency. And when the national
cor yention meets every delegate from
those States must vote as the majorit.
of the Republican voters in his State
have told BIN to vote Similarly, every
Democrat IN the States named aoiH haze
the chance to 90 to thd polls aud sas,
aclsether he acd,ats Harmon or wilson or
CLARK or Underwood or Folk or Bryan
to be the Democratic nominee
Some Important Dates
The States whichwill hold these Presi-
Dental primaries, and the date of each
are:
North DAKOTA, March 10 WISCONSIN.
April 2 NEBRASKA. Apra Il OREGON
April 10. NEW JERSEY. Mag rs.
There Is no doubt that as these dates
come nearer they win be recognized as
hirhly important. The result will be
earded as test OF popular sentiment
ili VII have q powerful Indirect effee'
IN those States which have not adopted
the new system. These five States arc
widely distributed geographically; Il hey
to1ch the Atlantic and the Pacific
Oceans. and the Mississippi River ANY
weif-mformed judge of political feeling
@tuld predict that all five of them will
#n}ne Wilson as the Democrat, and that
q except New Jersey will name La
Toilette as the Republican.
Another Way.
Even in that large majority of States
where it is now TOO late to get the
Presidential primary through statute
passed by the Legislature, there IL
still 4 way in which the same thing car.
be accomplished in a less official man
ner. The party organization can adopt
the system as party ,.ule This is not
as formal and binding, Of course, as a
Legislative statute, but it will answer
fer the coming Presidential year. until
the Legislature meets again. Texas is
ore State where this is being done,
largely through the influence of Sena
tor Sulberson; in other Southern States
it is expected that the Democratic orr
galiizatioR will do the same thing. Bat
IN no State ,cilt the pd4fy organization
do THIS without pressstre from the inai-
cidesal voter and from The newspapers.
This is where the indieidual who be-
iieves in the Presidential primary can
do effective service.
Something the Individual Voter Can Do.
Every voter can write to his own
State Chairman and his local member
Of the National Committee.
Logic
There is no escaping the logic of the
Presidential primary. IF Isis right for
the individual to vote at the election.
why is il not right for him to vote at
the primary also If the individual is
capable of choosing between Taft and
Harmon assuming that they are the +
candidates at the election why is be
not also capable of choosing between
Taft and LaFoIlette, between Wilson
aud Harmon
What Would the Candidates Say
Is it conceivable that Taft would say
Il am opposed 70 the Presidential pri-s
mary: prefer to trust my chances to t
The Federal oficeholders and the boss
IS Is it conceivable that any Of the 1
various candidates Democratic OF Re
publican. would refuse 10 subscribe to
TITS statement.
Do not sstsls b Be he candidate su,S
les q me5tritg of the members 81 nss
)arts raht me.
a