The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1911-03-31
KANSAS
OREGON PLAN
HODGES MAY BEAT
STUBS FOR SENATE
Voters Have Chance to Say
Who is to be Candidate

Gnr6o Times ueIeALlnB JUlS PROPOSE
ton, passed a similar measure that
had gone through the senate by q
majority of two votes.
The bill provides that the candi
dates for United States senator
shall be nominated the same as al
present under the primary election
law. They will still be nominated
at the general election by a major
ity of the legislative districts,
But, IN other respects, the law is
materially changed. The voters
may merely instruct or advise the
members of the legislature, who
will, in turn, select the senator.
Under the new Kansas Oregon
plan law, candidates for represent
tative or state senator may attach
to their petitions or nomination
papers one of two statements re.
garding the United States senator.
ship. They may declare that they
will be bound by the vote of the
people for United States senator
at the general election or that they
will merely be advised by it
These statements my be fled with
the secretary of state or county
clerk along with the petitions OF
nomination papers. The candi
date may select either statement
One of these statements contain:
the following provision:
| state to the people of Kan
sas, as we'll as to the people of
my representative Tor senator
iaD district, that during my
term of Office | will always
vote for that candidate for
United States senator who has
received the highest number
of the peoples votes for that
position at the general elect
ion in the state at large next
preceding the election of the
United States senator, with
out regard TO my individual
preferences or party nomina-
tions for that office.
The other contains this provision:
During my term of Office l
shall consider the vote of the
people for United States sena-
tor at any general election in
the state at large as nothing
more than a recommendation,
which | shall be at liberty to
wholly disregard if the reason
for so doing seems to me to
be sufficient.
The bill provides that the per-
son receiving the highest vote for
United States senator shall be Civ
en- certificate by the secretary of
state, reciting that fact and show
ing total number of votes received
at the general election. There is
no penalty provided for the mem
Der of the legislature who violates
his pledge. The bill presumes
that the people will take care of
that matter. In the final test the
standpat republicans and the lead
ers on the democratic side made a
determined fight to beat the bill,
but they could not muster sufficient
votes. The insurgent republican
and the rank and file of the demo-
Gratis declared the people wanted a
trial of the Oregon plan, and they
voted for it.
Many well informed politicians
predict that Kansas will repeat the
recent Oregon experience and that
4 democrat may be chosen United
States senator by a republican
legislature. The prediction is
based on the peculiar political con-
litions in the republican party in
his state. With Senator Curtis a
radical staidpatter, and Governor
Stubbs a leading insurgent, both
lighting for the senatorship, it is
believed that State Senator George
H. Hodges, democratic candidate,
will receive the highest vote at the
yaneral election.