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


n Ii indications now point to i'm
~ portant legislation in numer-
Gus states within the next few
months for the establishment Of the
direct primary Along with primary
legislation will go, in some cases, leg
iSlation for the establishment of 9TH
er features of what is known as the
popular government movement. These
features include the initiative and ref
erendum, the recall, corrupt practices
legislation, stricter registration laws
and the like
Every student and every casual OBJ
server of politics in this country is
well aware that for years there has
ragged great controversy over the
merits OF the direct primary system
and the value of other forms of legis-
laticn calculated to give the voters
more direct participation in the nomi-
nation of candidates for public offices,
and in the shaping Of legislation. De-
spite controversy and contention, how
ever, the growth of the direct primary
system and the movements closely re-
lated to it has been marked At t1rsr'
the progress made in these lines was
slow and in the face of great OppOsi-
ton. OF late, it has been much more
rapid.
Of Recent and Rapid Growth.
The direct primary movement in the
a
as rapid growth. While the subject
had been agitated for some years be-
fore 1901, it was not until then that
statewide set of mandatory laws for
the control of primary elections vas
established. This was in Minnesota.
The Minnesota law, however, went but
short distance as compared with
more recent legislation. It establish.
ed direct nominations throughout the
entire state, except for state officers.
1t did not apply to the adoption of the
state platform Exponents of the
movement for popular government
look back on the Minnesota law, for
the time it was enacted, as q great
step in advance. though it was only
the beginning Of what was to follow.
In the same year, 1901, important
direct primary laws were enacted in
Florida ond Oregon. Mississippi fol-
lowed in 1902, and in the following
year the state OF Wisconsin went
much farther than any Of the other
states had gone. Under the urging
of governor La Toilette, a statewide
primary law was enacted with quite
complete provisions for legal supervis-
ion. The convention system was full
" set aside, except for the purpose of
formingea state platform. Under this
Wisconsin law of 1908. the delegates
to the national party conventions were
to be elected by direct vote. It was
provided that two were to be elected
in each congressional district and four
at large.
Former systems swept Aside.
Since that time. there has been a
rapid sweeping away OF the former
systems for making nominations. The !
party convention has become practically
a thing of the past in a considerable
part of the union. Eighteen states |
have mandatory laws for direct nom I
nations covering practically all the /
national convention These states are |
California Idaho, Illinois Iowa. Kan /
sas. Louisiana. Mississippi Missouri {
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, |
North Dakota Oklahoma. Oregon. !,
South Dakota, Texas, Washington and |
Wisconsin. In five states there are |
optional laws covering practically all |
the offices except delegates to the |
national convention. These states are |
Alabama, Florida, Kentucy. Michigan |
and Tennessee. In Minnesota, Ohio |
and Pennsylvania, mere are optional 1
laws covering practically all except /
state offices and delegates to national /
conventions. In Indiana, l
Massachusetts. New Jersey and Ten /
nessee, there are mandatory laws COW
erfne certain localities or offices. In /
the II states of Connecticut. Delaware,
Indiana Maryland Maine, MassachuS-
etts, Michigan, New York. North Car
olina and Rhode Island, there are OPP |
tional laws covering certain lodali-
ties or offices. Direct nominations OBJ |
tain now in practically all the south
ern states, It is noticeable in the his
tory of the primary movement that the
southern states, as a rule, fell into
line early.
Considering the United States as
whole, it can be said that the southern
,.nor,v mis- MIGHT helm 70 solve the