Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-27
PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE
Direct Election of National
Convention Delegates
REQUIRED IN FIVE STATES
Believed It Will Be Voluntarily
Adopted in Others.
FAVORED IN THE SOUTH
Supporters of Wilson and La Toilette
Disposed to Approve

Choosing of delegates to the next demo-
cratic national convention by direct vote.
through statewide primaries. will be in
augurated by a number of states This
innovation is fixed by law in some OF
the states, and it is thought Will be
voluntarily adopted in others.
AS is now known five states will by
law choose delegates to the national con-
vention by direct vote. These states and
the dates on which they will hold their
primaries for the election of delegates
to the national convention are as fol-
lows: North Dakota, March 10; Wiscon-
sin, April >: Nebraska, April Il; Oregon.
April 10; New Jersey, May %.
The National Democratic Progressive
League is pointing out that the state
committee in any commonwealth may.
if the democrats of that state want 1t
done. direct that delegates be chosen by
direct vote of the democrats I'm the state.
The idea seems to be taking hold in
the south.
The prediction is now made by some of
the men connected with the National
Democratic Progressive League that the
democrats in one-half of the southern
states Will use the direct-vote method
in choosing delegates The legislature IN
d
ocratic state committee that it ought to
provide for the election of delegates to
the democratic national convention by
popular vote. 1t is pretty well under
stood that the Texas state committee will
follow the advice of the legislature
Wilson Supporters Favor Plan.
In Arkansas. in Mississippi and in two
or three other southern states the demo-
10, nj no &c q nrPfpr-
ence for the direct vote method of choos-
ing delegates. The supporters OF Gov.
Woodrow Wilson for the presidential
nomination are, naturally, in favor of the
direct vote method, because. as they say.
it will mean more delegates for their can
didate.
democrats who have recently travelled
through the south in the interest or the
Wilson candidacy bring back report 10
the effect that if the south would Only
choose it's delegates by direct vote the
New Jersey governor Wouiu sa.ne .hat
practically all the delegates from that
section of the country, These men say
that they found the rank and file of the
democratic party in the south very mucn
in favor of the direct-vote method. Du.
i'm q good many of the states they found
those politicians who are supporting
some other man for the nomination hold
ing out for the old convention pan Oh
choosing delegates.
So far neither the National democratic
Progressive League nor the Wilson cam
naign MANAGEMENT have done much to-
ward trying to persuade democratic COM
rnittees in northern states TO use the
direct vote plan. They indicate. however,
that they have hope that In lew OF tue
northern states the new method of choos-
ING delegates will be adopted by unanl-
nous consent.
Favored by La Toilette People.
The La Toilette people. on the republic
can side. are very much in favor OF the
election of delegates by direct vote, ana
the managers of the campaign OF the
Wisconsin senator express the hope that
in several of the northern states agree
nants NAV be reached under which the
old convention method will be set asioe
for the direct primary. the La foiiette
managers have already mace dellhi'e
proposal along this line In me state VI
Iowa. L,;ons
They have indicated to the republicans
IN charge of the machinery in that state
that they are anxious to nave tne uoee
ton as to whether President IaIt or
Senator La Toilette shall nave the ueie
Gates from that state, go direct 10 the
republican voters for answer Iney MAKE
mo secret of the fact that they lntend 10
make the same proposal in several other
Statpx in the central west, as well DIS III
come of the far west states.
The men, both democrats and repupli-
cans. who are urging that the direct-Vote
r,Ian he used in as many states as DOS
sible. are pointing out that in most states
a political party may choose delegates
m the national convention under any
man IL seems fit to adopt. The question
IF expense has been raised. but the men
who are advocating the direct-vote plan
insist that any political party ought 10
he willing and able to bear the expense
ri the new method of choosing delegates.
,The whole subject is likely to receive a
great deal Of attention between now and
January next when state political COM
mittees will be very generally reorsan-
ized and will be adopting plans Tor the
choosing of delegates to the national con-
ventiOn.
II is now evident that the preliminary
skirmish for delegates from the hVe
states that are obliged under law. TO
vote directly on who is to represent them
in the national convention, will attract
wide attention. In each OF these states,
North Dakota. Wisconsin,. Nebraska, ore
ron and New Jersey. the WOODROW VIII
son people and the Judson Harmon people
on tic one hand, and the TAFT people ana
the La Toilette followers on the other.
arc already active.