Morris tribune., 1912-07-05
new LAW MAY
GO TO COURTS
COnstItBtlORaiIty Of Primary Act
Is Questioned.
OLD METHODS OUT or DATE
New Way Of Making Nominations
Puts the Political Machines
Out of Business.
Especial Correspondence

NNFSS1GA4
st. Paul, July 2.-IAss than a week
IN the making, whipped into legal
shape by committee with about four
wording days to it's credit and dis
cussed and passed by body of men
many of them unfriendly to the entire
proceeding, the statewide primary law,
with its accompanying corrupt prac.
tees act, stands as the speediest bit
Of important legislation in the history
Of Minnesota. Yet at that legal au-
thOIities who have studied the two
say the Minnesota law is a wonder
and may be model for other states
who have the new order of things
political in mind. Unless it may be
the class feature their search as yet
has failed to locate anything unconsti-
tutional. They marvel at the whole
thing. With his force of assistants
sitting as cOr'rt Attorney General
Smith last week proceeded to delve
| into the new law for the purpose of
finding any flaws, but if he located
any he has not since made the fact
public. He has talked of possible
| things, but he has refused to give
them sanction through the medium Of
an official opinion, Perhaps the one
lone thing to call for court inquiry is
! the class provision and though a test
of this feature was suggested no one
! as yet has had the nerve to come for
ward and announce himself as the
! goat. The first to take advantage OF
the provision were Judges Brill, Kelly
and Lewis of the Ramsey county dis
tTict court. In filing they took classes
one, two and three in order and in
doing So eliminated any possibility OF
rivalry. 1t is case now of each one
against the field, with other aspirants
compelled to pick the sitting Judge
against whom he will file. Opponents
Of the class idea say the provision
permits of combinations and eIimt
mates the free for all idea, but that
remains to be seen. The carrying out
of the new law is going to cost the
taxpayers something, but If it works
out as claimed the investment will be
worth every dollar expended.
:. = =.
The novel feature of the new pri
mary law is the first and second
choice provision and gubernatoria
candidates especially are concerned
regarding the outcome in their case
Supporters of Governor Eberhart are
inclined to think that it will help him
but they are not backward in saying
that as far as they are concerned
voters, will be advised to express only
one choice. 1t is the field against The
governor, they hold, and the average
voter, though he may have a prefer
ence other than Governor Eberhar
for first choice, yet he will make hin
the seC0nd pick. This, however, is {
game that can be worked both ways
have bunch that all the candidates
will try and discourage the second
choice idea. It has made trouble il
North Dakota and because Of the com
plicated features of the law there
many votes have been thrown out
One candidate for the legislature wht
filed while in ST. Paul Monday sale
he would advise his friends to droI
the second choice idea as far as tn
Office he was after was concerned AM
he was certain that his friends woulC
in turn advise others the same way
He further believed that many. fear
full of complicating their votes anI
having them thrown out, would over
look the second choice scheme. Il
the passing Of the convention system
as 1t related to the making Of nomina
tons for state offices old timers can
not but note with pity the complet'
change in state Republican circles
Gone with it, for the present at least
is the state machine and party haI
mony so often preached in the past
Now it is everybody for himself AM
the devil take the hindmost, Whilt
the man in Office has the best of /
still he must hustle for No. /. 1t
! no longer case of shoulder to shOul
der and one good term deserves ar
other Hustle OF you are lost Is tn
; game now.
l e Il 4
It is rather ancient history, but
: suppose must be chronicled- forme
Attorney General E. 7. Youngs er
trance into the Republican guberns
torial ring. His hat struck the cente
. Of the ring a week ago and three day
: later found him actively vteing wit
] q half dozen other candidates In hoi
! nobbing with the natives at Redwoo
Falls on the occasion of the dedict
= ton Of the new Alexander Rafhse
4 state park. Mr.. Young made one {
0 the dedication speeches. The stor
here is that Mr.. Young may have th
Q best wishes Of the Minneapolis Jou
8 nal, which has been active in expo
ing the alleged incompetency of Co