The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-02
JUST STRAW VOTE
Effect of Presidential Primary
in Kansas.
No Law to Enforce the Plan
Proposed.
ARE NOT OF ONE MIND
Regular Leaders Think DOlley
Scheme Unfair.
May Cause Clash With the Con-
gressiOnaI Committees.

| The insurgents are sure to make
/ every effort to hold presidential
! primary in Kansas this year State
/ Chairman Dolley is committed to the
| plan, and so is Governor Stubs and
! every Roosevelt supporter in the
| state Many Taft men favor the pri-
mary in the interest of harmony and
| on the proposition that a hard fought
primary with its majority rule re-
| suit will clear the atmosphere a little
! A plan has been evolved that may
\ be labeled the Dolley-Jackson-W White
| Marshall plan.
Many of the regulars oppose the
plan as impractical, uncertain and
| out of line with the instructions of the
national committee and without any
law behind it
Many people have written the State
Journal to inquire about the workings
of the plan and it's difference from the
old convention method. The best
way to explain the plan clearly and
simply is to compare it with the con-
vention plan, step by step.
The Convention Plan.
The convention plan provides that
caucuses shall be held in city wards
and country precincts on a certain
date and at a certain hour. Every
Republican voter in that ward or pre-
cinct may gather at a certain place at
the hour designated and out of this
mass meeting officers are elected
The caucus resolves iiSelI 1l1lO q
iature convention and delegates to the
county convention are nominated and
the allotted number receiving the most
votes are elected. The county con-
vention selects the delegates TO the
congressional and state conventions.
The caucus gives instructions to these
delegates if a majority favor any GER
tain instructions for any candidate.
If the delegate does not like the in
Structions he can resign and another
no elected in his stead.
Presidential Primary Plan.
The presidential primary plan for
Kansas this year provides that on
certain date to be agreed upon by the
state committee the wards and pre-
cincts of the state are to select dele
gates to the state and congressional
conventions. Instead of a caucus
polling place is to be provided which
is to be open from noon TO seven |
o'clock in the evening
The county chairman has charge or
the affair. He orders the ballots
printed and has them distributed The
precinct or ward committeeman IS to |
act as one judge and the voters VINO |
are assem- bled when the polls open Sc
lect the other Judge: y
The ballots contain the names Of |
the candidates for president and vice
president and delegates. They are |
voted for Just as an ordinary election |
ballot is cast which is to say a cross
is made in the square opposite the
name of the person preferred py the
voter.
The candidate for president receiv
ing the most votes of that precinct
is to be the choice of that precinct for
president and this majority is IN it
self an instruction to the delegates at
the congressional and state conven-
tions that will be favorable to this
candidate.
To get the names of the candidates
for president and delegates on the pre-
cinct ballot it is necessary to resort
to the petition system. Just as in the
case of the regular primary. The
presidential candidates must have oOO
names on their petitions from ten
counties, and the candidates for dele
gate must have one per cent of the
party's county vote.
Now Comes the Rub.
The national committee, in it's call for
the national convention. declared that
delegates should be elected by conEen-
ton. except in states where there is a
presidential primary law. 1t may be
taken from this that the national con-
vention will not recognize delegates
elected by primary from states having
no presidential primary law. So the
Kansas primary plan proposes to meet
the national committee requirements by
alecting instructed delegates to the
state convention and the congressional
by the primary plan in
stead of the old caucus plan. These
in relation to selecting del
egates to the national convention are
exactly the same as by the old conven-
ton methods. in fact, they are selected
by regular conventions
However, these delegates are primary
delegates and not caucus delegates.
The argument in favor of the former
S that it means that a larger number
Of the rank and file of the party takes
part in their selection, each voter re-
eording his preference without undue
influence.
The above is the whole plan in nut
she'll and made as plain and simple as
possible The judges must serve with
1ut pay. So must the county commit
eemen and state committeeman. The
primary ballots from the precincts are
sent to the state committee chairman
or the official count just as the regu-
"a primary ballots are sent to the sec
'etary of state.
The cost of the ballots and their dis
ribution will form the principal ex-
oense of the primary. The plan pro- !
tides that this cost be borne by each
county committee the money to be
'afsed the same as other money in the .
Usual primary campaign way.
Power of State Chairman.
A serious exception to the plan as
AIKEN by the regulars is that provision
hat empowers the state chairman to