The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-03-21
TAFT FOR PRIMARY
ON CONDITIONS
Declares for Preference Vote If
Properly Safeguarded.
FLING AT COURT CRITICS
President Attacks the Cry LET the
People Rule" Declaring II 10
Reflection on Own Gov g.:
eminent. .-.

Boston. March 19.-President Taft
in a speech before the Legislature of
Massachusetts here declared himself
in favor of preferential primaries un-
der certain conditions for the coming
campaign.
Wherever full and fair notice of the
election can be given, wherever ade-
quate election safeguards can be
thrown around to protect a preferen.
tial primary for the presidency, wher-
ever the constitution of the state per-
mits it being made applicable to the
present election, | favor 1t and well
come it,"
Plain Words on "Let the People Rule"
The president made a pointed refer
ence to the proposition, Let the peo-
pie rule" and had something to say
about the recall of the judiciary and
Of judicial decisions.
irresponsible assaults upon either
in Incorporate language or on base
less assumptions OF corruption or bias.
or incompetency, made by those
whose statements have influence with
any part of our people, are serious
menace to enduring government" said
the president. He said:
you have recently passed what is
called a presidential primary law for
the election OF delegates to the nation
al conventions. upon which will fall
the duty of selecting tn presidential
nominees Of the respective parties. |
have not had opportunity critically to
examine the new law. but | am sure
it makes proper provision to meet the
obvious requirements. | am glad that
you have done this
Reviews Method Of Selection.
The question of how delegates are
TO be selected to any political conven
ton or how nominees are to be select
ed by a party was originally matter
of merely voluntary and party adjust
ment. but so important to the public
at large did the character of the can
didates to be selected by each party
become that the state has properly in
terfered so as to throw safeguards
around the exercise by all those who
belong to party of their privilege to
have a voice in the choice of their
| party candidates.
Il am not going to stop and discuss
| in detail the question of direct pri
mary elections, their uses and abuses
think every one will admit, however
that in order that they may accom-.
| plish the good they are intended tC
accomplish they should be safeguard
ed by effective provisions as to the
party eligibility of voters who par.
ticipate in them and by penal provi
sions securing conformity to rules OF
such eligibility and the honest casting
and counting Of the ballot
Condemns "soapbox" Primary.
81 do not hesitate to say that. In
my judgment, voluntary primary out
| side the law, known by its inforna!
| character as a 'soapboX' primary, is
worse than none, for It gives full Op
! portunity to the ineligible electors OF
the other party to cast unfair votep
| and. without the sanction and safe.
| guard of penal provisions In respect
| to casting and counting the ballots, Is
| an open avenue for fraud and vic
! lence.
1T is eminently appropriate that IN
| every election and In the discussion
! of all issues that affect the republic
We should discuss and hear much OF
| the popular will and of the right OF
| the people. This is government
based on popular control.
Reflection on the Government.
I'VE all concede that the operation
| OF elections and the operation of gov.
| eminent are not perfect and are some.
| times subject TO corrupt influences
and control. and that 1t is the part OF
| patriotism to remove, as far as posi-
| Bile, the obstacles which prevent hon.
! est primaries. honest elections and
| the honest administration of govern
ment in the interest of the people
| but the continued iteration and reiter.
alton Of the proposition, Let the PEG,
| pie rule il II has any significance al
| all and is intended otherwise than to
| reflection on the government that We
| have had down TO the present time.
Now, in spite Of all the corruption,
in spite of all the machine politics, in
spite of every defect in the operation
| OF our government that can be point
ed out. | do not hesitate to say that
the history Of the last 1875 years shows
that the people have ruled. They may
have been defeated at times by cor.
rupt and corrupting influences, con.
crosses and legislatures may have
been halted by subterranean methods
IN carrying out what the people de-
sire, but in the end, under our present
constitution and our present laws, we
have had a really popular govern.
ment."
New Russian OIL Field.
Baku hitherto has been known as
the great oil producing province OF
| Russia. Its output has been enor-