Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-01-26

NEW PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
LAW IS CONDEMNED BY ALL
CLASSES.
Omaha, Jan. 23.-To those states
which contemplate enacting a presiden-
tial preferential primary law, Ncbras,
ka sends word, "Don It do tor if you
must, don It pattern your law after that
under which Nebraska is now labor
ing"
Nebraska has preferential ballot
for the presidential nomination as we'll
as for the nomination for the vice pres
idency, and of all the election laws in
this state this preferential ballot mat
ter is giving the most trouble. 1t has
gotten to be dumping ground" a
"port of wrecked hopes" and polite
ians are vying with one another to get
their political enemies on this prefer
entail ballot as a sidetrack to nowhere.
If politician is seeking Office and
fears some powerful opponent, he gets
that opponent name on the presiden-
tial ballot and thereafter he is safe.
For hating gotten on that ballot, there
is no chance Of withdrawal and worse
yet, any name which appears on the
preferential ballot cannot be placed on
othor ho11ot OF n,
Bryan in a Boat.
This last fact was at the bottom of
the protest raised by w. J. Bryan last
week when his name was, by an ad-
miring zealot, fled with the secretary
of state as preferential candidate for
the democratic nomination for the pres
idency. Mr.. Bryan is a candidate for
delegate at large to the democratic
national convention, but his name had
not been fled for that Office. Conse-
quently, one day when he was official
ly placed on the preferential ballot for
the presidential nomination he was, un-
der the law, thereby prevented from
fling his name as candidate for del
egate at large. Therefore, Mr.. Bryan
and his friends raised violent pro-
test. The nominating petition can be
withdrawn by the man who originally
fled it, and by none other. The Bryan
influence is now urging the filer of this
petition to withdraw it and permit Mr.
Bryan to run for the Office which he
covets.
Charles Tanning, a political leader
of Omaha, wants to be elected demo.
cratic national committeeman from Ne.
braska. While his petition was being
circulated, an enemy got in ahead of
him and fled his name for the vice
presidential nomination. Now, unless
Mr.. Tanning can get relief in some
way at present unknown, he will 60
before the people Of this state az a
candidate for Vice president instead of
national committeeman.
Roosevelt Unconcerned.
Mr.. Roosevelt 8 name was likewise
placed on the preferential ballot with.
out his consent, and while both Bryan
and Tanning are using all their inf]u.
ence and endeavor to get free it is re.
marked that Mr.. Roosevelt has neithe,
expressed dissatisfaction nor has he
made the least attempt to have his
name removed from the presidential
ballot.
Nebraska managers of both Taft and
La Toilette are fearful that their can
didates will be put out of the running
so far as Nebraska is concerned by q
representative of the other side. This
can be done very easily. If a petition
nominating Mr.. Taft for the vice pres
idency should be fled by the La Fol
lette man, Mr.. Taft's name could moi
go on the ballot as a candidate for the
presidency. And should a Taft man
file La Follette's name for the vice
presidency, the Wisconsin senator 4
name could not go on the presidential
ballot.
Likely to be Repealed.
Politicians Of both parties are at
lacking the preferential primary sys
TEN and in all probability the next
legislature will repeal the law, or al
least amend it so as to eliminate the
present objectional features The gen
eral sentiment towards it has been
voiced by Judge Albert of Columbus
Neb., who says: "There is no more
reason to choose delegate to a con
vention in this way than there is tt
choose delegate to the general con
ference Of the Methodist church in the
same way. It is not state affair; il
is a party matter and should be at
tended to by each party in any mannel
it sees ft.''
After all, the presidential primary
does not bind the delegate to vote a.
instructed and there is nothing in tn,
act which makes it obligatory upo1
him to cast his ballot for any partic
ular candidate.
BRITISH WAR VESSELS SEIZED
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