The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-18

for any second choice for voting for
any other than % directed in the pri-
maries. .tt
However. there 10 NO penal section
in the law under which . delegate
could be punished for voting for some
other than the person for whom he
was instructed, and even II there were,
the offense would be committed In iii.
nois, and outside the jurisdiction Of
North Dakota. So nothing but moral
obligation rests upon the delegates,
and how far they will observe that in
the face of q convention overwhelm-
ingly for some other candidate, Is q
matter for speculation and their own
decision.
There has been some talk that Taft
men might ignore the primary law al
together. call a state convention under
the old system, and select by that
method. delegates who would be
favorable to the President. Under the
call for the Republican convention,
the convention is in no sense bound
to seat the delegation elected at the
primaries; II 1t sees fit, 1t could deny
them recognition and admit those
chosen in a state convention. There Is
nothing which the state could do to
oblige the national convention, pure
ly voluntary assemblage. to accept It's
delegates chosen in the primaries.
The Taft managers, however. have not
given any encouragement to the sug-
gestion of ignoring the law, and 1t Is
therefore a practical certainty that the
delegates elected in the primaries will
be seated.
What applies to the election of dele
gates to the Republican convention.
also applies to Democratic delegates,
to delegates to the Prohibition nation
al convention, to the Socialist national
convention and to any other political
organization which desires to hold a
national convention for the nomtna-
ton of ca ndidate for the Presidency.
There has been some talk that the
Democrats in the Presidential primar-
les might instruct their delegation
from North Dakota to vote for the
nomination of Governor John Burke
as the states favorite son. The abb
surdity of such a proposition, how
ever, Is being brought here to the
Democrats of the state, despite the
fact that local sentiment places the
state executive above the candidates
of greater national renown. II the
delegates were instructed to vote for
Burke, they would be morally bound
to do 80, and as, of course, there Is
not even the remotest possibility OF
his nomination, the delegation. II
bound to him, would be a negative
quantity in the convention.
For this reason, the Democratic
fight has waged among the friends OF
Wilson, Clark and Harmonic elect
the delegates. There is also, 20 far "a
the Democrats are concerned contest
over the place ON the Democratic ma
tional committee. Under the North
Dakota law. not only are the conven-
ton delegates elected by the people,
but the national committeeman as
we'll. In states where the primary
law does not prevail. the delegates to
the national conventions ELECT their
states member on the national com.
mittee.
The Democrats, believing they have
q good chance to win the presidency
this time, will contest for the cleo
ton of a national committeeman who
Is likely to be the recognized distribu'
tor OF patronage in the state. since 1t
IL not likely that the state will elect