The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-29
ROWLAND DRAF IS
PRIMARY BILL
Representative from Ohio Thinks
He Has Solved Presidential
Primary Question.
PENALTIES ARE PROVIDED

posing the establishment in all the States
OF system of preferential primary for
| candidates for the offices of President
and Vice President has been introduced
In the House by Representative Paul
Rowland. a Taft supporter. The bill,
In effect. provides for the Incorporation
of political parties, and makes them re-
sponsive in some degree to a national
board, which is made a bureau of the
Federal government.
The Rowland bill throws legal restric-
| tons around the primary. 1t provides
severe penalties for any effort made in
the course of a primary campaign to
| influence, by bride or otherwise any
elector. The Rowland bill was drawn
with great care. and will come up for
consideration early in the December ses-
sion of Congress. The prediction is
| made that it will form the basis of
Presidential primary legislation that is
expected to be spread on the statute
books before the next national pre-
convention campaign rolls round In 1916.
Section ! of the bill provides That a
preferential primary for all candidates
for the office of President shall be held
| In the several States at the time and
In the manner herein provided"
A political party. in order to have a
standing In the Federal primary, must
be able to show that at the election pre-
ceding the approval Of the law. its can
didltes polled at least 5 per cent of the
votes cast at such election.
The formation Of national committees
is authorized in sect.o 3 Of the bill
This provides that the national organ
ization OF political party shall consist
Of one committeeman from each State
The national committees so made up are
made the sole Judges of the qualifica-
tons OF their own members, and are au-
thorized to elect chairmen.
Representation Based on Vote.
Representation in national convention
is based upon the vote cast in the va
rious States. One delegate and one al
ternate are to be allowed in conventions
for each ten thousand votes polled by
the party in question in the respective
States Each State is also to be allowed
four delegates-at-large and four alter
mates. in accordance with the presen,
practice.
The Rowland bill contains provisions
designed to prevent a member Of one
party voting for candidates in another
party. The section bearing on this point
reads as follows: The clerk or clerts> of
flied voter in each precinct. on demand,
the ticket OF the party to which said
elector declares he belongs. and. as the
votes are cast, write the name and ad-
dress OF each voter and the party affili-
alton al declared by the voter, which list,
having been certified by the Judges. shall
be returned to the State canvassing
board, with the returns OF the election
This provision, taken in conjunction with
.
be at all places on the same day, II is
argued. would prevent the repeating
that is alleged to have in the past rem
dered abortive attempts to keep the men,
bers of one party away from the primary
election OF another party.
The bill provides that the Presidential
primary shall be held in all the States on
the second May every fourth year. be-
ginning in 1915.
elections that are now conducted under
the forms of law are provided for the
primary by the Rowland bill. The offices
OF judge and clerk of election for service !
in the primary only are created. The
form of ballot is prescribed and made |
uniform throughout the country. Pres |
emit State primary laws are not disturbed |
unless they happen 10 be in conflict with |
the proposed Federal statute.
The bill prohibits electioneering or can |
wasting within one hundred feet OF a |
polling place while primary is in progress. |
Salaries for Board Members.
THE National Canvassing Board for |
Presidential Primaries" with headquar-
ters in Washington. is created. This
board is to be composed Of five members, |
each of whom shall receive a salary OF
81 200 year The members of the board |
ha fad nv he r.
ject TO confrmatian by the Senate
There Is also established a State canvass
ing board for Presidential primaries in
each State. 1t is proposed that each Of
The boards shall be composed of three
members. Appointments to the State
boards will also be made by the Presi-
lent. subject TO confirmation by the
Senate.
II is provided that candidates for Presi-
lent shall give notice to this effect forty
I've days before the holding OF the pri-
nary. All nomination papers are re-
luired to be in substantially the follow
ng form:
II the undersigned. a qualified elector,
md a member of the -- party, here
" declare my candidacy for the office of
President. subject to the preferential pri
nary. / further declare that / am a
Sitizen OF the United States.
md that am thirty-ffve years of age.
md have been for fourteen years resi-
lent OF the United States"
Cost Candidate $1,000.
Each Presidential candidate is required
o paw the national board the sum of
900. failing which the nomination Of
cred shall not be certified by the board.
The manner of the arrangement of the
,allot is outlined with great particular
ty. Abuses such as are said to have
zen practiced in Pennsylvania and other
tates this year are sought to be avoided.
n PENNSYLVANIA, it is charged, names
we're placed on the ballot in alphabetical
rider, the organizatin naming in many
Instances candidates whose names began
With "a" The Rowland bill provides
hat in the Presidential primary the
ames of candidates proposed for nomi- ,
alton for President by each party shall
e so arranged on the party ballot that I
he name of each of the proposed candi- /
ates shall be first upon a substantially /
quail number of ballots. Ia
Upon certification by the various State =
cards, the national board is authorized
, announce the number of votes cast
Or each of the candidates appearing be- y
pre- the primary. Thf national conven- n
on of each of the parties is, in naming S
candidate, required TO abide by the
hoice of the party members as indicated {
the primary. The candidates are au- Il
lorized to appoint delegates to the con- n
entions and electors in each of the n
tates Upon notification Of the result Of v
le primaries by the national board the
ational committees are authorized to {
Ill thar conventions n