The Calumet news., 1912-07-30
COlORADO'S new ELECTION
SYSTEM is COMPLICATED

Denver Colo. July S0.-The nrs'
Republican State assembly" as pro-
vided for in Coloradc's new primary
law. will meet in this city tomorrow.
The assembly. as constituted under the
primary law. is something now In Am
erican politics. While 4 orresponds
in some respects To the old State con-
vention IL possesses other features that
are radically different. The supporters
Of the new plan claim for II that IL is
in accordance with the modern trend
towards direct nominations and at the
same time tends To eliminate the bit
ter struggles for The nominations that
frequently prevailed under the old sys-
tenn.
The assemblies are formed in the
same way that State conventions were
formed. Each party holds caucuses.
primaries and county conventions AMI
names delegates &c the assembly. The
chief difference between the convention
and the assembly lies in the provision
that the assembly takes only one hai-
lot on candidates Tor each Office to be
lilled and anyone receiving 10 per cent
of the total vote i'm the assembly IS
entitled to have his or her name or tho
primary ballot.
Primaries on Sept. 10.
Following the state assemblies any
person who desires 10 be candidate
before the primaries and who did not
receive the nomination In TIE assembly
can become a candidate by filing Pc
titions with the secretary Of state re-
questing that his name be placed on
the primary ballot of any party 20
which he belongs. The names of SEQ
resident voters Of the State must DO
signed to such petitions.
The Colorado primaries this year
will he held on September 10. Two
weeks later. according to the new law
the state and Legislative candidates
will meet with the members of the
state central committees in Denver TO
draft the party platforms.
Though this will bring the time up -
within six weeks of the date of the
election the law provides still another
chance for new candidates TO get OIL
the November ballot. According to the
law. anyone not satisfied with the re-
suits as obtained bv the assemblies,
the primaries and the subsequent plat
form meetings can get on the regular
ballot through petition by securing tie
same number of signatures that would
have been required TO get on the Seu-
tember primary ballot and can certitp
platform of his own and make the
race independently.
Taft Forces in Control.
whichever faction i'm the RepSrb
lican party is defeated in the assembly
tomorrow undoubtedly will take adj
vantage of the provisions Of the law
above cited to get on the ballot at the
November election. The opinion pre-
walls that the Taft regulars will be
able TO control the assembly. since
| they have the support of the state or
ganiZation and won out I'm the state
conv ention last spring to elect the dele
gates to the national Republican con-
vention
II is said to be the plan of the Fro
grcssives to allow the Taft supporters
TO control the assembly and go ahead
with the nomination of Taft electors
and candidates for the primary cleo
ton for state officers. The Progress
sives will then petition TO get on the
Republican primary callot and employ
| every effort to seize control of the Re
publican party organization in the pri-
Emaries Failing in this plan, the Roose- e-
welt supporters will still have left TO
them the opportunity of running their
candidates independently on the ticket
in November. The leadership In the
fight is being taken by Philip B. Ste
wart of Colorado Springs. who aspires
to be the candidate of the Progressive
Republicans for governor.