Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-20

President and his supporters will in
other states support such legislation
before it passes, and not after it
passes.
There is pending in the Legislature
Of Maryland a bill providing for the
exact kind of legally safeguarded
Presidential preferential primary
which the President says he favors.
The collector of customs of Balti-
more, the most active of the Presi-
dents party managers of Maryland
and the head of the office holders
there, has been opposing the enact
ment of the measure by every means
in his power Every Roosevelt NM
br of the Maryland Legislature is for
the primary bill, and they have been
endeavoring to secure the assistance
of Collector Stone and Gov Goldsbor-
ough and the other supporters of
President Taft.
The statement adds that almost sim
liar situations exist in Michigan, Ohio
and Illinois. and further says:
Gov. Deneen of Illinois has stated
publicly that he will convene the Legis-
lature in special session to pass a Pres
idential preference primary bill in case
the necessary two-thirds of the members
will agree beforehand to adopt meas
ure. The leaders of the Presidential
party in Illinois. including Congressman
Mckinley, the director of the national
Taft bureau, to whom the Presidents
secretary referred the request Tor help
in getting the Massachusetts, primary
bill through, are using every possible eff
fore to prevent the agreement in ques-
ton. If the Taft leaders in Illinois,
who include the leader of the national
campaign committee which is conducting
the Presidents canvass for denomination
will now act in good faith in accordance
with the Presidents speech approving
the bill that has already been passed in
the Massachusetts, Legislature. they can
secure a similar bill in the Legislature
of Illinois
"What has occurred in Oklahoma indi-
Gates the need of Presidential primaries
and shows how the patronage is at this
moment being used to defeat the will of
the people As there has been 81 much
recent expression of fear of the tyranny
of a majority. it may be worth while
pointing out that the only tyranny of
which there is any danger at this mo-
ment as regards the Presidential nomi-
nation is tyranny by minority, led by
the officeholders and the agents of the
big financiers who do not want a square
deal and these men who have been do
ing everything in their power not merely
to mislead but to misrepresent and de-
fraud of their rights the people at large
In Oklahoma convention in one dis
trict was neld very early and elected
two delegates for the President Then G
primary for the state convention was
held and that identical district gave {
two to one vote against the President
This was a genuine primary do no
know whether its opponents have calle!
it a soap box primary or not In this
case the only tyranny exercised by thu
majority was to express their preference
and they We're defrauded out of thi
! preference at the previous convention.
! Here in New York, the Progressiv
| members of the Legislature and non
! partisan committee outside are doing ev
/ eryhting in their power to secure gen
, uine Presidential preferential primar
! and to overthrow the present preposter
/ Gus primary hill which was passed b
the machines Of the two parties, las
Continued on Page Twelye)