The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-10
NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.

4
There is considerable talk nowadays
that the last of the national conven-
tions have been held for the nonlina-
ton of presidential candidates. They
are to be superseded, so it is said. by
straight out and out presidential pri-
maries in all of the states, for which
provision will be made long before the
time comes to make presidential nomi-
nations again. But even if presiden-
tial primaries are created by law in
all the states during the next four
years. which is not likely, unless con-
! gress takes charge of the presidential
primaries and enacts a federal statute
| accordingly, there is not much merit
to the insisteEce that national conven
| tions have sung their swan song.
Such might be the result. if the can
didates for presidential honors in
each of the big parties could be limit
ed to two men. Then presidential pri
maries in all the states could be made
decisive. Still this possibility is re-
mote and one for which no provision
by law could be made. unless the
basic principle of primaries is to be
destroyed. Primaries are essentially
an opportunity for every man who SO
desires to be candidate for nomina-
ton for any kind of ar Office that
strikes his fancy. And there are too
many distinguished citizens in this
land who have an idea that they are
best suited to serve the people as a
chief executive, to expect that at presi-
Dental primary time there would be
only two candidates for the presiden-
tial nomination of each party.
With three or more candidates in
the field. it would be the rule rather
than the exception that none of them
would be able to carry a sufficient
number of states to assure him a ma
jority in the presidential primaries.
Certainly the plurality rule could not
be applied fairly to such a contest.
That would open the door to getting
enough candidates in the field so that
man could walk off with presiden-
tial nomination on an aggregate vote
from the primaries that would be so
low as to be ridiculous, and indicative
in no way of the popular will OF the |
voters in his party.
And so, whether or not presidential |
primaries prevail in all the states four |
years hence, it would seem to be abso- |
lutely necessary that the national con- |
ventions be held as usual to provide |
for any contingency that might result |
from a multitude of candidates In the
primary field, each of whom would be |
sure to be successful in carrying one or
several states at the presidential pri- /
maries. This fact, also, seems to en-
phasize a weak point in the presiden-
tial primary plan. Suppose the dele
gates to the recent Democratic love-
feast at Baltimore, who were chosen
at presidential primaries, had stuck to
the end in accordance with the way
they were Instructed at those pri-
maries. Under the famous two-thirds
rule of the Democrats that convention
would still be in session, and would
on until doomsday. In the
last analysis at Baltimore, the instruc-
tons of the presidential primaries
we're disregarded as utterly as though
he voters at home had never given
them. 1t is easy enough to talk about
The desirability of letting the people
rule, but to devise fair means by which
hey cen rule in all things effectively,
s a mighty difficult proposition, as :
many of their champions have already ,
heir champions will find out in the
immediate future. The Democrats do
lot seem very keen on This presiden-
ial primary business anyhow And it
s possibility that they will have con-
rol of the nation and many of the
tates for the next few years. So, in
more ways than one, the deathkneI
which has been sounded for the ma {
ional convention, is a decidedly pre-
nature noise. {