The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-06-26
PREFERENTIAL PRIMARIES.

XVV6v 4UuVVG V0ot VI WV
lures OF the early stsges OF the presi'
Dental campaign Of 1912 has been
the preferential presidential primary.
Agitation for direct primaries as .
means Of foiling the Vaccinations OF
bosses has been acute for several
years, but this is the fret presidential
contest in which this device for ascer.
tanning the popular will has figured.
Even now, in spite of the attention
they have attr acted, real preferential
primaries for the selection OF presi-
dental candid ates are established by
law in only . small minority OF the
states. The fret state to enact q pres
idential primary law was Oregon In
1910. The other states which have
adopted the innovation in come form
or another are California, Illinois,
Maryland, Mass achusetts, Minnesota,
Nebraska, New Jersey, North and
South Dakota and Wisconsin. Penn
sylvania and Ohio have not preferen-
tial prim aries in the ordinary sense OF
the term. They choose congress dis
trict delega tes to the national conven.
ton by primary, but leave the election
of delegate at large to q state con-
vention, in accordance with old usage.
Maine and Michigan have preferen-
tial primary laws. but they we're not
operative in this years campaign.
"Voluntary' presidential primaries
are In vogue in several states, includ-
ing Ksnsas, Georgia, Florida and
Rhode leland.
In North Dakota no restrictions are
imposed upon legal voters. Any man
may express his preference without re.
gard to his party Affiliations at the
last election. The North Dakota law
requires the delegat es to take an oath
to vote In exact accordance with their
instructions. This means that they
cannot shift their vote from La Fol-
lette, to whom they are pledged, to
any other candidat whose name may
come before the convention, nor could
they under the terms OF the law vote
to make unanimous the vote for any
other candid ate, even though all the
other delegates should so vote. This
provision, however, Is Of little prac.
tical effect since the deleg ates, If they
ignored it, would be amenable to no
punishment under the penal code and
since, If they we're held to have com.
mitted an %offense, it would come un-
der the jurisdiction OF Illinois and not
OF North Dakota.
The Illinois primary which played
so important a part 10 the successes OF
Colonel Roosevelt, was the result of
the passage of an emergency bill sign-
ed by Governor Deneen on q sick bed
late in March. Under its provisions
the vote OF each congress district is
advisory to the national convention
deleg ates from that district, and the
vote OF the state at large is advisory
to the deleg ates at.l large. Petitions
for candid ates must bear no fewer tn an
1900 names.
An objection frequently made to the
state presidential primary Ia that it
forces the unit rule upon the delegates
and nulliies the instruction OF the com.
muuities which elected the delegates
who are in the minority. This objec'
ton has been met by the proposition
that instead of state primaries to ex.
press q preferential for q presidential
nominee, national presidential pri'
maries should be held. Senator Cum
minis recently introduced q bill te
that effect, which failed to excite muct
enthusiasm 10 the senate. 1t proposed
president and presidential electors
The names of candidates on primary
ballots under the bill would be ar
ranged in separate columns, with one
column headed independent OF par
ty."
II it we're passed the Cummins bill
would mean the end of the nationa
convention of the great parties. MOI
than that, 1t would probably mea
the abolition of the electoral colleg
and Of the possibility of the electio
of q presidential candidate who ha
actually received q smaller popula
vote than his unsuccessful opponent.
Among the objections urged again
the new primary system Ia its failure
as it's opponents allege, to bring
large proportion of the voters to til
polls. The vote in North Dakota ",
small, and that in New York. whis
had q primary characterized by Co
onel Roosevelt asa criminal farce
was much smaller comparatively.
Illinois and Pennsylvania, howeve
the general interest displayed and d
size of the vote polled were such as
give little color to this objection.
THE TARIFF ISSUE.