Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-03-27
CHALLENGE NOT ACCEPTED.
Governor Wilson Stands for Pres
idential Primary, but the Other


icentiaI Primary, but the Other
er Candidates are Silent
(From the Progressive News Bureau,
Washington, D: c. ~.
Only Woodrow Wilson among the
Democratic aspirants for the Presi-
dency has endorsed the presidential
preference primary. AS yet neither
Speaker Clark, Gov. Harmon, Chair
man Underwood, or any of the 9th
ers except Gov. Wilson has suggest
ed that the nomination be left to
the will OF the Democratic voters.
The challenge issued by Mr. W. F.
McCombs Of the Wilson campaign
managers for presidential primary
has not been taken up by any Of
Wilson'S opponents Neither Clark
nor Harmon nor Underwood is on
record in favor Of the election and
instruction OF delegates to the ma
tional convention by vote of the
party voters.
On the other hand, Gov. Wilson is
plain spoken in advocacy OF the
presidential primary. He believes in
the direct primary as the cure for
the evils Of bossism and machine
politics and he believes that 1T should
govern the nomination OF ALL candi
dates, for office from President down
to- constable.
That this advocacy Of a presiden-
tial primary is not a new thing en-
gendered by Gov. Wilson'S present
nationwide popularity and taken up
as sure means to- get the nomina-
ton, is proved by the fact that Il
was feature OF the first legisla-
tive fight Gov. Wilson undertook af-
ter he became Governor Of New Jer-
sey. Since Gov. Wilson is the only
Democratic candidate who is candi-
date in every state Of the union, and
since he is opposed by field that
has divided the states in sections
and are allied against him, his
friends naturally believe that pri-
mary would nominate him. HIS
enemies. believe the same thing, that
is why they are not for the primary,
and that is why no reply has been
received to the McCombs' challenge.
But no such motive Of expediency
can be assigned as explaining GOV.
Wilson'S attitude. When he was
elected governor and the legislature
his first fight was to per-
suade the legislature to respect the
will of the party voters who had
James E. MARITIME for
Senator in a direct primary. James
Smith, Jr., the old-time boss whom |
President Cleveland had connected
with the perfidy and dishonor Of the
of the Wilson Tariff |
Bill, wanted to set aside. the primary
and come back to the senate. Gov.
Wilson stood for the primary and
won. . -. 80. g.: ~.
The next thing 'hes'did; was to get
/ bill introduced to change the
election laws and to provide for di-
,ect primaries for every officer from
president down to. constable. The
machine leaders told him they
let it pass, and a democrat
& conference was called to vote the
ill down. The bosses had the votes
o do it, too. That is, they had them
when the conference was called.
Gov. Wilson got himself invited to
he conference. He made three
lour speech in favor Of the direct pri
nary bill. When he had finished,
he conference. that had met to vote
he bill down voted it up as a party
Measure and carried it on to victorJ.
The people and not the bosses,
therefore, will instruct delegates in
New Jersey this year. It was an ef-
'ective speech and it showed not
,nly the power of Gov. Wilson's log
cal eloquence, but also it showed
low deep is his faith in the people,
low firm is his conviction that NOM
nations ought to be made by the
7oters in primaries, and not lett to
,oteries of bosses and machine lead
ers working behind closed doors, ev-
IN. when they work according to
the rules Of the game" y