The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-02-28

right TO prescribe the rules for NOM
mating candidates for such Offices and
that ], myself, insisted that United
States senators should also be nom
mated by such primaries. Your Oh.
position to a primary at that time was
SO pronounced and determined that
Judge Furman, who was a candidate
against you for the nomination. and
Senator Gore, who was a candidate
on the west side of the state. became
much agitated and were both insist
ing on primary nominations. I recall
that Judge Furman, being much wor-
ried about your opposition, asked me
|if felt sure that the constitutional
convention would require primary
election for United States senators. /
said to Judge Furman, of course, 1
cannot tell what the constitutional
convention may do but | will assure
you Judge Furman. that ! will keep
up my fight in favor of the primary
to the very last ditch, whereupon
Judge Furman asked me if would
write him letter signed by myself
to that effect Such letter was at
once written signed by me and deliv-
cred to Judge Furman You still did
not cease to call on me and continue
your argument against the primary
and many lawyers of the state ex-
pressed the opinion at the time that
Haskell was too bull-headed and there
was no law justifying his committee
in the constitutional convention in de-
manding primary elections until fu-
ture elections after the constitution
might be adopted. About the 10th of
March in that year the constitutional
convention decided that ON the 10th
day of March the convention should
take recess until the 10th day of
April As the time was drawing near
wnen notice of primary should be
given |, as chairman of the primary
committee in the constitutional CON
vention, telegraphed j. b. Thompson,
chairman of the democratic state com
mittee to Guthrie and hold a confer
ence with our primary elections com
mittee. Mr. Thompson and his com
mittee came, about the 18th day of
March, and held a conference with
our committee Mr. Thompson him
self was strongly in favor of the posi-
ton taken by our committee and my
sell, but some of his state committee
made the same argument that yon
yourself. had repeatedly made to me
the primary. However, Chair
man Thompson said to our commit
tee, IF you will allow this question
OF a mandatory primary to pass over
until your reassemble April 10th, he
would in the meantime call the full
state committee together and he be-
lieved he could induce the democratic
state committee to call primary
without any demand from the eonsti-
tutional convention. In pursuance of
this promise Chairman Thompson did
assemble the state committee at Tul-
sa, the 26th day of March and invited
me, as chairman of the constitutional
,.n,ootia,, oOuop,;tfoa 70 ha nrocent
and assist him in securing the cor
sent of the state committee in favor oil
a primary. The meeting was held nn
der the leadership of Chairman
Thompson was, also, present as he
requested. The opposition yielded
and Thompson issued his call that
night for mandatory primary for all
elective officers, including United
States senators.
Senator, the above is the true his
tory and If your memory fails YOU,
you can write to any of the gentlemen
whose names | have mentioned above
Our committee in the constitutional
(of which was chairmanl
" rote into the state constitution of
section five of article three,
for mandatory primaries for
the nomination of all candidates for
state, district, county, and municipal
officers, including United States sen
ators. and if there was any inspiration
rom you as claimed in your letter of
July ], 1911, l never realized that IN
spiration and | can only class i as
'absent treatment
Understand, Senator that am
claiming no special credit for myself
Or the other members of that COM
mittee. 1t was the general policy .ad-
vocated by such men as Murray Will
iams, Hays, Kane, in fact the whole /
of one hundred democrats
IN the constitutional convention that
wrote in the constitution the things |
hat did not please you then but which |
you have later learned to love.
might, also, add that if we had known .