Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-04
AWAIT NATIONAL
DIRECT PRIMARY
Washington Feels That Wilson
Ideas on Presidential Nominal
ti0n Will Become Law.
BIG SCRAMBLE IN 1915
IS FREELY PREDICTED
Nominating Conventions Being
Abolished, Each Candidate
Would Have Own Platform.

WASHINGTON, Dec 4.-The pre-
vailing impression down here is that
President Wilson's advocacy of direct
primary legislation, as applicable to
the nomination of presidential candi-
oates, is being so we'll received that a
bill embodying the Wilson ideas will
be enacted into law and become oper-
alive before the time for the nomina-
ton of Presidential candidates in
1915
The President himself is a candi-
date for denomination. There is no
longer any doubt of this in the minds
of the members of Congress. By
emitting any reference to the plank
in the Democratic platform advocat-
ing one term for the Presidency, Mr..
Wilson made it clear that he does not
intend to press this issue. and the
obvious conclusion Is that he will
make the fight for reelection.
THE gauntlet has been thrown
down to Roosevelt and he will accept
it, said the Bull Moosers. The Demo-
Gratis professed to be enthusiastic over
the Presidents plan. Friends of
Champ Clark and Oscar w. Under
wood We're definitely in favor OF 1t,
believing that the way has been
opene9 for a scramble for the Presi-
dency in 1916.
An Open Question.
Whether a constitutional amendment
eliminating the electoral college is
sought by the President, or whether he
wishes the States to pass direct pri-
mary laws was still an open question
which no one was willing to answer.
1t was admitted however, that in
putting the matter before Congress
the President could have no purpose
other than to suggest some sort of
national law governing the selection
for the Presidency.
Not even the closest friends of the
President on Capital Hill were willing
to say whether he intended that a
majority OF all the voters in the
United States should determine the
selection of candidates or whether the
! States would still be counted as units
Even should the proposed plan wipe
out the present unit vote of the
States, under which the man who
carries a majority of States Is re-
garded as the victor, even though his
opponent should have popular ma
1erity. 1t is admitted that President
Wilson will have q decided advantage
in the Democratic primary. Champ
Clark, Oscar Underwood and William
Jennings Bryan may all be candi-
dates, but the prestige of the presi-
dency Is regarded by the politicians
as giving Wilson q decided advantage.
IF the Presidents plan goes through,
personalities, rather than principles,
will be the crux OF the primary fight
IN 1916. Nominating conventions
being abolished, each candidate will
run on his own platform. AS Wilson
has dominated the Democratic party
since coming into power he will be the
only man who can adequately defend
its acts, and the theory of the poll
ticians is that he, with his prestige,
2 will be able to capture the Democratic
nomination.
Senators have suggested that in the
Z Republican primary there would be
! no less than half dozen candidates,
including Senator Cummins, of Iowa,
and LaFollette, of Wisconsin,; former
: Governor Hadley, of Missouri, and
possibly William Howard Taft and
+ District Attorney Whitman.
In the Democratic party likewise
there would be a number OF candi-
) dates, but 1t was conceded that the
i Presidents great influence would en-
able him to get the nomination with
out much of a struggle
Selected by the Voters.
Under the plan Suggested by Pres
& ident Wilson the candidates would be
selected by the voters of the various
parties without reference to plat
/ forms. They would make their own
: platforms or run merely upon their
s own magnetism and vote-getting
& characteristics
z Later on, the men who had been
\ successful in the Republican prima-
A ries--candidates for the House and
: Senate, members of the National
Committee and the candidate for
s President himself-would have a con-
&. vention and draw up platform. One
{ candidate for the Senate might have
promised one thing to the people, but