The Topeka state journal., 1913-12-01
EXTRAORDINARY
Is Way W. A. White Describes
These Times I'm Politics. S
EmpOria Editor Issues State
ment on Conditions.

william Allen White Of Empor1a.
Progressive national committeeman
for Kansas, has at least partially ac-
cepted the plan Of Charles F. Scott of
lola for state wide conventions Of all
parties to draft tentative platforms
before the August primaries and sug-
gests that the next legislature
the present primary elec-
ton law by making legal provision for
conventions in future
years.
In a statement the Emporia publish
er declares for the issuance of tenta-
tive platforms by all parties before
the date of the coming primaries. This
plan, he says, will make the primary
issues one of principle rather than OF
personalities of candidates. After the
primary the formal platform would be
written In the party councils. In his
statement. White takes q broadside
shot at the Republicans and dares
them to adopt his plan.
The White statement il in part as
follows: yt
Extraordinary Time in Politics.
"This is an extraordinary time in
politics. said Mr. White. "and it
seems to me that extraordinary times
require extraordinary measures. In
at least. and probably In every
state in the union, to q more or less
considerable extent. party lines are
The Progressives-that IL
to say those radical Progressive lead
ers who care more for the expression
of their principles In q platform than
they do for immediate party success
are leaving the Republican party.
This in Kansas leaves the party IN the
hands of two elements: first. those
who disbelieve absolutely in progress
sive measures, and those, second. who
believe in them. believe mildly and
prefer to have their party win with
out offending their conservative
friends.
"In the Progressive party in Kansas
we are for the first time going on the
state ballot. We have declared no
state issues az q party. It seems to me,
therefore, that both OF these part1ess
should issue as early as possible some
kind of a statement OF principles. "
course such a statement would not be
binding, but it would be tentative
platform upon which each party-the
new born Progressive party and the
made-over Republican party-WlH ap-
peal to voters. asking them to 60 into
the primary ana vote the party Pri-
mary ticket.
''Such conventions could be called
by the state chairmrn Of each party,
and could provide that each county
chairman of his party in every county
should issue a call for informal county
ventions, delegates instructed by the
Convention, could be sent to the state
convention. The state convention
would, Of course. have no legal autn-
ority. But it would show with con-
siderable accuracy the temper and
moral convictions OF each party upon
current state issues.
Issuo Tentative Platforms.
Moreover, SO far as am PERSONAL
1v concerned, believe the primary
.1avv zhould be amended to 1egaltze ex-
actly the sort OF conference am ad-
vising. Every two years, before 1u-
viting voters into a party, as new Is
sues come up, the primary law
should provide for the assembling OF
a nartv council to put forth q tenta-
Upon that tentative platform. cam
didates should stand. but voters
should use their judgment. If they
thought they could go in and lick the
organization that put out the plat
form they should have the right to do
it; and at the party council, after the
platform upon which the after pri-
mary campaign could be made. IF.
on the other hand. the voter reading
the tentative or preliminary platform
of all the parties didn't like his own
party platform, he should register in
the party whose preliminary platform
he did like and make the fight to sus-
tain it in the primary. believe in a
system of party registration. after
these tentative platforms have been
adopted. Such a change in the pri-
mary law would attract moro atten-
ton to measures and 1t would not
place all Of the emphasis upon can
didates.
Amend Primary Law.
1.-THE primary law is a good one.
But like every other good law, it may
be made better. In speaking thus, OF
course I am speaking only as one
member OF a party. I have never
talked these matters over with others.
but they sound sensible to me and
probably others will feel about as ]
do. Certainly, 1t would be refreshing
in Kansas politics to have parties to
stand definitely and undoubtedly for
certain uneQuivocally stated princi-
ples and then go to the people as or
ganizations solemnly pledged to dc
certain things in case OF success. The
trouble heretofore has been that when
one faction of the Republican party
has solemnly pledged the party in the
platform to a certain definite pro-
gram, the minority faction has
laughed a low. gurgling laugh and
said, watch u.s. The result has been
inside the party. And victory only
by reason of the Independent vote.
Last year the Independent vote
went Democratic, and the Repub1i-
cans were beaten and the party brok-
en-. The Progressives want to avoid
these quarrels in their party by de-
hning in advance what 1t really stands
for. We dare the Republicans to dc
the same with the pleasant and con-
soling reminder that any one who viii
<o1ra a 6oro uj11 afoa1 aheon