Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-10
STiRS 'EM UP!
Continued from Page One.)

states must not De lEeHCHeu upou
Shall the qualifications for voting, as
recognized in the separate states be
| permitted or shall the Congress de-
fine what these qualifications are?
/ Republicans will want something TO
say on that point and will rise up to
inquire whether negroes in the South
| shall be disenfranchised under the
presidential primary. Republican rep
resentatives and Republican senators
/ will want to offer amendments on that
point and these amendments will be
! decidedly embarrassing to Democratic
senators and representatives from
such states as Indiana, Illinois, Ohio,
New York and New Jersey, where
! there are many thousands of negro
votes.
Disturbs Proeressives.
! In recommending presidential pri
maries President Wilson has taken
away from Progressiyes one of their
pet issues. Their noses are out of
joint that the President has done this
but none the less they will have to
support bills for presidential primar
les. During recent days certain of
Prcgressives have been digging an
grily at the President on other mat
ters, thus by indirection venting their
spite on him. 1t is by no means GER
tain there will be presidential pri-
mary law, but judgment here is that
there will be- 1t may not be enacted
till the short session of Congress, next
year. That will be in plenty of time
for the 1915 campaign.
The political agitation over presi
Dental primaries comes at an appro-
pirate time, as it were. The Republi-
can national committee Is to assemble
here, on December IS, and discuss the
proposition of calling national con-
vention for the spring or summer. A
law committee has decided that the
national committee has no authority
to change the basis of representation.
| That is the troublesome question in
all the controversy over a national
convention. If there is to be a presi-
Dental primary law, on the other hand
the national conventions of 1916 will
be of less importance. That prospect
may discourage Republicans from try
| ing to have a convention next year.
The numerous phases of a national
primary law have been suggested of
recent days and probably there will
be more. One constitutional lawyer
insists there is nothing to prevent wo-
men from voting at the Presidential
primaries, if Congress authorizes pres
| idential nominations in that way. This
comes just when the suffragists and
the anti suffragists have had their in
nings before the House committee on
rules with reference to authorization
of a House suffrage committee.
Congress Cautious.
Congress will proceed very cautious
ly in this matter The fact that the
pl ploposed primary is only to affect
nominations and that it probably will
have nothing to do with the electoral
college, which is the official instru-
mentality for choosing a President,
will help much in getting legislation
| through. No constitutional amend
ment will be necessary. The Senate
Is now having its troubles over the quail
| ifieations of two men, because of the
constitutional amendment touching the
election of senators by popular vote.
One senator, Democrat, nominated
by a governor is unable to get recog-
milton in the Senate because his NOM
ination is not regular and another sem
ator, also a Democrat is not alto
gether sure of his seat. because he
was elected by popular vote as the
constitution is now supposed to pre-
scribe.
The suffragists are expecting to OBJ
tain their demands for House COM
mittee. This is accounted a victory
for the cause 1t only provides in the
Senate a special body of men to pass
upon suffragist bills as these are in
troduced Both sides of the question
We're ably presented to the rules COM
mittee and the ladies demonstrated
great ability in argument All in all
the hearings given them were as in
teresting as have occurred at the Cap
itol in recent times. good impress
sion for the suffragist cause was
made. Politicians here believe it viii
not be many years before all the states
will allow the women to vote, even
though that has to be accomplished in
the face of great opposition.
Congress is facing another week of
| industry, the second of the regular
session. Progress comes hard. There
is a weariness in the aspect of things
The spirit and freshness for tacking
problems, customary with Congress
assembling, are absent now. Not that
senators and representatives have
been oyerworked. only a few of them
are. But Congress is such an old
story that the work is more of a bur-
den than ordinarily.
Presidents Illness a Damper.
President Wilson's illness has been
a damper upon activities. 1t was first
announced as severe cold in the head
but later as q case of the grip. There
was nothing particularly alarming in
that, for this is the season of bad
colds and of grip in Washington. But
DR.. Grayson, the Presidents physician,
insisted he should stay in his room and
for several days the President did not
go to his Office, A Presidents incapac-
ity for work in his office at this time
of year holds up business in thou
sand ways.
There was one little example with
the new Governor of Hawaii. which is