Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-16
FRA SESSION AND PRIMARIES HERE AND THERE

to be that of New York. which has had repeated
extra sessions of it's Legislature and still without genuine
direct nominations of candidates for public office by the vo
tiers individually.
Only few days ago the New York World said that
Upon the issue of direct primaries alone Governor Gynn
should call the Legislature together again in extra session.
Year after year the people have demanded reforms in p
mary laws that would enable them to choose candidates
themselves instead of voting upon candidates presented by
the BOSSES The primary bills urged by Governor Gynn and
desired by thoughtful of every party badly need
ed If promises anything their passage was prom
sed by the three leading parties
That sounds almost like description of the situation in
Vermont following the election of 1912 in which republicans
democrats and progessves alike called for direct nomna
tons by the Legislature.
The democratic New York Times in discussing this is
said Snce extra session of the Legislature must be
had it would be folly for Governor Glynn to limit it to the
miserable issue that gives occasion The appropriation to
faen the offices of and efficiency both created to
give places for Tammany euenans and their underngs
should be denied The Governor has urged in special mes
the passing of the direct primary amendments If the
direct primary law left it is without bipartisan watch
without samples of proposed nominations to be sent in
advance to the voters for their intelligent choice and with
out the opportunity to choose candidates the first regis
traon day. when large vote be poled the primaries
will be boss-ruled.'
We have already shown how in New York the Legsa
ture attempted fool the voters by giving them alleged
direct primary law yet providing that party committees
should designate official candidates. though the State COM
mittee in Vermont should say what should the
primary ballot candidate for the nomination for governor
We here have hints of other pitfalls to avoid.
1t is thing to promise direct primary 1t is alto
gether another thing New York neighbors dis
covering, to secure genuine direct nominations.
Governor Glynn has called extra session of the New
York Legislature May but he has ignored direct pr
mares and limited the action of the Legislature to State
finances In other words Governor Gynn has done precise
y the opposite of what the Times hoped he would do by
combining legislative attention to the flesh pots and letting
direct nominations go by the board.
On the other hand Vermont has such provision that
enabling the Governor of New York to limit the work Of
extra session of the Legislature The Governor of Vermont
is empowered by the constitution simply to call together
the General Assembly, when necessary and lawmakers
sit long they fit and take amount of
era business regardless of and the approach
of regular session at which general legislation be
acted If the two houses not to Adjournment
then the Governor declare them adjourned.
There is more guaranty in Vermont than in New
York however, that extra session called together for the
purpose of providing direct nominations will perform that
duty Under these circumstances the question has
gested itself to whether it might not be possible for the
of Vermont to print direct primary bill to be
prepared by competent authority and after manifest popu
lar approval submit the to the members of the
Legislature for the of securing pledges of support
We gladly offer columns for this purpose.
In this way public opinion would have abundant oppor
tunity work out its full effect and discussion would dis
close the weak points if existed in the plan formulated
The people of Vermont could thus learn in advance whether
they to genuine direct nominations not with
out going to the of long session Of the Legislature
for the purpose with the possibility probability of
ing nothing but leaves has been the repeatedly
the Empire State.
the opponents of direct primaries present Legis
laure who epudated their party platforms by defeating
direct primary legislation, hoping emascuate what
direct primary bill is presented them an extra
session load down with red make it npracticabe
wholly Objectionable then the people Vermont should
have chance to know it in advance and act accordingly
If the people genuine direct nominations
then it will be better to wait eight months Legsla-
ure elected this issue to draft adapted to
needs since ought to be able to struggle along for
election have existed for decades and compe
tent authority shows that possibility
If get a genuine direct nomination at
regular then let's have it, but the time for guessing
this important at the expense of the taxpayers
past We tell better whether extra session is worth
while when somebody has given the people idea we'll
of what they will get for their money