Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-30
FAVOR BALLOT BY
DIRECT PRIMARY
Expression of Sentiment by
Large Gathering Of Re-
publicans.
AGAINST SPECIAL SESSION
Prominent Party Men Think De-
sired End Can BE Secured
This Year without En-
acting a New Law.

Over one hundred Of the leading re-
publicans Of Vermont gathered at the roof
garden of the Hotel Vermont Tuesday
afternoon in response to a call of the
State committee. In the gathering We're
present and past state officials, members
81 the rank and file"
The object of the gathering was in COM
pliance to the request of the State COM
mittee who desired suggestions or instruc-
ton as to future procedure in the method
OF obtaining the ballot in the coming cleo
lions, the voters of the State having placed
themselves on record at tho recent March
meetings s favorine n direct primary sys-
tenn for which there is no provision by
law at the present time 1t was the senti-
nent of all present Tuesday that the
nominations a the next election should be
by direct primary, several members of the
recent Legislature who had opposed bill
for such a measure stating that they We're
in favor of such a provision now in view
Of the hearty endorsement of such by the
voters this spring. The business of the
meeting was largely discussion of
whether an extra session of the Legisla-
ture to enact primary law was advisa BILE
and, If not. what means could be devised
to secure at the caucuses direct express
dates, N1is choice to direct the delegates in
their courses at the conventions. The dis
cussion resulted in the adoption of sew
eral resolutions. One was to the effect
that the Governor in considering the nee
essty of calling an extra session of the
Legislature give due weight to the great
need Of enaCting a direct primary law.
Another was that the meeting request the
State committee to carry out the will of
the people to have primary law so far
possible at the next election A third reso-
luton was that a committee of three be
appointed to act with the State committee
In making provision for primary at the
| election in the event of failure to enact
primary law.
THE DISCUSSION
The meeting was called TO order by e
J. KinsIey of Rutland secretary of the
;tate committee. Senator f. C. Dyer of
Salisbury was chosen chairman and f.
! =. Gleason of Montpelier was elected sec
retary. Mr.. Kinsey was interrogated as
70 why tie meeting was called. He replied
that the committee thought it was best to
ask the voters what to do in view Of the
fact that there had been some criticism,
alleging inactivity and incompetencY. The
particular point al issue was the fact that
at the March elections the voters had de-
clared themselves in favor of direct
system of balloting by vote of ISIS to
1901 The committee, therefore, desired
instruction as to whether they should pro-
coed TO make preparations for conventions
us usual or would they endeaVor to bring
about some sort Of a direct primary sys-
TEN of voting.
Clark c. Fits OF Brattleboro being asked
10 express his views remarked that the
Republican party must take a resolute,
determined and dignlfled stand and should
undertake to bring about in the system Of
nomination the expressed will of the people
AS we have no direct primary law, such as
the voters favor We are confronted with
the situation that we must have conVen-
ton of delegates, the convention must be
represented by all the towns in the State,
and the election of delegates must be a
popular expression of tho republican vote
AT the primaries there should be a form
of vote by which the voter may express
his choice for candidates for Office and the
most the convention could do would be to
nominate the candidates as expressed by
the voters The ballot should be simple
and perhaps give opportunity only for the
voter to express his preference for the
principal officers to be voted for, but
they should he sufficient to give n fair
hest AS a suggestion, Mr.. Fits mention
ed the names z senator congressman and
governor to be printed on the primary
ballot.
Senator Hale K. Darling Of Chelsea
agreed with Mr. Fits. He also added
hat the party could not be Justly charge
able with failure to attempt to enact a
primary law.
Senator Elmer johnson Of st, Adams
was of opinion that the state committee
could he empowered to work out some
plan for "A primary at the coming cleo
tons without session of the Legisla-
ture. Col Il. X, Morse of Rutland said
he was not present In the state when
me vnte On the primaries 9uestIpa Kaa