The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1914-01-15
MOOSE TAKES LEAD
hlkE5Aueh, PROGRESSIVE. IN
PRODUCES A PRESIDENTIAL
PRIMARY BILL.
BACKED BY ALL HIS PARTY
Democrats hesitant About Putting
Wilson's Suggestion into Form Of
Msasure--Sueh Law Might ,
Permit Women TO Vote.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington-It IL q representative
OF the Progressive party who. with the
approval OF the partys organization, is
the hrst to get into the field of legis
iaton with presidential primary bill
representative Hinebaugh, Progress
siye, OF Illinois. was the author OF the
measure to put into the law the spirit
and the letter Of the announcement in
favor of presidential primaries made
by the Progressive party Ia its con
yention at Chicago one year ago last
August
The legislative reference committee
OF the Progressive party has just met
and has given the bill of Mr.. Hine-
baugh its Endorsement. There are
some ProgTessives here who think
that one Of the provisions of the bill
Is open to criticism and that perhaps
another bill drawn by Mr.. Hinebaugh
early last spring is in this one particu.
lar better suited to the case. The
measure just introduced by the Illinois
representative, however, probably will
stand as the expression OF the Pro-
gressive party's endeayor in the presi-
Dental primary matter.
Thus far no Democrat in congress
has cared to crystalline the party chief.
tains recommendation for presiden.
tial primaries into the form of bill
II was expected that Jealous party
men seeking for prestige and renown
would put the typewriter through the
PAGES and make a race for the bill
basket with the first proposition to
give effect To the presidents wishes.
Nothing OF the kind has happened
Thus far no announcement OF the
administrations purpose In its own
behalf has been made. 1t may be that
before long the president, on his own
Initiative. will see that a measure EN-
bodying his ideas is introduced, but
perhaps with his "one thing at a
time" program he will postpone the
primary day until some more convent.
ent season
Hlnebaueh's Two Bills.
II was early in the spring that the
first Hinebaugh primary bill was In
PRODUCED into congress. AS has been
said. II has been superseded by an.
other bill by the same author In the
first bill many of the election func.
tions are left to the various states In
the second bill there is provision
which creates a board OF national
election commissioners to be composed
OF five persons, to be appointed by the
president. by and with the advice and
consent of the senate, and places In
the hands of this national election
commission all the functions which
under the first bill would be left to the
various states"
Back of the Hinebaugh bill stand
the Progressiyes now in congress.
While there is some difference Of
opinion, as has been said. concerning
the substitution OF the federal for the
state control features. the bill as it
stands probably will be made the
standard OF the Progressives' sane
toned legislation.
There are about twenty Progressiyes
IN the house OF representatives They
are not all written down in the direc-
tory as ProgressiVes with a capital p,
but all OF them are in sympathy with
the Progressive platform and almost
always vote with the Progressiyes
when any matter of principle is in !
VOWED A bill! drawn by Progressive /
and backed by the entire representa-. !
tion in the house will get the atten- |
tion OF all the membership Of all par !
ties
Would Permit Women TO Vote.
il congress shall pass the pTesiden. |
tial primary Law 1t is believed that IN
der il women will be allowed to vote |
A constitutional amendment is not
necessary to put a presidential pri- (
mary into effect. There ssems to be
nothing In the document to forbid ,
women from voting in presidential pri- /
maries II the law instituting them |,
shall be WOrded properly.
Representative Lafferty OF Oregon.
who Is carried in the Congressional
Directory as Progressive Republican.
printed just as it is here with no
hyphen and with both words capital.
lied, has followed In the trail OF Rep
resentatiye Hinebaugh of Illinois and /.
has introduced presidential primary +
bill on his own account. When Mr. I
Lafferty came to congress he declared
himself Progressive. It is now said
that he prefers to be called a Republi.
can. though he wishes to be known as
one with Progressive marks looming |
large The Progressiyes. however, II
Is said. will prefer to follow the presi
dental priamry lead OF Mr.. Hinebaugh
The bill introduced by the oregonian
IL long one. II creates. as does the
Hihebaugh measure, national board
Of five members, to be appointed by
the president and to have general over.
seeing duties.