The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-03
Scheme for Making Nomina-
ton Outlined at Meeting
of State Committee
DEBOER CRITICISED
GOVERNOR FLETCHER

14iliEAo b0EOAiuA 5CoSAOA Vi LIiC LCRlS-l
dature Should Have Been Called to
Enact Primary LAW. D. Phelps
of Barre New Chairman.
MONTPELIER, July 3. - Outside
of the unanimous recommendation to
the state committee for the adoption
Of the direct primary plan. the sensa-
ton of yesterdays : meeting of state
Republicans was the ringing arraien-
nient OF Governor Fletcher by Joseph
Arend DeBoer for his failure to calll
the legislature into special session andt
enact a formal primary law.
There WAS no very serious amend
ment To the plan for primary sub
mitted by Hale X. DarIiu. of Chelsea /
and Herbert &. Barber of Brattleboro
for the Subcommittee. except to strike
out the section dealing with the cleo
tIon of town and county committee |
| men at the primary ana to provide for |
naming officials to have charge of the |
primaries If the Republican town com
mlttees fail 10 act.
The main provisions of the ptimar.c |
! plan are rs follows:
Primary to be held September mn |
| der supervision of Republican town
committees, who shall provide. voting |
| places and post notices.
| Candidates include all state officers.
| United States senator and congress
men, desiring to have their names on
| the oihcial ballot, to file Oh or before
! August ! cert lacates with secretary of
/ state or district committee in form
| prescribed, signed by 500 voters in
case of state office or United States
senator and 2Jo IN case Of members of
/ Congress
Form OF ballet ana certificates ia
provided
Chairman and secretary to he elect
ed by voters and all expenses except
| printing ballots borne by local com
mittecs.
Conventions to Confirm Primaries.
Legal voters in November election
| who intend To support candidates for
Republican party eligible to vote in
! primary and record to be kept Of
all persons voting, which list shall be
| open 10 party committees.
Caucus check list to be used where
filed. Conventions to he held 10 con
firm choice Of primaries, delegates to
he pledged to such confirmation he
fore being eligible to participate in
convention.
Town committees to count votes
and certify TO secretaries of state ami
district committees. ana state commit
zee to canvas vote before September
-. Secretary OF state to announce re
suit in convention, state and district.
Publicity of Campaign Expenses.
In ease no person files for office to
: be voted OF at primary OF Il vacancy
occurs from any cause, convention
{ shall I'll vacancies.
- Expense accounts TO be fled by can
I didates with secretary of state com
| mittee and by him handed to the press
If candidate refuses so to file. con
e. Ncntion may proceed to nominate
Platforms to be formulated by con
ventions and successful canditiates to
be members OF convention which
frames platforms.
Hours and places of voting shall be
fixed by local committees. but limited
' to two hours in towns of 800 or less
Eup to l,o00. three hours; 5000. four
+ hours; 5000. five hours; over 5000,
f six hours.
Subcommittee S Statement
In presenting the report the sub.
committee said in part;
:, Two requirements seem absolutely
u essential to the effectiveness Of the
> proposed plan, first, Il pledge on the
> part of all candidates in the primary
i to abide by its results; second, 4
4 pledge ON thc part of the delegates
It chosen at the primary to vote in the
e conventions for the nomination oil
IS candidates who prevail in the primary
4 - Under our present statutes no way
f. is apparent whereby Republican candi
e dates can legally be nominated except
=, by, or through, party convention,
IS necessarily our proposed regulations
ii have been framed in recognition of thl
% delegate and convention system
A. ''We think that our regulation
= should be so framed that all Republi
~ cans and all desiring to affiliate will
y the Republican party ut the comm.
election shall be given free opportun
y ity to participate in this primary with
- : out other or further pledge than tina
u which any honest man would fee
OF himself impliedly bound by if he par
ut ticipated.
Plurality to Govern.
,e "As the referendum vote was strong
al ly in favor of the direct primary svs
tenn, as opposed to the preferential
primary, we make the result Of til
primary depend wholly on the state
wide vote without reference to Tia
r. preference of the particular towns Q
cities as such We likewise provid
~, est number Of votes shall be deeme
;" to have prevailed in the primary /
accordance with the rule established
er most o fthe primary laws.
Though publicity of campaign e,