The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-01-16
H.nEsAUcH, PROGRESSIVE, IN.
PRODUCES A PRESIDENTIAL
PRIMARY BILL.
BACKED BY ALL HIS PARTY
Democrats Hesitant About Puttinu
Wilson'S Suggestion into Form Of
a Measure-such Law Might
Permit Women to Vote.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


approval of the party's organization, is
the first to get into the field OF legis-
lation with presidential primary bill.
Representative Hinebaugh, Progress
sive, of Illinois, was the author Of the
measure to put into the law the spirit
and the letter of the pronouncement in
favor of presidential primaries made
by the Progressive party in 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 Progressives 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 endeavor in the presi-
Dental primary matter.
Thus far no Democrat in congress
has cared to crystalline the party chief
tain's recommendation for presiden-
tial primaries into the form of bill
It was expected that Jealous party
men seeking for prestige and renown
would put the typewriter through the
PAGES and make 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. It 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.
Hinebaugh's Two Bills.
1t was early in the spring that the
first Hinebaugh primary bill was in
troduced into congress AS has been
said, it has been superseded by an
other bill by the same author. In the
first bill many of the election func-
tons are left to the various states, In
the second bill there is a provision
which creates board of national
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 Progressives 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 Progressives
in the house of representatives. They
are not all written down in the dlrec'
tory as Progressives with a capital 2
but all of them are in sympathy with
the Progressive platform and almost
always vote with the Progresslves
when any matter of principle is in
yolved. A bill drawn by Progressive
and backed by the entire representa-
ton in the house will get the atten'
non of all the membership of all par
ties.
Would Permit Women to Vote.
If congress shall pass the presiden
tial primary law it is believed that I'M
der it women will be allowed to vote
A constitutional amendment is not
necessary to put presidential pr
mary into effect. There seems to DC
nothing in the document to forbid
women from voting in presidential pri
maries if 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 nc
hyphen and with both words capltal
lied. has followed in the trail OF Rep
resentative Hinebaugh of Illinois ane
has introduced a presidential primary
bill on his own account. When MI
Lafferty came to congress he declared
himself Progressive. 1t is now sane
that he prefers to be called a Repubil
can, though he wishes to be known a:
one with Progressive marks loomlns
large The Progressives, however. !
is said, win prefer to follow the presi
Dental priamry lead of Mr.. Hineoaugh
No "Harshness' for Business.
When Washington heard IRON
Indianapolis that vice-President Mar
Shall had intimated in an inter
view given in the capital OF MS
home state that there would be nc
drastic antitrust legislation this WIN
Ter, there were some people wh'
thought that the vice-president nag
made a serious blunder and that h'
would find himself completely at outs
with the president OF the unite'
States.
As has been forecast In these dis