The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-12-04
BY e. G.. Davis in the Sunday
Statesman


and there is strong determination
that the measure must be repealed
or amended to make some substantial
changes, ami the following is brief
of bill that has been drafted by
/ Captain Davis, to submit to the peo-
pie for consideration, and when the
matter has been discussed and pass
ed upon by the people of the state
lit will be submitted to the legisla-
lture.
The leading provisions of this bill
may be summarized as follows:
i 1. 1t changes the definition of
political party by providing that
political parties" within the meaning
LOT the act shall include only those or
CARNATIONS which cast, at the last
proceeding general election, not less
than 20 per cent Of the total vote
cast for governor in the state.
Il This change is desirable for the
treason that small political parties
Eseldom, If ever, have more than one
candidate for each office and the hold
ing of primary election by such
party is useless expenditure of
thine and money.
4 2. It provides for primary cleo
4 ton to be held on the last Tuesday
in July for the nomination of candi-
dates for the legislature and for cleo
tive county officers only, and for the
election of delegates to state plat
form and nominating conventions
which shall meet at the state capital
on the third Tuesday of August, make
party platforms and nominate all can
didates for congressional and all cleo
) tive state and district officers.
i This change is made for the reason
4 that the average voter can, If he
chooses, SO inform himself as to be
} able to pass intelligently upon the
qualifications of county candidates,
whereas it is well-known. fact, dem
onstrated by experience in three cam
J paigns, that the vast majority of
voters cannot hope to prepare them
selves to make a wise selection of
candidates for state offices. In most
leases the voting here is for names
only, and it cannot we'll be otherwise.
8. 1t provides an effective plan
for the selection of capable precinct
, committeeman in each party and fur
Their provides that these precinct COM
mitteemen shall serve as judges of
} election without pay. It dispenses
with clerks of election. 1t provides
for the counting of all votes in each
county by three expert clerks en-
ployed by the county auditor. 1t
eliminates all useless advertising and
many other items of expense.
Under this plan the cost of hold
ing primary election in any county
need not exceed $500 and in the
small counties it need not exceed
5000. The cost of primary election
thror ghout the state need not exceed
$4,000. This one item alone repre-
sents saving to the taxpayers OF
approximately $50, 900, to say nothing
of the saving of money to the candi-
dates themselves, enormous in
amount, and which many of them
cannot afford to spend.
4. It provides for basing the con-
vention representation to which each
political party shall be entitled upon
the normal vote of such party in the
several counties of the state, this
normal vote to be determined by
adding the vote received within a
state office and dividing this sum by
the number of such candidates. One
convention representative is to be al.
IIUWeu lOT each fUV VI lie VoIcS 81
determined
This method of determining the
party representation at conventions Is
believed to be perfectly fair, since IL
eliminates the possibility of having
such representation based upon the
vote cast for particular candidate
who for personal or special and un-
usual reasons may receive more OF
less than his party vote.
s. It provides for the payment by
the state to convention representa-
tives of their actual railroad trans
portation from their homes to the
state capital and return, together
with a per diem allowance OF $3.50
for time actually and necessarily
spent in county by all party candi-
!, dates for congressional and going to
and returning from the convention
and in attending its sessions, this al
lowance not to exceed five days for
any one representative.
This provision will enable the citi-
zen of average circumstances to at
tend state convention Of his party