The Republican journal., 1914-01-01
ANOTHER LIBERTY PASSING.
er the Pretence of Letting the People
hle" Nominations of Candidates May
L No Longer Free-But Where Is the
Constitutional Authority for Such Legis-

|tion?
From the New York SUM-
Fe have been inclined from time to
V in the course of his extrao, binary
Der to regard Theodore Roosevelt as
$atesman of somewhat radical procllv-
!. but nothing more radical or far
Thing or extra-constitution can be
Ia If any of his State papers or
lie utterances than is contained in the
Nv three lines of President Wilson S
sage wherein he advocates the abo-
Of presidential conventions and the
6nation of candidates for the presl-
" through the agency of direct prl-
les throughout the country.
lis particularly to be noted that al
gh there is not a word in the Constr
n of the United States empowering
press to make laws on the subject
Pres dent deems the matter so very
he that he urges 1.-THE prompt enact
of legislation" to carry his ideas
effect
br sheer political audacity this recon-
Hation is unsurpassed. In the vul-
parIance Of politicians it is gall
I'd.
e notion that nominations for public
should be controlled and regulated
tatute IS comparatively recent. For
N any body of citizens were at lib
f. unite for any reason they pleas
hd select the candidate for whom
would vote themselves and for
b they would ask others to vote,
any principle of selection which
saw fl to adopt. In those times
bailots We're furnished by the candi-
or their supporters.
th the advent Of the blanket ballot,
Ver prepared and printed at the
K expense, the idea dawned upon
ators thar they might control the
Ods Of nomination to be followed by
cal parties by denying place upon
allot to any party which refused to
bate It's candidates except in man
10 be prescribed by law. This was
figin Of nearly all the legislation in
tate of New York regulating nomi-
ps by primaries, conventions and
eai committees. Were it not for
lower 10 exclude tickets from the
b official ballot there would be
led for the Democrats or the Repub-
10 seek the enactment of a statute
bble them to choose their candidates
gh the agency of direct primaries
ANY other manner; they could do as
liked and no one could say them
But now it is all very different.
-=glslature practically says to all
b, great or small: make your
Nations in the way we dictate OF
hal not be printed upon the official
and you can vote for your candi-
only by writing their names in the
column provided on the official
for that purpose.
enactment of such legislation has
tolerated for so many years that
ps 1t may be assumed that there il
stitutional objection-here ip New
We mean, under the State consti.
ito statutes prescribing in what
er ard by what bodies nominations
&c may be made. Even here, how.
it has been expressly held by oul
st Court, speaking through Chief
Cullen in 1910 in the case of Gala
fhat IF the Legislature does grant
y convention, committee or body
\ ght to make nominations, it canno,
the right of such convention, com
e OR body to nominate as its candi
Fny person who is qualified for the
The electors have the right tt
or whom they will for public Office
PTS right cannot be denied them by
atlon" Similarly, they cannot b'
'ed OF the right to choose such can
S as they will and to appeal to thu
body Of electors to vote for them
quite clear, however, that thu
esS OF the United States possesses
n power to deal with the subjec
I nnations for public Office as ha
Exercised by the Legislature of thu
OF New York. The legislative au
Of Congress must be found in tn
al Constitution, and there is nj
3 cope at the White House whicl
able Mr.. Wilson to find any war
, the fundamental law for thu
hg Innovation he proposes in re
o the manner of making nomina
I or President.
uentally we may ask, Why thl
a. now? Hasn't the Democrat
A] enough trouble on its hands?