The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-11-25
ALLEGED JOKER
IN PRIMARY Law
THE STATUTE OF PRESIDENTIAL
PREFERENCE SUBJECT OF
MUCH CRITICISM. ,
MAY AGAIN TRY FOR OLD JOB
SAID LIEUT.. GOVERNOR BURN
GUST WILL NOT SEEK NOM
NATION FOR GOVERNOR

the Democrat or Republican national
now in the making, don't let little
thing like the new presidential pres
idential preference primary stand in
your way. Say l am going, save
little pocket money, or if you have
plenty of nerve use that, and the rest
will be easy. The recipe for a dele
gateship, served a la mode or in any
style you want, has just been handed
me by one of the smoothests political
cooks in the Capital City and he war
rants success for the most amateur
ish. You never studied the law, did
you? Well, it is wonder. Those re-
sponsible for it's existence say its
chief purpose is to let the voters
name the presidential and vice-presi-
dental nominees-not bosses, mind
you-and briefly here is how the task
is accomplished. Voters to the num-
Der of 500 or more file with the secre-
tary of state their choice for president
and vice president. Any number of
choices may be offered, the only con-
dition being that petition must ac
company the filing. This job com
pleted, individuals come forward and
file for the several delegateships, at
the same time naming their prefer
ence for the offices named. These
delegateships include four at large
and for each of the 10 congressional
districts. In preparing the ballot the
candidates for delegates are grouped
under their preference and the voter
with his choice for president in mind,
picks from the lot men he desires to
carry out his expression at the con-
vention-that is if he can properly do
so from the mass of names that will
confront him. Now there is nothing
binding on the delegate lucky enough
to get by to attend the convention.
He may be sick, he may not have the
required expense money (your're sup
posed to pay for the honor the presi-
Dental preference primary confers)
or business may interfere. If desired
a thousand things can bring about the
stay-at-home act. For the "stay-at-
homes" there is a little joker in the
law, and it is this joker that my wise
friend offers as recipe for those who
want delegateship and don't care to
go to the trouble of asking the voters
for it. Next chapter, please.
The joke, and incidentally the chief
ingredient of my friends recipe, is in
section $50 of the general election
laws, a copy of which can be had of
Secretary of State Schmahl for the
asking. This section is mostly in ital-
les, which indicates new law. In eff
feet it authorizes the lucky candidates
for the several delegateships to each
select substitute, or what is known
in law as an alternate. AS l stated,
it authorizes-there is no compulsion.
Right here is where you satisfy that
laundering. Be substitute. Of course
you might have to part with little
change, though if your conscience
will not permit there are other ways.
Back a friend if you want to, he un-
doubtedly will step aside at the
proper time-that is if he gets by
or have the press and the party lead
ers endorse you as absolutely neces-
sary for the proper conduct of the
convention and the faithful carrying
out of the voters wishes. There are
many other ways of putting it over,
but why indulge in tedious aenumera-
ions. Be ubstitute-there's the
cue. The presidential preference pri-
mary is not 1915 product-the 1918
legislature put it over-but the 1915
session did some amending. AS the
old law read expense money to the
extent of $3.50 for each delegate was
provided, but this provision was elm
mated and one giving delegates the
right to name substitutes was insert
ed. How the INSCRIPTIONS can net
themselves $3.50 and even more, and
stay at home at that, is easily ap-
parent. Further, how a few design
ing politicians can capture a majority
of the delegation and name the ma
tional committeeman also is apparent.
There are other jokers in the law, but
this is the best. Who is responsible?
] have heard, but it is sufficient to say
that the draft came from Minneapolis.
Lieutenant Governor j.. A. A. Burn
quist, rumor says, has decided to pass
up his claims to the Republican nomi-
nation for governor and will be salts
fed with return to his present job.
AS the story goes the scramble for
Governor Hammond's job does not