The Cordova daily times., 1915-05-04
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY PLAN BEEN
 CAREFULLY BUT EFFECTIVELY BURIED

TOT the presidency be nominated by national conven on but by presidential primaries instead has gone far ams
 Leaders of both the old political parties have settled down to the conviction that the nominations year will be made In the same old way President Wilson has accepted this conclusion Indeed the presidential primaries plan s almost fendess for Its friends have been viewing possibilities of the vast confusion that might result from such plan
 The only indication of it comes from Senator Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma who large and varied as sorment ot reform Ideas in his head Senator Owen declares With much ervor that he reconced the presidential praes that he intends frame and intro duce at the coming session congress- etc. etc. but the bill would have about the chance for it's white alley as ball has for an elongated existence in the neither region
 No one who is the least acquainted with the president will aseryate that he not seadas his convictions Therefore his change of front the question little less than remark able.
 At the beginning of the second session the 63rd Congress lie oehered Tn person hs message to the two hOue the sentence which provoked the oudst applause was:
 the provide for pr elections throughout country voters of the several parties may choose their nominees for the presidency th m ton of nominating
 And in introducing the question he asserted somewhat naivey:
 turn subject which promptly and without serious controversy O kind.
 That was in December 1913 nearly year and half aoo Serous controversy the possibility which was deprecated by the president has been lacking There been no un seeny wrange about it. Instead Senator Atee Pamerene ot Oho took careful am hit in the solar pexus with the constitution of the United States it cold and comatose just where he had found it.
 In my judgment concluded the senator's able report on the proposition the subject of presidential primaries must bel left wholly to the states the federal constitution must be amended"
 Senator Pomerenes report did not make President Will son jump and say:
 ''How suddeni'
 As matter of cold fact Senator Pomerene had been in consultation often with the president before he gave ont ms report The president had obtained the advice the law officers of the government and strange relate their advice and Senator Pomerene opinion conced exactly two peas in pod
 In his exhaustive opinion text of which now avail able for the first me Senator Pomerene the only roy Ion or the federal constitution at all bearing upon the found in Article of the 18th amendment as follows
 Each state shall legislature thereof may direct number number of senators and to which the state may be entitled
 Paragraph of the constitution provides:
 The determine choosing and the day which they day shall be the same the United States
 It will be noted says Pomerene that under these consti tuona provisions each state appoints the electors Gin such manner the legislature thereof may direcnot as con- gress may direct The only given congress to fix the time of choosing the electors the day on which they snail give her votes which must be the throughout the United States
 Senator Pomerene argues directly the absence of power III congress to establish system of nominations:
 Congress power it may seek The manifest purpose of the constitution was to leave the selection If M ,t wholly with subject to the save only to fix the time of choosing which they should given Oi presidential elections nor can it necessarily be implied
  elections hardly inferred ing of the party 5idates presidency.
 Senator Pomerene suggests that if there constitution al authority for legislation of this kind t would munwise to attempt to pass it.''
 lie contends bunty that congress to insist work Ing out such plan n view of the bitter fights which been waged m past convention and IS hardly to add that legal complications would sue and the plan would fail''
 The White House cordially endorses Senator Pomerene report and that is the end of the presidential primaries for long time anyway.
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