The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1915-09-02
IS WORRYING THE
PARTY LEADERS
THE PRESIDENTIAL PREFER.
ENCE PRIMARY LAW HAS
THEM GUESSING
some TALK OF IGNORING IT
DELEGATES MAY BE CHOSEN AS
HERETOFORE-FRED SHER-
MAN HANGING ON

national Republican convention a
winning delegation from Minnesota
are stumped. After looking over and
Studying the presidential preference
primary law they say it will be a mir
-acle if the delegation from the North
Star state even gets into the conven-
ton hall. Accepting their summary
of the act it is the biggest Joke ever
-perpetrated. Very few voters are
aware there is on the statute books a
law prescribing the methods to be
employed in selecting delegates to a
national convention, but there is, and
it will figure for the first time next
March. Under it's terms the names of
favorites for president and vice presi-
dent, likely or unlikely to be consid-
cred at the nominating convention,
may be filed by friends and others
with the secretary of state. A 2 per
cent petition must accompany the fill
ing, but no acceptance on the part of
the candidate whose name is filed,
or anything else for that matter, is
required. Then comes the filing of
candidates for delegates to the nomi-
mating convention, and it is here
where the joke comes in. Read this
amendment which the last legislature
put over: "And the affidavit of such
candidate for delegate shall further
specify his choice of the names so
filed by petition as candidates for
president" To explain: Anyone who
has little scheme in mind or a han
kerlng for some free advertising can
file for delegate. There are no re-
strlctlons. 1t is all without price and
without cost, as the state pays the
bill, and 10000 persons, if thew see
tit can file for the honor. Even the
registration of the voter is not re-
quired. All that is demanded of the
candidate for delegate is that he de-
clare himself to be a member of the
party whose candidate he desires to
represent and that he supported the
nominees Of such party at the last
general election. Now, if you can Sc
cure any unification out of such a
hadgepodge as this you will have to
show the leaders who have been look
ing the law over.
The hope of the leaders of the two
big parties in Minnesota has been to
send to the next Republican and
Democratic national conventions a
strong and united delegation, but the
chances of realization are small if
the presidential preference primary
law is to be the vehicle of selection.
Inc best that can come out of it.
they say, is mixed delegation, and
with majority of the delegates more
than likely pledged to some unknown
or minority candidate. With anybody
and everybody permitted to file and
TO also state his preference the vote
Will be so divided as to the favorite
that minority candidate cannot but
prevail. Like other primary acts
which have been adopted in Mime
sofa the law tends to destroy party
lines, as there is nothing to prevent
a Democrat from aiding in the selec-
ton OF Republican delegates and vice
p. versa. To help out the joke the last
legislature amended the law so as to
permit the delegates chosen to name
their own alternates. This takes it
entirely out of the party authority to
NIL vacancies or provide for any con-
tlngency that may arise. The law as
originally drafted provided for $3.50
Tor expenses of each of the delegates,
but the amended law contains no such
provision. There is nothing to COM
pei their attendance at the conven-
ton and likewise nothing providing
Tor substitutes in the event that both
delegates and alternates decide to
stay at home. While twenty-four
delegates have been provided for the
convention call may be for more OF
less and the call may not be issued
until after the election has been held
This contingency has also been over
looked. So deficient is the law in
vital respects and so ridiculous in
others that there has been some talk
Of ignoring it and naming a delega-
ton as of old. This would mean put
ting the whole thing up to the con-
vention, and as the convention is a
judge of those who shall be seated the
leaders figure there could be only one
result, and that in favor of those max
ing the contest. What the outcome
will be is of interest and hence de-
velopments are being eagerly watched
That the whole thing will ultimately
find its way to the courts is general
~ accepted.
State Auditor ]. A. O. Preus has
prepared figures showing that the
present lid movement throughout the
state is due to cause marked slump
in the maintenance fund of the state
hospital and farm for inebriates locat-
ed at Willmar. The cut this year be-
cause OF the county option and other
lid movements, he says, will be in ex-
cess of $4,000. 1t may not be gem
orally known, but this institution is
maintained by a 2 per cent tax on
oil coIaox, Isoa,coo