Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-12-14
MAY MAKE CHANGES
IN DIRECT PRIMARY
Leaders Declare Law Will
Not Be Repealed, but May
Be Strengthened - Bill
Prepared by the Direct
Legislation League.

The initiative and referendum witt
the teeth properly set and sufficiently
sharpened is in the legislative program
Tor 1917. Democrats who consider this
class of legislation as Of paramount
Importance are now maneuvering TIC
pass measures that will not only per
init legislation initiated by the legisla-
ture but by the people as well. So far
as the referendum is concerned they
propose to show their good faith by
first submitting for consideration to the
people the direct primary law in the
hope 1T can be strengthened by popular
action.
AT least that is the way members
elect who will probably hold high Of
flee In the next assembly expressed
themselves when asked their attitude
of how far they proposed to go with
the Initiative and referendum.
TO REVISE PRIMARY.
1t is claimed that the direct primary
law will not be repealed. majority
Of the members of both house are OPP
posed to a repeal. In fact they are
pledged by their party to stand by the
direct primary. However, even the
majority members are willing to ad-
nit that the primary law needs chang
ing and that while it should be re-
modelled. 1t should not be weakened in
the process of reconstruction.
One proposal is to confine the pri-
mary only to county elections and to
the selection of candidates at pri-
mary to state convention which shall
place in nomination the candidates for
the respective state offices
Some of the members elect hold that
the primary should apply to state as
well as county elections as it tends to
bring out more men who might be shut
out of convention through possible
manipulation of the delegates.
WOULD SUBMIT LAW.
common understanding having
been reached that the primary must
stand. the manner of amending it so
that many of the Objectionable fea-
lures can be eliminated is holding the
attention of law makers to- be. This
has brought forth the proposal to
submit to the people the direct primary.
giving Them time in which to propose
amendments that will tend to strength
en- its provisions. Backers of this plan
say the people after all are the ones
who pay the taxes and that they have
The right to say how they shall nomin-
ate the men who aspire to become their
office holders.
APPROVE LEAGUE MEASURE?
1t is said to be probable that the leg
Stature will approve the initiative and
referendum measure drafted by the
Idaho Direct Legislation league, sub
mitted to candidates before the last
statewide primary. approved by most
of them In fact Two thirds of the
members OF both house of the new
legislature are said to be pledged to the |
league to support it's measure. There
may be some changes in the draft as
completed but its main features will |
~epresent the measure that is finally |
approved by both houses.
The Direct Legislation league resolu-
ton is introduced as follows: BE it |
resolved by the legislature that amend |
ments No. Is and 16 be repealed and
section l of article of the constitution !
of Idaho be AMENDED to read as fol-
lows:
The legislative power of this state
shall be vested in a senate and house
of representatives. but the people re-
serve to themselves the power to pro-