The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1916-07-15
THE PRIMARY LAW

1t is somewhat amusing to see
some of the politicians over in other
parts of the state making a fuss
about the new primary law and ex-
pressing a desire to go back to the
old expensive, bunglesome and decid-
eddy unsatisfactory system in vogue
two years ago.
When the legislature of 1915 was
in session, some of the very ones
wide sentiment existing at that time
for change in the old law, because
it was not only burdensome to those
who pay the taxes, but also to the
candidates running for office
Assembly Bill No. 5, introduced
by Assemblyman Beason of Lincoln
county, was intended to remove the
burdensome features of the old law,
at the same time giving the people
the opportunity by popular vote to
The bill provided for the election of
delegates to state and county con-
ventions at the primary. 1t also con
tanned provision for a preferential
vote in the selection of candidates
for United States senator, congress
man and justices of the supreme
court; but the latter feature prov
ed to be Objectionable to very large
majority of members of the legisla-
ture. This being the situation a sub
stitute bill was drafted, eliminating
this one feature, but incorporating
practically every other essential part
Before the bill was reported out
of committee, and at the suggestion
of members of the assembly commit
tee on elections, a joint open session
OF the senate and assembly was held
for the purpose of discussing the
merits or dement's of the primary
bill then pending At this meeting
speeches were made not only by
members of both houses, but also by
state officers and prominent citizens
of the state who had been invited
to express their views. Without an
exception, all were agreed that the
old primary law had proved a fail
ure and should be wiped off the stat
ute books.
The result of this meeting was
the appointment of a joint com
mittee of the two houses, and which
was composed Of representatives. of all
political parties. This committee
consisted of the following:
For the sembly-Beason, Re-
publican; Babcock, Democrat, and
Steele, Socialist.
For the Senate-Lee, Republican,
and Carpenter, Democrat.
On motion Of Assemblyman Bea-
son, Attorney General Thatcher was
made an honorary member of the
committee.
The committee held two sessions
in the Office of the attorney general
and reported out the bill which had
been agreed to and this, bill was
introduced in the assembly as Sub
stitute for Assembly Bill No. 5.
Here was a measure that had been
passed upon by representatives Of all
political parties, in an earnest eff
fort to meet the popular demands OF
the day A copy of the bill, as agreed
to by the committee, was handed tc
Governor Boyle by Assemblymar
Beason and after the chief executive
had given it his careful examination
returned the document with the yer
bal statement that the bill had hi.
approval and expressed the hope i
would pass.
When the bill came before eacl
house for third reading and final pas
sage, scarcely any negatives vote
were recorded.
Possibly the new law will not b
found to be exactly perfect-that i
something to be determined by eA
perience: nevertheless the presen
law has displaced one that was az
mittedly bad.
There is one newspaper in TIL
state, the Carson Appeal, that ha
been agitating scheme to have tn
constitutionality of the present la
attacked at this late day and thu
upset plans already made for hole
ingthe primary election But tn
success of the plan is remote pos
sibility, for two members of til
supreme court are candidates fo
U. s. senator and would, therefore, b
directly interested. Under these cor