The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-29
UP OLD LAW
Kansas Primary Never VIII
Look the Same.
Ii Legislature Doesn't Abolish
1t, It'll Be Injured.
GATHERING UP AMMUNITION
Several Members Ready With
Bills This Winter.
At Least Three Attempts to
Repeal the Measure.

If the statewide primary law is not
wiped from the slate by the 1917 leg
islature, it will probably come thru
the session with so many patches and
repairs and plasters that original
friends and advocates of the measure
in Kansas will not recognize it. Many
of the proposed amendments will be
offered in frank and earnest efforts TO
improve the law. Others will be pre-
scented for the plain, simple and undis-
puted purpose of helping to put the
law entirely out of commission.
Now that the new members of the
legislature have recovered their sec
ond wind and are looking around for
something to do in the legislature, the
primary is one of the best objects
available. Probably a score of mem
bers will offer bills directly affecting
bers will introduce bills to repeal the
measure. Other bills will provide for
amendments.
Statewide Registration.
One of the strongest amendments
proposed to the present law concerns
a provision for a statewide registra-
ton and designation of party affilia-
tions by every man and woman. The
! provision is on the statute books in
several states. 1t will be urged before
! the legislature that the plan will pre-
vent members of a minority party en-
| the primaries OF uOIuludhl
party and aiding in the nomination OF
weak candidates who would be more
easily defeated in the November cleo
ton.
Under the plan as proposed every
voter would be compelled to register
as to party affiliations. If a voter
certified as a Democrat and wanted to
vote in the Republican primaries, it
would be necessary to file a notice
with the city or township clerk at least
thirty days in advance of the pri-
maries.
/ Another proposed change in the
primary concerns the plan to change
the date. When the legislature wrote
! the present statewide primary law
it was written at a special session in
! 190s-the farmers decided that a
If the primaries were held in August
So the legislature. ever jealous to
please the farmers, designated August
! The legislators also urged that the
nearer the primary and election, the
less politics would be perpetrated on
the voters.
l. Expense Is Heavy.
| The August primary, tho, has not
been complete success in the matter
of polling full vote. Estimates place
the expense of the primary at a dol
lar for every vote polled.-
Now a new plan is advanced. Ar
earlier primary should be held, ac-
cording to views of several new mem
bers of the legislature. They propose
a primary in late March or early
April. A few members have indicated
that the first week in May is about
! the proper time. Here are the argu.
ments for the change. 1t 10 commended
that the vote would be larger. 1t is
urged that more time will be provided
! for organization work by the state
lNcommittees and political parties would
be able to overcome party differences
engendered in the primaries. They
point to the length of time which
| lapSes between dates of state conven-
tons and the elections. Another argu-
ment is the ability of the voters to se.
lect delegates TO national cor ventions
! without use of the caucus and conven.
ton system.
Several well known Kansas politica
leaders have attacked the primary ir
its present form. Among them is J
T. Botkin- secretary of state. Botkif
declared fatty that the voters could
not cast an intelligent ballot under
the present system. Now Legislative
member has planned to introduce q
bill providing that statewide pri-
maries shall be held only to select
party nominees for United States SEN
ator, governor and congressman. Can
didates for other offices would, under
this bill. be selected by the conven-
ton plan.
Another amendment to be offered il
January viii provide that the presen
/ primary be abolished and an optiona
county primary system substituted
the local primaries to select delegate.
to state and district conventions.