The Coconino sun. (Flagstaff, Ariz.) 1898-1978, 1916-07-21
PRIMARY LAWS As
THEY NOW WORK

of the direct primary law, as she now
works, occurred at the Chicago con-
vention. The Oregon delegation was
instructed by the people to vote for a
man by the name Of Webster for the
Office Of vice-president; he was the
only candidate on their ticket in Ore
gon for the Office and consequently
received some 10000 votes, as the
name of Webster seemed to sound
good to the voters. Nebraska also
gave him one delegate. At the Con-
gress hotel, the night before the con-
vention, while the writer was sitting
down waiting for long distance call
from Mr.. Hughes, Col. Roosevelt and
a number of others, in order to have
things ready for the next day, a me-
dium sized, middle aged fellow, who
apparently had on his very best
clothes, slid along on the settee close
up, and noticing that we carried sew
eral pounds of medals, including an
ample decoration Of ribbons on our
manly chest; inquired in a sweet,
small, inofensive voice:
"You are delegate, amt you ?"
Well, that was our hull business
back there, and we spread our chest
out until every decoration could be
seen for yards around, and answered
in languid, large way: "Er, yes"
"Well, did you see what the Even
ing News said about me tonight;
believe that I will stand a good chance
in the final break; Oregon is solid for
me and Nebraska has one and / be-
lieve more will follow. MY name is
Webster and ! am a candidate for the
vice-presidency."
This was rather startling, and Just
for something to do to keep busy, we
gave page $50 in Mexican money to
page General Pancho Villa for ten
minutes, as a diversion until
our nerves steaded down to high COM
pany. Evidently our name was
spelled wrong and we failed to get the
long distance call from the fellers
mentioned above, SO settled back
again to see what job we could frame
up with Webster.
When Webster settled down TO tell
me his story, we at first commenced
to look around for squirrels, and his
story was an honest one, borne out by
the facts as the records will show:
-Four years ago in Illinois, / had my
name put on the primary ticket for
congressman at large, and came very
near winning out. OF course few peo-
pie knew me and it only cost few
dollars; this year I have spent only
about 500 and got my name on the
Oregon and Nebraska tickets, and you
can see what fellow can do by get
ting out that way and being adver-
tised. Four years from now I'll be
pretty well advertised and If have
money enough, will be able to make
a big showing-many people will vote
for you II you can make your name
familiar" This, as a matter of fact,
was his statement, and for the mo-
ment we felt in duty bound to vote
for him, because all "nuts" should
stand together.
Later, when it was apparent that
our name had been spelled irretrev-
ably wrong and that possibly Hughes
and the other fellers were busy and
had forgotten our ring up, we chanced
to run across Senator Fulton of Ore
gon and incidentally congratulated
him on the Oregon choice for vice
president.
Senator Fulton of Oregon is fine
outstanding man, and when we made
the pass as to their instructions, he
shrunk some, and inquired: as there
such man as Webster"
"They sure are, we just met him
down stairs; he lives in Chicago
seems to have heard from Oregon
Would you like to meet him ?"
Senator Fulton's answer was just
such Of kind that a person would
cause one to realize that there was nc
use persuing the inquiry any further
Just to be good fellow, while
waiting for telephone calls, we in
troduced Mr.. Webster to the Illinois
delegation, New York and others just
as fair sample of the primary sys-
tenn now in vogue.
Aside from painfully and frankly
lying about the telephone calls, this
is an honest and truly story of what
actually happened, and the newspape,
bunch back in Chicago are reservine
| IL as priyate history