Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-16

VII Ie twentieth March next Inc hrSt Oh lhe
voters OF Vermont under this act will be the holding OF presl
dental primaries which the trouble of voting con-
cened simply take the place of the old for the cleo
ZION OF delegates to the State convention for the purpose OF
eectng delegates to the national conventions This means
merely new form Of the former primary and does
not involve an extra voting wrongly asserted by some
Opponents of the law aege that abolished conven-
tons As matter of fact the direct primary act distinctly
and explicitly provides for conventions the election Of
delegates to the national convention and in addition makes
IT. possible for the voters individually to express their choice
of candidate for the presidency be supported by their
spective parties in the November election .,
, Section 26 of the act that in every presidential year
there shall be held presidential primary in accordance with
the provisions Of the act for other primary elections so far
as they applicable Such presidential primary set for
the third Tuesday of May Of each presidential year. which
occurs this year on May 1G.
The secretary of State and provides the ballots
TOR the presidential primary causing to be printed upon such
ballots in columns by parties the names OF all presidential
candidates for whom nominating petitions have been filed in
the same in the case of candidate for governor
including the candidates written Section q of the
act reads in part follows
"The State committee of each party shall cali party
convention under the regulations provided by the committee
to be held within three weeks subsequent TO the presidential
primary At such convention delegates and aernates to the
to the State shall be elected Each delegate and alternate so
elected shall be furnished by the secretary of State with
certified statement showing the vote cast at the presidential
primary for the candidates of the party of which said dele
gate alternate is a member
If can be from this that the chief advantage Of the
direct primary in presidential contest is that allows the
voters to vote directly for their choice for that office that
the State convention and the delegation elected need not
to the position of the voters of the State
There is no chance for snap primaries for the law pro
O'Clock
until eight o'clock evening and workngmen or
those far from the polls thus have facility for making
their voices heard to choice of presidential candidates
The official ballots must be prepared at least ten days
dates printed ballot with the arranged in
columns by parties similar to the ballots in general elections
Each party column must be headed by the of the party
IN plain type so that there no danger of consolidating the
party as has been wrongly alleged.
Each voter IN marking his ballot is expected to cOnfne
his marks to the column of the party of which he is
Der If when the ballots are counted it appears ballot has
been marked in the column OF than party it is to
We will suppose for example, that part of the republ
port Roosevelt while the democrats divided between
Wilson and Underwood The supporters Governor Mccall
500 names being required to the printing of mans
name on the presidential ballot The supporters of the other
On the day of the presidential primaries the republicans
would marx an opposite their choice in the republican COL
IN the democratic column The delegates to the Chicago
venton would know whom the republicans of Vermont
eel for president while the delegates to the St Louis
ton would be fully advised to the choice of the democrats
If in addition to the choice of president contest arose
over the selection of delegates to the State convention of
added interest if not increased gaiey
to the presidential struggle in Vermont.
The State convention will be in position to formulate
declaration Of principles dealing with national issues pre-
will be able to seek to impress their views upon the national
body in all these directions the in former
If it means anything to be American it is
worth much to be able to ones preference for
candidate for the presidency of the United States and
merely to rubber stamp choice that has been made
you by somebody else You not debarred from writing
on the primary ballot the of any candidate you may
prefer whose name is not printed thereon that the utmost
freedom OF expression of choice provided in that part
Nermonts primary law dealing with the nomination
president of the United States.
II man desired declines to be considered candidate
for the presidency of the United States then the
thrown back the choice of delegates who for
presidential candidate they prefer and this brought
about negeny only through the declaration candidates
for delegates to the national convention their prefer
or by vote of the State convention.
The act provides that it shall be literally construed
that the real will Of the shall be defeated"
One section Of the direct primary law provides for pub
icity to campaign Section "a that per-
who socts requests demands directly indirectly
Intoxicating liquor anything of value prom
Use thereof either to influence his be used
preense Of being used to the vote of another
to be used at poll other place prior the
day of the primary for against candidate for office shall
be fined not than hundred dollars be imprisoned
not than six months or both.
These provisions Injunction with existing statutes
against the Of money by candidates directed against
corruption various forms throw every protection about the
direct primaries. We shall consider other the svs
tenn dealing with State senatorial congressional county
nominations later