Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-13

institutions. Endorsed prohibition and
woman suffrage, asserted his opposi-
tion against the policy of writing party
planks in the platform merely for the
purpose of getting votes. Endorsed good
roads and reorganization of the land
board. With regards to the direct pri-
mary he said in part:
SCORES DIRECT PRIMARY.
Gentlemen of the Republican party.
I am opposed to the present primary
system as it exists, and I am in favor
of the adoption of the convention sys-
| tenn, wherein the menace OF manipula-
ton and Iog-rolling would be so far as
practicable eliminated. With regard
to the more important officers Of the
state, | believe they should be nomi-
mated by convention. I believe that
the delegates elected to this convention
should quite generally be given free
hand to vote for that man for whom
it may appear advisable at that con-
vention, they should vote. ] would
recommend, however, that the peoples
interest be safeguarded by providing
in statute drawn to bring about the
adoption Of a modified convention plan,
that the delegates to such "a convention
be pledged to a particular candidate
for q particular office, and that this
pledge be recorded with the secretary
of the permanently organized conven-
ton, so that no trading or log-rolling
could result from the delegates chang
ing the instructions which had been
given them.
SUGGESTS CHANGE.
h. o. I,a
convention would carry with it the
vote Of these delegates regarding that
particular office. For instance, with
several candidates in the field for gov
ernor, ! would give to the people the
power of pledging their candidates to
vote for the choice of the people Of the
county from which these delegates
| came. and then by law / would further
provide that these delegates should file
| with the secretary of the convention
| the instructions OF the people who sent
| them there. and that they could not by
any means in their power, change the
vote for that particular individual and
cast it for some one else. This would
safeguard the people against any trad :
! ing that in the past brought discredit
upon the convention system and ii
would not act generally to take from
| the delegates their powers in general
| to nominate candidates for their party.
We can see particular conditions when
certain men would be pledged by the
people for certain offices, but we can =
not foresee that it would be possible
to secure the pledge of the delegates
for all the offices to be nominated
| This plan would save the enormous
I expense of the primary system, and II
| properly worked out would serve to
unite our party organizations, instead
of disintegr. ting them as is now the
case.
The speaker concluded by indorsing
| the home manufacture of home pro-
ducts and the internal development of
the state.
| TAKES LID OFF.
l.. l. Purcell was the the first five
minute speaker called upon Ito take
the lid Off" and he Immediately pro-
ceeded to do SO. The Weiser editor
charged the Republican party had list
ened to big business" rather than the
people, and had adopted a policy OF
| frowning down on those who sought
to point out some of the evils toward
1 "llliIi llt parry was uIlltlHS III lllIS
state; that it had defended those who
were wrong and sought to cover things
up INSTEAD Of Going frankly before the
people with them. 1t is well known
fact" said the speaker, that men have
| been elected to office when II was
known they were guilty OF wrong do
ing. Yes, one man walked the streets
of Boise after he had confessed to
felony" Going back to the campaign
he said that he had found many voters
supporting the present governor mere
ly because he was stirring the gang
There was no reason for defeat Of the
party last fall" he said, except fol-
lack of confidence" Often, he asserted
people had told him they would vote
for the Republican ticket had they moi
been afraid the state officials "wout
turn the crooks out of the penitenti.
ary." The speaker closed by referring
to the present governor as "mounte-
bank" and he hoped the rainbow u
success would so brighten for the Re
publican party that the states chic
executive and the "jackass he rod,
on would be turned into political OBJ
l,vion.
rsMs ARE BRANDED.
]. r. Eldridge followed and SCORED
III, "'isms" of the day as well as tn,
direct primary. He said Iowa had re.
Gently repealed the direct presidential
primary law and was about to re
peal the direct primary. He also statet
his opposition to the initiative, refer
endum and recall. He thought stat,
convention, the delegates to which
. were elected at "a primary, would NEE
tnu situation. IF the direct primar,
is right" he said, then direct repre-
scntation is wrong"
Senator Rockwell Of Blaine count,
said he did not know that he agreed
With the expressions regarding the pri
mary and he was not so sure but tina
reverting to the old convention system
was step backward. He said tn
party needed to look to its interna
troubles. for growth and power hat
made ii careless.
.