The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-12-19
OFFICIAL PAPER INCOME COUNTY
DALLYINc WIZ THE
.. PRIMARY LAW

Once sne- primary law OF Nor
tana is uEIse.rens air, as it were, an,
= the status Pr' II TIE measure will be al
. Uncertainty uhsil decision Thereon
:. has been rendered by the suprem,
court OF the State. In order to Obtain
this Judge Henry C. Smith. pro
minent attorney Of Helena, and for
mer occupant of the supreme bench
of Montana, is preparing to institute
proceedings for testing the validity
OF the amended primary law, it being
his contention that the primary law
as now amended, and having been en-
acted as an emergency" measure,
can not be invalidated by presen-
tation Of petitions asking that this
act of the legislature be referred to
our voters at the general election of
1920. Should the supreme court hold
that the primary law can thus be re-
ferred the old primary law in exis-
tence two years ago would again be-
come effective, and we would then
hold two primaries the coming year
presidential, coming in June, and the
state and county primaries, usually
held the middle Of August. But should
the court hold that the present amend
ed primary law can not be set aside,
then we will have only one primary
next year, this to occur in April, and
at which all candidates, federal, state
and county, will be nominated. In
the meantime, petitions signed by
thousands of voters are bling filed with
the secretary of state in protest a.
gainst the legality Of the primary law
ed by those who favor the primary law
as amended that the circulating of
these petitions is attributed to the
Nonpartisan League, but be that as it
may, it is an undeniable fact that
many thousands of voters in no man
ner whatever affiliated with the Nom
partisan League are emphatically op-
posed to the amended primary law,
believing as they do that the Iegisla-
tive assembly committed a grave mis-
take in making certain amendments
TO the old law.
Taking advantage of technical
provision of the constitution of the
state which gives legislators unusual
latitude in disposing OF conditions
that may be considered as menacing
20 the public welfare, the legislature,
n amending the primary law, attached
his peculiar clause to the amended
act: Section Is. This Act is declared
% be an emergency law, and a law /
necessary for the immediate preser-
1ation of the public peace 22d safety. r
No person of average Intelligence 8
will believe for moment that the O
preservation of the public peace and b
afety" depended, in even the remot- 9
st degree, on tn passage of the a. :.
nendments that have been made to =
b primary law, and the action of the
legislature in attempting to thus cam u
uaage its work plainly shows a de- c,
berate attempt to mislead the peo- tt
lie, and to have the voters believe c.
hat if the old primary law was not 81
evised the most dire and dreadful "
we're certain to ensue. -
hat this wilful misrepresentation was ta
lade is sufficient of itself to con- ia
ince any unbiased person that the X
to the primary law we're 81
lspired and placed in effect by an oe
lfuence that had no scruples in re- a.
'rting to deception when such course n.
light be deemed necessary to accom- ~
ish the purpose sought. 70
AS matter of fact, this constant &c
importing with the primary law is
e result OF pressure being brought
: the machine politicians who are
'termined. II such be possible, to
ing about the abandonment Of the
imary system Of nominating public q
'icials and the reestablishment Of
o V1A COA v0uSlOA Sybt5ul, where Tue
plication of the steam roller and me-
her convicing methods, would per- At
t the bosses to handpick the can ~ -
aates for Office. These conven- ~
ms, Of course would provide sort mi
Roman holiday for the boys In At Cr
adance, but it would be ridiculous to Tor
= that they ever were, or ever will the
really Representative Of the inter AM
Is and wishes Of the rank and ME ~
the people. A mere handful Of In ~
guers always control such eather- =.
= ard the mAnipulatfoas, trades II
chteonery II evidence behind tie "a
nes ~ only too often q tho most boz
gfae1euI character Niles City -
1891