The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-03-07
Two Plans Blend
In Idaho Laws
New Election Statute Begins With
Primary and Winds up With
Convention Governor
Approves.

Monday morning his approval of ;
senate bill radically revising til,
states now operative scheme.
Under the newly enacted Law
county nominees will be named b,
the direct primary method, but al
, aSpirantS to state an congressional
offices will be chosen at party con
ventions. 't ~ =
Governor Davis objections to the
new statute, which had centered
strongly against a provision grant.
ing dictatorial powers to prospec.
tive county chairmen, were removed
by measure agreed upon at Sun.
|, day night Republican caucus and &C.
copied by both houses of the legis.
lature under suspension of the rules
Monday.
Chairmen of the county organiza-
tons, as the just created law was or
iginally framed, were vested with
the authority to approve or disap-
prove candidates seeking places on
the primary. ballot, aspirants who
met with displeasure having the
doubtful privilege of an appeal to the
county central committee.
This unusual power is removed
from the chairman by the amenda-
tory bill accepted. A single addition
al change, the substitution of the
first Tuesday for the second Tues
day in August as the date of the
county primary is provided in the
corrective proposal.
Senator'S Nelson, Nash and Far
raday, the latter a Democrat, were
the trainers of the measure which
eradicated the governors objections.
Democrats are Divided.
In the senate. every Simon-pure
Bourbon supported the changes sug-
gested by the chief executive, only
Nonpartisan leaguers casting mega
tive votes, but Democracy in the
house was decidedly less tractable, a
brief caucus swinging all of the mi
nority members save two into the
nay column.
1t had been consistently rumored
that the governor would veto the or
iginal bill in the form in which it
was rendered him. and several ar
dent supporters of the plan had sug-
gested an attempt to override his dis
approval, but complete harmony was
evolved from conferences held Sat-
urday and Sunday evenings.
Acceptance of Mondays amenda-
tory measure was featured by the
absence of oratorical pyrotechnics,
argument being attempted in neither
house.
How New System Works.
As the states novel statute now
stands the process of selecting can
didates will begin WIN the choosing
of aspirants to the county offices,
the primaries being followed by
county conventions at which dele
gates to the state meeting will be
named. Final choice OF state and
congressional nominees will de-
volve upon these general gatherings.
State and county central commit
tees are returned to their pristine
vigor by the new law and both dis
trict and supreme court judges are
again placed on the partisan tickets.
Idaho is the first state in the un-
ion to revert partially to the con-
vention system and it is believed that
The experiment will be watched with
interest throughout the country.
Anxiety in Lower House. |,
When the matter came I'D in the
house OF representatives, Beecher
of Bonner threw a pause
and flicker of anxiety into the pro-
,eedings by asking if the bill could
not go over until Tuesday so that {
printed copies of the amendments .
Gould be had. He declared he might
vote for the bill, but that if it should 8
:ome up without further opportunity &
or him to study it, he would be :
to vote no. If
Republicans at first, after a hur-
led conference, seemed inclined to s
rant the request, but when it was a
earned that many of the majority a
MEMBERS expected to leave for their
omes Tuesday, thereby reducing the 6
margin of safety for the a
eqnired two-thirds vote to pass q
ills under suspension of the rules d
n effort was made to get Hitchcock
, withdraw his objection. A. H.
'eatherstone, Shoshone, explained
nat the amendments could be easily
cured out by the Democrats with a
wv minutes study, and D. l.. Young I,
I Ada, moved for a Commute recess u
hitch was voted. u
Hold Caucus on Bill. 6
During the recess the Democrats =,
,tired with the bin In their poses -
on and held caucus on it. q,
Nonpartisan leaguers among the o.
emocrats refused to vote for sus- Il
enSion of the rules when the ques-
on was put on reconvening but the :
gular Democrats Joined the Repub- 10
,ans in the move to bring the mat &c 60
r to a definite vote, although they ~ >,
| voted against the bill with the 10
ception of Pugh of Gem and Pat q 90
rson Of Valley. =.
OPPOSING Democrats were Foley, If,
lrbutt, Greenwood, Harrison Of It,
Harrison of Shoshone, te
tchcock, Hoff, Kirby, MCGOWAN, b,
body, Schroeder, Shearer, Thomp- ri