Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-18
MUCH DISCUSSION OVER STAT.
UTE SINCE ELECTION OF
JUNE7
LAST, LEGISLATURE
TRIED TO AMEND
House Voted Radical Changes But
Senate Failed to Enact Them-Ma-
jority Of Voters Favor Retention of
Law, With Changes Suggested BY
Experience in Previous Elections.

Des Moines, June 1S.-Dissatisfac-
ton with the workings of the primary
is now being freely expressed in the
light of the results of the voting and
lack Of voting on Monday June Z.
Talk Of repeal Of the entire law is
being INDUCED in by some newspap-
ers and individuals. while many more
discuss the question OF amending It.
In the past two sessions Of the
Iowa legislature bills were up for
consideration looking to the amend
mene Of tho primary law. Both times
they failed Of passage, altho senti-
ment appeared to be favorable to
amending the law In the last session
the Kfmball bill providing for the
amendment of the law passed the
house but failed in the senate. The
presidential preference primary, law.
tried out in April. 1918, was promptly
repealed by the legislature on Its
converting in 1917. The repeal Of the
non partisan judicial law was voted
by the Thirty seventh general as
sembly, but was vetoed by Governor
Harding. The law was again repealed
by the Thirty-eighth and the bill was
then signed by the governor.
kimbls Bill Provisions.
The bill proposed by Senator KIM
hall. which passed the house in the
Thirty eighth but failed In the SEN
ate. placed the nomination OF state
officer except governor in con-
vention bur left ths nomination OF
district and county officers In the
primary, as well as the selection OF
delegates to the county convention.
The point emphasized In favor OF
this bill was that the average voter
knew the county and district men
who were running for office and could
therefore vote intelligently on these
offices but there was no way OF
knowing the state candidates except
those out for governor. the contests
for the nomination for governor AZ
fording the voter opportunity to ac-
quaint himEelf with those seekine
this nomination.
Tho last legislature did make one
change In the election laws however
whose wisdom IL now being question:
ed In some republican quarteru. Il
provided Tor putting the party circle
back on tho ballots 80 that when &
voter goes to theS polls on election
pday In November he can place cross
in the party circle and thus vote the
ticket straight. Now II Is feared many
voters friendly to certain candidates
on the democratic ticket will vote
the whole ticket rather than take tho
trouble OF going thru and scratching.
No One Satisfied.
Before retiring as governor in 1917
Governor George w. Clarke, who orr
iginally favored the primary and had
observed IT'S operation for ten years,
sent out Inquiries asking opinions on
the workings OF the primary before
discussing It In his final message to
the legislature. He told Of the result
Of this inquiry In his message to the
Thirty seventh general assembly,
saying:
Almost all responded and not one
said he was entirely satisfied. All but
two or three expressed thorough dis
satisfaction and disappointment.
Nearly all recommended very radical
changes. many denounced It az sub
versice Of representative government
and favored its repeal. Many OF those
who were It's staunchest advocates In
the beginning and who were IN con-
siderable measure responsible for its
enactment we're as severe In their
criticism Of results ~ many OF these
who never regarded It with favor"
After giving something Of the his
tory Of the primary experiences Gov
Sernor Clark declared.
~ can not but reach the concfu-
sion that those who SEQ in our pri-
mary laws tendency toward the
destruction OF the representative
principle upon which this govern
fment was built are right. They lead
away from the moorinKs cast by the
fathers and. In this. We may well