The courier-index., 1920-01-09


 US national committeeman.
 No Funds For an Selection
 But conceding merely for arpu- ment's sake that the committee had power, and it was reserved to it bv this proviso, it could exercise thai power only by making rules for the holding of an election. There is m provision Tn the law anywhere to pay the expense of the election. No ap- preparation has been made therefor, nor IS there any provision to safe guard such an election. It simply reserves to the committee, if it had such power, the power to make any rules 1t might think wise for the election of delegates to the National Convention, and as suggested above, made no provision whatever for the election or selection of national com mitteeman.
 T do not know what the cost would be of statewide primary. am sure it would be $40,0OO or $5O,OOO, but as there is no appro- priation to cover that expense, of course, the committee has no inten- tion, and l think is absolutely with out machinery, to hold such an cleo tion.
 Therefore, I am certain that I was correct when I said there is no power under the present machinery, and l mean no legal power, to select delegates to the national convention, or to choose national committee man. l do not say, nor have I said, that somebody may not arbitrarily exercise that power of selecting these delegates. If it should be done, whether the delegates so selected would be seated, of course, would be within the power of the national con. vention.
 Change Favofs Farmers
 "One reason suggested to the gov- ernor in the letter wrote him urg- ing the change of the date of holding the primary was this: Eighty per cent of our people are engaged in agriculture. The months of April, May, June and July are for these people busy months. The farmer during these months has no oppor- tunity in the day time to attend and in political meetings. He is too weary at night to do so. I know this from personal experience. I was born and reared on farm. I Hm thoroughly acquainted with the and feelings of the farm CT who tills his field with his own hand. I know to hold the primaries in August and therefore have the conducted during the spring and summer months is to de- ny the farmer the opportunity to at- tend and participate in political meet ings, the opportunity to become ac- quainted with the candidates and the issues for wich they stand. Those residing in cities and towns could attend and participate in political almost as well in one sea- son as in another. They are, there fore, not materially concerned in the change.
 Another is that three-fourths of the candidates for county offices in our state are farmers. These farm er-candidates, if the primary be held in March, could prosecute their cam paigns during the winter months, at which time they are not actively en- gagged in farm labors, and win or lose, are enabled to make crop, and are therefore not necessarily ruin- ed by the making of the campaign.
 eff the primary on the other hand be held in August, these farmer will be compelled to pros ecute their campaign during the months, and necessarily de- nied the opportunity to make crop. Inasmuch as many of these men are men of very limited means, they can not afford to become candidates in a primary held in August. The peril of losing a crop. and possible defeat IS one they cannot in justice to them selves and families assume.
 "It necessarily follows, then, that his large class of our citizenship will be denied the opportunity to ,eek office. It means that the pri- ,ilege to hold county offices can be only by those who are not | in agriculture, or by men whose means are ample.
 Also a Political ReAson
 Again, a political reason is that | n counties where the contest be- ween the parties is sharp, if the | primary be held in the summer, there | S no time intervening between the late of the primary and the general lection for the animosities and dis engendered or met with in the primary cool. The re- ut will be so called independent will defeat the party lominees.
 Another recommendation in the etter to the governor was that since he change might deprive some can idates who had not announced for ffice of the opportunity fully to resent their candidates to the peo- le; that the legislature should make he forth coming primary date the ast Tuesday in April, which would i've everyone ample time not only Q make a campaign within his dis rict, but throughout the state, after hat the date suggested was to be he last Tuesday in March.
 "At the same time l wrote the overnor suggesting this change l vrote every announced candidate for tate office except four, asking if e had any objection to the proposed hange. With one of the other can idates to whom 1 did not write, ad personally discussed this matter. &ko+ sr |