Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-15
PALMER URGES
GENERAL PRIMARY
Providence Journal Editor Pro
poses Popular Selection OF
Candidates for President.
sn.~ia, Corrcspcndcnce OF Every Evening


of presidential nominees and a compulsory
voting law for president with provisions
for penalltics for those who fail to vote
was advocated by Henry Robinson Pal
mer. editor of the Providence Journal
as n means of getting a more popular
selection of Presidents, in an address
before the Delaware College Summer
Schooi for teachers last night. ;,
MIR. Palmer lectured on 1.-The National
Campairn." He was introduced by DIR.
Joseph H. Odell, director of the Service
Citizens which organization arranged the
lecture and musical program Tor the sum
mcr which are proving feature. III.
Odeil said he understood that Mr.. Palmer
would discuss the subject IN nom
partisan way and that the audience
would probably be unable to guess
whether he is a Democrat or Republican
although he knew he used TO be Pro-
hihitionist.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Palmer
said regardless of the unrest that has been
fet in this country for couple of years
I've have ballots and not bullets and
that Is what we are going to continue TO
have lie said he took the optimistic
view Of presidential election and thought
II a good thing to stir the country up
every four wears. He would not, he said
favor either reducing or increasing the
term of the president now four years
These campaigns bring US back to close
connection with political fundamentals
They help us to become more intelligent
patriots.
CONVENTION METHOD.
Mr.. Palmer discussed the convention
method of selecting presidential nominees
and contended IL is not representative and
Democratic and does not result ia nominat-
ing the popular choice of the people. lie
cited the two recent conventions as an
example of this contention. lie said
although Warren q. Harding was named
as the Republican nominee, all polis
previous To the convention showed Wood,
Iowden and Johnson leading by large
majority. Harding, he said, never
carried State in the presidential pri-
maries but his own. Ohio. The same the
sneaker said, was true of the Democratic
convention. IL am bringing Cox into
IL" laughingly remarked MIR. Palmer,
because | have been told to be I'M
partial.
The man.. Mr.. Palmer, said, who had
more friends among both men and women
than any other candidate was Hoover
and vet he got only u votes In the con-
ven,ion. This Mr.. Palmer, said Is not
ftDft~t'iilIltNt ~ - bNN
representative and not Democratic"
MIR. Palmer discussed how Senator
Harding was nominated. He said he had
a friend who was with Senator Harding
from II o'clock midnight until 3 O'Clock
IN the morning the day he was nominated
and this friend told him that Senator
Harding al that time had no idea OF Sc
curing the nomination. According TO this
friend. he said the man who probably
more than any other individual RESPONSE
bile for the nomination was Senator Reed
Smoot OF Utah. The nomination, how
ever, he said, without doubt was made
by Just a small group of men,
At the San Francisco convention, Mr.
Palmer said the selection was made after
every one was tired out" doubt whether
better men than Harding and Cox could
be named. but ! protest as an American
citizen that il is not representative
democracy 20 choice nominees that
way"
There Is no use critcizing without you
have a remedy" Mr. Palmer remarked
and Il was then that ne advanced the idea
for nation wide presidential primaries
and a compulsory voting law at presl-
dental elections. He said there never
was a time In this country when the prl-
mary was so unpopular and this was
probably due to the large expenditures OF
money. The speaker said he did not
mean 10 say the money was spent improp-
erly and that il would be hard to say
where TO draw the ethical line ID this
respect.
FEDERAL.PRIMARY.
In regard 10 the nationwide primary
idea Mr.. Palmer said he would have it
about June for both parties on the same
day under federal jurisdiction. Each
partv could have as many candidates on
the ticket as they wished and the people
could then make a popular choice. Then
h said, he would suggest compul sorry
voting law at the presidential election to
apply TO all men and women qualified TO
vote nd would penahze those who failed
20 vote At this point the speaker re-
marked, whether by direct primaries or
convention we get better men than they
get Monarchs IN Europe and that Is
sonnet hing"
In discussing the issues Of the coming
ca npairn Mr.. Palmer said General W. T.
Sherman was the only man who has ever
refused the nomination for president
and he made it plain that he would not
accept the nomination and would not
accept the election should he be
elected Under all the circumstances he
said il was only fair TO believe that either
President Wilson, Mr.. McAdoo or anyone
else would not have refused the San
Francisco nomination. Mr.. Cox, he said,
did not seem to be In the Wilson group
and If that is true" what becomes Of the
league of nations issue?" asked the
speaker He referred to the expected con-
ference next Sunday at the White House
between President Wilson and Mr.. Cox
and said the result of that would be
closely watched. Both nominees at this
time, he said, seemed to be for league
with reservations. Mr.. Palmer commended
the labor planks in both platforms
and also told the the women present that
If they are not voting now it would not be
long before they would vote. Vermont
he said when the next Legislature meets
will ratify.
Mr.. Palmer said he felt distinct dis
appointment after the national "conven-
tions" We will miss the militant idealisrn
Of such men as Roosevelt, Wilson and
Hughes, but If either of the candidates go
through the campaign and say what they
think and say it courageously, be is going
TO win tremendous support.
In conclusion Mr.. Palmer said if dis
appointed the people need not be dis
oouraged. Let us have faith in ourselves
and have faith in the republic" He said
while the nominees seem to lack the
militant idealism that brought to Colonel
Roosevelt so many followers yet he had
no doubt should either be elected and
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