Gunnison news-champion., 1921-03-04
Is nm FnanAsY Law DOOMED :
Lesks Like - Uades9ssunA Csnent
Was Wsskhg - Km n nsssure.

LoskD LIE - Un4e1gsoun1 C1n<ne
Was wsskhs - Km NJ nssssFe.
Washingtcn, Feb. ll-There Is no
great mysseFy behiHd Tie determined
effort that il being made OF that 10
To be made in . considerable number
Of state legislatures 10 remove from
the statute books Legislation provid-
ing for the nominations through the
direct primary system The order for
return to the old convention system
came from the top. IL went out soon
after the November election.
The group Of Republicans respon-
sible for the Chicago convention last
June decided that the direct primary
must 60. II is an interesting fact,
to say the least, that every one of the
men who met in . room in the Black
stone hotel and at two o'clock in the
morning decided that Senator War
ren G. Harding should be nominated
for the presidency, is in favor of re-
storing the convention plan for max
ing nominations.
Republican state office-holders and
politicians who are attempting to de-
stroy the primary system. are merely
members of a great political machine,
obeying orders. With them one may
be assured that il is not question at
all as to whether the direct primary
system has merit over the old conven-
ton system; 1t is solely a matter Of
being regular-of doing what the po-
litical bosses want done.
The people should understand, il
they do not already understand. that
n very important principle, not only
of politics. but of government. is in
volved in the fight in various legisla-
lures over the primary system. The
issue is simple; il is whether the vot-
ers or the political bosses are to
choose candidates. Some of the poll
teal bosses are interested particularly
in the making Of presidents and senat-
ors and governors while the interest
of others does notextend beyond the
county and municipal officials. But
the principle is the same, wherever il
appears.
In the last presidential pre-conven-
tion campaign the bosses Of high de-
gree were not little embarrassed
by the fact that in % states provisions
had been made for the voters to 20
to the polls and express in q direct
way their preference for presidential
candidates. Early in the campaign
the bosses made up their minds that
they would disregard the voice of the
people as expressed in the presiden-
tial preference primary in those 22
states, but nevertheless, the primary
worried them.
Finally at the Chicago convention
their bosses mustered up courage
enough to do what they said they
would do--disregard the verdict Of
the Republican voters, but they vowed
then and there that II the Republicans
came into power the direct primary
law would be smashed. 1t was in ac-
cordance with that vow that word
went out from the party bosses to the
lieutenants down the line that primary
legislation wherever found, must be
repealed.
The demand Of the bosses has now
brought about sharp division in the
party; but even this is not worrying
the men who are determined that the
primaries shall 60.
General Leonard Wood, it will be re-
called, during the progress of the
pre-convention campaign expressed the
sincere hope that after the election
congress would provide for q uniform
presidential preference primary lava
law under which the voters Of all the
states would go to the polls on GER
tain day and express their preference
for president.
There is still widespread demand
for presidential preference law that
will be uniform in all the states, but
control of the Republican national
I &.on nf
headway in congress. :.
The plan is to undermine the pri-
mary law from the bottom. With
this in view, the word has gone out
to the politicians of the various state
to try to get thru the legislatures in
session legislation tearing down state
primary laws where it is not possible
IN hiring outright reneal