The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-19
Hasty-Mann Primary Bill Is
Killed by Governor.
He Was Uncertain of Benefits
of the New Law.
MAY KILL THE BOXING ACT
Third Bill To Be Dfsapproved
During 1921 Session.
Disadvantages Greater Than
Advantages, He Says.

|
| Governor Allen today vetoed the
Hasty-Mann act providing for regis
tration of voters as to party affilia-
tions ten days in advance of primary.
1t is the governors third veto during
the 1921 session. He may also disap-
prove the Hasty boxing bill.
| The governors action brings JOY to
the heart of William Allen White Nof
! Emporia, who is an advocate of wide
| open primary. He appealed to the
/ governo~ to veto the registration
measure when it passed the senate.
Uncertain About Benefits.
In a lengthy veto message the eov-
ernor said he was uncertain as to the
benefits which the new law would af-
I ford. He declared that similar law
in Indiana had failed to meet with
4 popular approval. Further reason for
] veto of the bill was given in the argu-
ment that the law applied only to
voters in cities of the first and second
iclass. Since the lawdoes not extend to
the rural districts, the governor urged
that it would not affect the Nonparti-
san league, which claims a following
only in the country.
i The Veto Message.
In his veto messasexto the iegisla-
ture today. the governor said
To the house of representatives.
\ l return herewith house bill No. $50 With
out my signature.
Il The bill provides that no one may vote
; In any primary unlefs he has stated upon
his registration his party affiiiation and
that he shall not change that affiliation
without re:registering his purpose. The
,, the most widely recognize,i evil OF the d.
rect primary-tbat of members of one
party seeking to interfere in the. nomina-
long by voting outside their party az
) filiations The authors Of this bin are
: candidates for office aud because Of the
sought to Justify in my own mind this
Dill by a thoro investigation of the results
of similar efforts In other states
Out of something over 20 states having
direct primary laws. only 3 have made
seriops effort to limit the use of the pri-
, mary by prescribing partisan registratiei,.
clared to be entirely satisfactory
:, In some states where they have tried
l a partisan registration law with the same
purposes as that sought to be accomplished
: by this bill, they are now modifying IT,
l Their difficulty in midland was that the
r effect of their law discouraged registratiou
. In addition to this, it was not as effective
In correcting the misuse OF the partisan
feature as its authors had hoped. Indiana
4 Will probably make such notifications In
= this session of her state legislature as will
q correct the tendency of the law TO seriously
discourage registration in primary elec-
e Those, who do not believe In the direct
4 primary law. have always urged as their
. chief objection to IL that the vote is too
T light to represent anything ike gem
? eral expression. The tendency of this bill
ing it more difficult to interest the voters
\ In the necessity of coming to the primary.
: However my chief motive in vetolng the
e measure is thru my uncertainty as 70 it-
remedial effect upon the evil 1t seeks To-
! than It has in Indiana. its disadvantages
\ would be greater than its advantages. The
! most obvious objection to 1t at this time Is
81 that it wipes out entirely the present regis
tration Of this state and brings upon the
= state before the next general election the
. 4 public expense and the indiyidual discom-
: fort of complete e-registration. The new
law relating to citizenship compelled com
8. PEELED a complete re- registration last fall
before the general election It Is remem-
bered by all who had any connection with
the strenuous efforts necessary to bring
l. Ip the registration that the necessity of
this registration acted an irrftant upon
many of the voters who expressed their Inns
lpatience at being called upon again to
: register To be called upon now TO go
: thru all this again wauld be regarded by
!, the voters as reactfonnry procedure.
The praape qe n 6y na b
n purpose Of the system and IL would be re-
!. sented by many Of the new voters ms an
/ effort to regulate their partisan freedom
Il So far as mere law may offer remedy. the
present primary law offers ample safe
TeKu-
:. larity in the primary election. Precinct
= committeeman are authorized to appoint
= challengers. for their respective parties.
!, who have the right to challenge any voter.
? II II is thought he is not member of the
:. political party announced by :, himself.
T When challenged he must subscribe to an
r oath that he has not signed petition ms
a member of any other political party
d seeking nomination at that primary. that
n he has not signed the nomination papers of
: any independent candidate and furthermore
: that he Is member of and affiliated with
: the party announced by himself. This law,
e if enforced. would accomplish all sought to
n be accomplished by the proposed bill
J. 4 1t is understood. of course. that the bill
applies only to those voters who live In
cities of the two classes where registration
Is required. II would have effect upon
the largest vote In Kansas--that which
comes from the rural precincts and the
Ifowns and smaller cities. II would. in ef-
: feet; be applicable only 10 9,3'ooo people
the primary fby cunning men is not con-
fined by any means to cities Of the first
II and second class. Yet the law would have
# no power to reach over 90 per cent OF the
4 voters. California and New Nork have
e sought to correct this by rural registration.
= One of the arguments for this bill was the
"a approaching menace of the elass minded
: political organization known as the Non
! partisan league. This law could not infect
e this organization. which Is altogether q
II rural effort, where registration is not re-
v quired-
to 1t and for the further reason that the
:, bill does not offer us u remedy of suf-
II ficfent value to Justify the disadvantages
g IL entails. hare thought II wise to with
d hold my approval from The measure in the
l. hope that continued study Of the problem
n may bring us in the future a bill writter
- upon broader lines having behind IL the
, come from longer experience with fhs
q problems of our primary In v.