The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-06-23
BOSSES OPPOSE
JOHNSON PLAN
Primary Nomination Of
President Due for
Long Sleep
uEWBERRY CASE CITED
Many Join in Sentiment That
Congress Should Have
Election Control

ASHINGTON, June Pend.
irr u congress are two measures
which. y they prevail, viii effect
radical and important changes in
our .1dy politic. They are the Joint
resoiu'iors offered by Senator John
son NJ california, which sock the
amendment OF the constitution for
the following purposes:
FIRST, 70 allow the application
of thc direct primary system to
tho domination OF candidates for
pre- dent and vice president.
Second, to give congress fun
power to regulate primaries in
v'i.h It's members arc nominated
Tn. general object OF the first
plan is 10 give the people voice in
the romina'ions FOR president and
u.. president as well az their cleo
tuu Under the present system tho
yov uopuli In the matter is never
heard OF II it is. II Is SO weak that
10 ls ..arrcly needed.
Politicians Make Choice,
TN, choice rests with eroup NJ
politicians who are powerful enough
tu rgwv almost whom they please.
E,H..i III" scenes OF the big party
,r.,utions they work Closetcd in
clos. communion thcy dickcr, trade.
and rompromiso until they settle
upon the man who is regarded as the
most ligible from their STANDPOINT
The norvcntions have little To- do
with q except in rubber stamp ca
paolN. being merely means
through which the political gencr-
ais invoke their win
AS for the people. they have moth.
fL Il "a 10
s-latas the politicians supply. In case
Il happens, as IL often does. that the
nominees of neither party arc popu-
larlF known they are faced with
making a choice between two OWLS.
This practice of affecting uomina-
tons through manipulation has be-
come 50 evident that the politicians
now make no effort to conceal II.
Il will hc recalled that a little more
than "a year ago when Individual
, presidential campaigns were at their
height Harry NJ Daughcrty, who
handled the Harding boom and who
Is now attorney general. predicted
that the republican candidate would
not b" chosen under the roof OF the
Coliseum but at a midnight confer.
oncc IN n certain Chicago hotel. Sub
soqucnt events fully proved his
ability as a prophet.
Primary Not Favored.
Tho resolution presented hv Son
ntor Johnson seeks to remedy this
condition, although It is not a pana
cea. Even though the primary sys-
tenn were made effective in every
state in naming presidential and
vice presidential candidates. as his
resolution contemplates. the state
delegations would go TO tho party
conventions pledged In the same way
ms they are now, so that there still
would be danger OF manipulation
The only difference would bc that
the delegates would be responsible
TO the people for their actions at the
convention, whereas under the pres
tnt arrangement they are bound
only by their own conscience This
II is Contondcd, would make them
moro conscious Of their duty and
less inclined to violate their pledges.
The second resolution sponsored hv
Senator johnson is an outgrowth Of
the Ford -Ncwhcrry controversy over
The lattcr's election to the senate.
Newhcrry was accused and found
guilty In the federal courts OF vio-
latng the corrupt practices act In
m" Michigan primaries i'm which he
was nominated
Would Extend Authority.
The supreme court, however. set
aside the conviction. holding that
Their" was no law giving the govern
ment jurisdiction over state pri-
warios Through the Johnson rcso-
luton this omission would be sup
Piled and the authority Of congress
extended to cover this point.
Whether the amendments pro-
posed by the California senator will
ever be written into the constitution
Is problematical The chances are
against the first, while thcy favor
me lattcr. Among the rcaCtionary
clements Of both tho senate and
house thore Is violent opposition 10
me primary system as we'll as
other measures destined to give the
people a greater voice
Az the moment these elements
mold sufficient sway to assure the
resolution long and uninterrupted
s!uwhor in committee unless suffi-
v'nt pressure il brought in it's be-
haf 10 spur them to action. How
ever the feeling prevails IN both
houses that congress should ha- e
complete power over the machinery
10y which its members are nominated
ana elected, so that the second
measure will -,