New Britain herald., 1922-07-10
EXTEND PRIMARIES, NOT CURTA|L THEM
Progressives Would Have People Vote for Presidential Candidates

Washington, July l0.-The move ment started within tho republican party 10 abolish the direct primary system. and endorsed by Presiden, | Harding. has aroused the progressive faction to urge a strengthening of the system by extending the primary method 10 the nomination of presi. dential candidates.
 This counter movement, 1t is con tended hy some advocates, will have the effect of forcing the old guard to abandon it's plan of repeating the direct primary plan in favor Of a modified convention plan. President Harding is credited with intending to sponsor the return to the old system fl the primaries had developed the fact that candidates for office sup ported by the organization candi- dates to win in Indiana, Pennsylvania Iowa and North Dakota has weakened such an argument.
 With so many important questions confronting him. it is not believed that the president will carry out the original intention, attributed to him.
  his personal friend, has started a movement to abolish the direct pri- mary.
 The Independent and progressive voters appear to be entirely satisfied with primary elections With the reaction in progress against old time leadership. political wisdom, it is be- lieved. will dictate that nothing shall be attempted that will further in- crease the gulf between the progress sive and old guard factions.
 The progressives, who will be stronger in the next congress than in this one, are already laying out a program. One proposal calls for ex- tension of the direct primary law to permit nomination of presidential candidates by the people.
 Another move will be to amend the corruption practices act, which was declared to be unconstitutional by the supreme court in the New berry case, or pass a new one in its place. According to present plans the progressives, asserting that they will have enough votes in thes next senate 10 unseat Newberry will pro- pose this law in connection with the attempt that Senator LaFollette will make to have Newberry thrown out.
 "Standpatters in both parties are behind this movement to return to the old nomination system" said Senator Norris. They have found their ar gument in the recent primary cleo tions where the people won over the machines, To do away with the di- rect primary system would he a step toward monarchial government.
 "The Old Guard inside the White House and out inside congress and out, is working to abolish the direct primary. The Old Guard does not see any need of the system because with out 1t in ordinary times it can have its way
 If the people are not fit 10 vote in the primaries, they are not it to vote in the elections. AS for the con vention system, we have only to look at the national conventions to see it's evils. The present system of nomln- ating presidents is unfair. unjust, ty- ranncal and often absolutely fraudu- lent.
 "It is true that the present prim ary system is not ideal It should he remedied by preventing vast expendi- | lures. It should be radically extend ed so as to put the selection of can didates more strictly in the hands of the electorate by making nomination of presidential candidates possible only through direct vote of the peo pie"