IN THE LAST TRENCH 



tended. It was the opinion of the most ex- 

 perienced politicians present that nothing 

 could be done to prevent the operation of the 

 act, as there was hardly time to secure a 

 referendum petition, and the inclusion in the 

 law of a reform long demanded had hopelessly 

 confused the issue. The chief representative 

 of the League at this conference, Mr. Soren- 

 son of Lincoln, announced that he would not 

 be bound by any decision to accept the law, 

 and went forth at once with a petition for a 

 referendum. In spite of the fact that the 

 month was the farmers' busiest season, he 

 secured in the first week the signatures of 

 eight hundred farmers, and within the time 

 limits had twenty-six thousand names, enough 

 to force the submission of the law at the next 

 general election, to be in November, 1920. 



Meantime, the new primary law could not 

 work, and the advance of the League was not 

 stopped. 



In Minnesota a special session of the legis- 

 lature was called for September 9, 191 3, to 

 consider nine subjects, the seventh of which 

 was announced to be the revision of the 

 primary laws. It seemed to be no secret in 

 the state that in this case "revision" meant 

 repeal. The legislature met and considered 

 the nine subjects, but refused to amend or 

 repeal the primary law, and in that state the 

 League was saved. 



L'l 307 



