Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1889-11-02
The New Primary Law Receives
a ThOrougl Test and Proves
to Be Satisfactory.
Citizens Can Now Vote for Their Choice
for Convention Delegates and Have
Their Votes Counted.
Great Credit Due to the Men Who
Framed the New Statute-A Talk
with Mr.. WaShburne, the
Father OF the Reform.


was satisfactory conventions and
general feeling of confidence ia the
community.
\ representative of THE EAGLE
called upon Mr.. Hampstead Wash
burne, the father of the new primary
election law. and asked from him a
history of It's inception aud its passage,
the subjcc. being one Of great interest
Il. the present time to the community at
large, which is now reaping the benefit
of this most excellent reform. In an
swer to the question Mr.. Wa,hburne
said while it is true that drew
this bill and gave much time and some
money to aid in its passage, | 10 not
pretend to claim credit for the same.
As City Attorney | was eX-oilicio a
member of the Election Commission
Canyassing Board, and long expe-
rience with the excellent election law
so admirably drawn by Mr.. A. NJ.
Pence, 5. s. Gregory, and others, and
equally well administered by Judge
Prendergast led me to believe thai a
primary election law, placed under the
control of the Election Commission.
would do much to protect reputable
citizens in the exercise of their most
important prerogative-the selection
OF delegates who shall name candi-
dates. My own defeat Mt the Con-
gressional primaries of 1888, accom-
plished as it was by the most shameful
conduct on the part of party manage
ment that has ever disgraced this city,
or any other civilized community.
urged me to seek some method by
which | could, in my next Congress
sional contest, receive a fair show at
the primary, and also give all other
candidates in this city an equally fair
chance before the people, led me to
seek a remedy for the evil. With this
end in view, and with knowledge of
the workings of the election law,
gained as | have said, | sketched out
the salient points necessary to be
covered in such bill | then invited
Senator Leman to assist me in draw
ing up bill covering this reform;
Together we prepared a bill, which
was submitted by me to the Union
League Club, the Hoquois Club and
the press. These clubs officially took
action on the matter, and united al
most to man in urging the passage
of the law, and the press indorsed it
fearlessly and persistently. 1t was
given into the hands of Representative
Hays, to whose tireless efforts the
passage of this bill is largely due
The result of interesting the two po-
litical clubs in this city in the passage
of this bill resulted in a large mass
meeting at Central Music Hall, Feb.
II, 1889, which meeting was called to
order by Gen. George w Smith. The
meeting was attended by many of our
leading citizens, and among the speak-
ers that evening were such well known
persons as AN Pence, Col W. /. Rend.
s. S. Gregory, +. S. Weigley D. B.
Jones, G. g. Dixon, Samuel b. Foster.
and others The Secretaries of this
meeting were II. H. Kohlsaat, 4. II.
Revell and Arthur II. Chetlaiu, and
the following well-known gentlemen,
representing beth political parties,
signifed their hearty Endorsement Of
the bill by accepting positions as Vice
Presidents at the meeting, and Others
equally well known were re-eut iu
the body of the house, thus lending
their presence to the support of the
measure: 5. f.. Barrett, W. 2 Nixon,
( H. j Mcfarland, Norman r. Gassette
Hobart G.. Taylor. Edwin Lee Brown,
j. w. Nyc Louis VAIL, VIM Woke
I 4. l.. Chotlain John g. Roche. A NJ
Pence, T.. c. Halle Ferd W Peck. "
/ = Reud. j j. Glessuer l.. G. Keith
. r. Philip GomuIle j. W. Parker p
/ l.. Underwood S. $ Gregory, g.
d ,.f.. o. II III l .I .