The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-13
Ralph M. Easley, of Chicago
Civic Federation,
Issues a Call for a National
Conference
FOR CAUCUS REFORM.
Will Meet in New York City
Next Month.
Call is Signed by Many PrOmi-
nent Men.

ue0G M0uS
New York. Dec. 13.-The following call
has been given out by Ralph NJ. Easley,
secretary of the Civic Federation of Chi
cago, who has been acting for a large
number of reform and quasi-political or
aanizatfops the past three weeks:
Believing that our caucus or primary
election customs and laws lie at the very
root and source of our entire elective
franchise system, and that the misruIe
OF our larger cities is due in a large meas
ure to the defects in such practices and
customs it therefore follows that to pur-
ify this system is to take a long step in
the direction of honesty, economy and ef-
hcIency in every branch of the public
service: and further believing that the en-
actment of laws to prevent corrupt caucus
practices and throw the safeguards of a
regular election around the caucus or
primary will encourage many good citi-
zens to take part therein, we, the under
signed, for the purpose of discussing and
discovering as far as possible the precise
defects in the various systems which now
obtain and their remedies. and to take
such action as may seem wise in the
premises, do hereby join in calling con-
ference of persons interested in said ques-
tion to convene in the city of New York
on the 18th and 18th days of January,
1888.
I'VE deem it desirable that the confer.
ence be made up of men from all parts
of the country, and without regard to.
party or factional affiliations
The object of this conference is to
bring together men with practical ideas
from all the large cities, especially from
states where substantial progress has been
made in caucus reform. The programme
will include speeches by men of national
reputation in both political parties, as well
as reports from practical men as to the
working of various laws now governing
primary election caucuses.
Considerable attention will be given to
the question, How to get voters out to
the primaries, after fair laws are secured.
Special interest will be taken in reports
from New York, ,Massa chusetts, Maryland,
Illinois, New Jersey and Ohio, where leg
islatures will then be in session and con-
sidering primary election laws.
Headquarters will be opened at the
Hotel Manhattan, New York, December
q. 1891"
Among the siguers Of the call are;
Mayor William I. Strong, ,ex-Nfayor Abram
S. Hewitt, ex-AIinister to Turkey Oscar
/ Straus, President of the Board of Trade
Darwin r James, John Z. AIilholland ex-
City Chamberlain William NJ. Ivens, VIII /
lis J. Abbott, Albert Shaw, William Brook
field, Gustav Schwab. Postmaster Cornelius
Van Cott, Carl Schurz, Dorman B. Eaton,
Henry Randall Waite, president of the
American Institute of Civics; B. F. Gilki- |
son. secretary of the League of American |
municipalities; George x McAneny, sec |
retary of the National Civil Service /
league; E. I Godkin, Lyman J. Gage, sec
retary of the United States treasury; Mel /
Vile E. Stone, general manager of the |
Associated Press; William T. Baker, pres |
ident Board of Trade, Chicago; Thomas |
NJ. Bryan, president Union League club,
Chicago; John V. Farweu, Jr., president |
Of the Merchants club, Chicago; Thomas |
f. Hoyne. president Iroquois club, Chi /
cago: F. G. Paulding, president Marquette |
club Chicago; Jesse Holdom, president /
Hamilton club, Chicago; 7. n. Jameson, |
national Republican committeeman, Chi |
cago: H. B. Healy, president Northwest |
ern university, Chicago; George A Tollas- |
bv. president Bar association, Chicago;
Adolph Nathan, president of the Civic |
Federation, Chicago; George E. Cole, pres |
ident Municipal Voters league, Chicago; |
f G. SchelI, national organizer Epworth !
league. Chicago: Henry Wade Rogers, |
president Northwestern university, Chi |
cago; s. A. Wilson. secretary Federation |
of Labor. Chicago; J. H. Gilbert, Roy G. /
West, William H. Harper. Franklin H |
McVeagh. Thomas c. Mcmillan. William |
A. Giles RaIoh NJ. casey, William c. |
HoIlister, Susepn O'DonnsLA, 9. f. Rush, /
Edward InsTev- e G. Keith, N A Paru- I
ridge. Luther Latin Mills. John w. Ella, |
Lawrence P. Boyle. George L. DOus1as, I
Chicago; z. NJ. Hoffman, sheriff; Joseph /
Packard, Jr., president of the Reform |
league: Joe D. Gather. Jr., Roger w. /
Gull. chairman of the Reform league; W. |
G. Rauschenberger. mayor. Milwaukee,
John A Butler. president of the Munich !
pal league. John c. Spencer, president
Merchants association; E. II. Bottom, II.
A J. Upham. John Johnston, John F.
Burke. GIenway MaxOn, Charles Best, E.
G. Bacon, c. F. MunrOe, A. R. Butler,
James c. Flanders, James K Insley, W.
T Durand c. G. Stern, Milwaukee; p
G. Mcguire, general secretary Carpenters
and Joiners OF America, Philadelphia; W.