The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-04-19
Especial CORES pondence OF the COURIER
the REPUBLICAN PRIMARY LAW,
ADOPTED BY THE LAST LEGlSLA.
TURE, SHOULD BE A WARNING TO
LOVERS OF LIBERTY.

LOVERS OF LIBERTY.
Too Much Power Trusted 10 Party Com
mittees.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Apr. Is 1901
II 1t was no surprise to close observ
ers OF the last campaign, that ther
should emanate from the Republican
Legislature such travestry on re
form as the So called Minturn Pri
mary bill. Any expression OF tn
true sentiments of the Republican
! lparty necessarily must show tha
! the breech, always existing between
that party and the people, is grow
ing wider and wider. Nothing coul,
show more plainly than this act
that the interests Of that party ART
not the interests Of the people; tha
the function of the elector is bein,
gradually circumscribed and limitet
TO an alarming extent wherever it il
in power. What the ultimate result
of such legislation will be, is not &
matter of speculation. Results ol
fpast similar efforts have demon
strated beyond all question that the
truest interests OF government will
previously suffer when controlled
by the Imperial party.
The key note to the primary law f,
originated by Senator JOSS, is found
in the first line Of Section q: "For
the purpose Of the formation of party
organizations" The title of the bill
declares that the act is for "the puri-
fication Of primary elections. j." With
astounding direct and frank purpose,
the law provides for a"purifcation, "
but not of the character the people
Of the commonwealth desire.
The Joss abortion "purifes" the
the primary Of every intelligent, in
depend INT voter, o. every man who
Oh demand, will not swear a pres
ent, past, and future allegiance to
the party, its principles and candi-
dates; Of every man who will not !,
under oath, affirm his Willingness to
surrender his personal judgment in
the matter Of the selection of the
men for whom he will vote. 1t puts
a premium on the sacrifice of man.
hood and manliness; it deifies parti-
sanship, while degrading patriotism.
Its utter disregard Of the American
ism Of self-government is amazing
in its malevolence.
The Republican patty solemnly
pledged itself t. the enactment of
primary law that would prevent he
present well known vicious abuses
of the system in general use. The
act, passed as the party's fulfill
ment OF its pledge, IS as the giving
Of stone in place of bread. In
view OF the expectation of our peo-
pie for relief from existing evils,
this law comes as an insult to their
ideal of citizenship.
A casual glance at the enactment
is sufficient to enable anyone TO OBJ
serve its most glaring irregularities.
A critical study Of it leads to the
one inevitable conclusion, that its
author and those favoring it were
deter mined, that whatever else
might be neglected, mistreated and
sacrificed, party power and organiza-
tion should remain intact. In 9TH
er words, the demand of the whole
State for law conserving the rights
of the individual voter, is answered
by the passage Of bill that not only
deprives the voter Of a constitutional
guaranteed right, but emphasizes
and increases, as against him, the
power Of party machinery. 1t is a
dastardly blow at one Of our most
sacred tenets Of democracy.
The most offensive provisions Of
the law are those defining the quail
ifications Of electors, the methods Of
voting at direct primaries, the stat
ltory recognition Of the central con-
mittees, the powers vested in them;
AID last, leaving the question Of d.
rect or delegate primaries to the pre-
cinct committeeman.
The qualifications of voters are
fixed by Section A. II provides that
upon challenge Of any person offer
ing to vote, he must make affidavit
hat at ths last preceding election
he affiliated with the party, and will
vote for the regular nominees Of
such party at the coming election.
BY Section IA it is made a Grim
nal offense for anyone to vote or Of.
Ter to vote who is notlegally quail
fled voter according 10 the provis-
ons Of Section a.
Words severe enough foi condem-
nation Of such legislation cannot be
'ound. By the provisions Of the