The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-20
One of the Most Interesting of the
Series of Information Meetings
Held by Commission.
SPEAKER ANSWERS QUESTIONS
AFTER HAVING EXPLAINED THE DE-
TAILS OF THE ILLINOIS LAW.
Members of the Commercial Club
Progress Has Been Made.

The series of information meetings which
have been held by the Commercial Club
committee on primary reform was
brought to a close last night by
an address of sterling value deliv-
cred by Mr.. ]. Fred Rush, a
prominent attorney Of Chicago and an au-
thority on questions related to the one to
which the committee is giving its atten-
ton. Mr.. Rush's paper was on 1.-The Work
ings of the Primary Election Law in Illi-
nois,' and the advantages and defects of
the system tried in his own State were
commented on by Mr.. Rush in illuminative
style.
In many ways the meeting of last night
was the most interesting of the series. The
discussion was more general, an evidence
of which is the fact that Mr.. Rush was
kept busy for three-quarters of an hour
answering questions suggested by salient
points of his address Those who were
present were the members of the commit
tee who have been taking the most active
interest in primary reform since the sub
ject began to be of active interest to the
club-Addison G. Harris, chairman of the
committee; DR.. George Z. Hunt secretary
of the committee; William Fortune, r. O.
Hawkins, T. L. Griffith, S. E. Morss, Mer-
rill Moores Joseph A. Minturn, Linton A
Cox Edward Insley, II. L. Beveridge and
Ernest Keith.
Chairman Harris opened the meeting with
a brief resume of what had been accom-
plished so far, remarking that the series of
information meetings had been of great
value in that they had elicted from men
active in politics their views, frankly ex-
pressed, of primary laws as they had seen
them in operation. Mr. Harris spoke of the
necessity for making the movement one
of State interest and of the necessity for
in teresting actively civic and other organi-
cations to work with the committee. He
took occasion a little later to speak briefly
of the position of the speaker of the even
ing-Mr. Rush-as an authority whose
opinions would be of the utmost value to
the committee in solving the problem with
which il had grappled.
Mr.. Harris remarks led up TO the read
ing OF a circular letter by William For
tune, chairman of the committee on CO.
operation of civic ORGANIZATIONS. Copies OF
the letter were sent TO every organization
In the State OF a civic nature. and also To
labor organizations The letter explained
the purpose or the Commercial Club as an
effort 10 nave enacted laws that should be
the best possible method for securing full
and active participation Of voters i'm the
nominations of candidates. 1t stated that
for the purpose of obtaining informa tion
from now on the committee would work
for the most part toward securing the ac-
tive cooperation OF all civic organizations
The letters asked the ORGANIZATIONS 70
which they were sent to pass resolutions
and send them TO the Commercial Club as
expressions of local sentiment and views
and also TO appoint representatives to meet
with the Commercial Club committee i'm a
big state meeting to be held in September
a day 10 be set
Following MT Fortune Mr.. Rush deliv-
cred his address. He said that the Illinois
law may be considered TO work satisfac-
torily In that 1t accomplishes the things
II was designed 10 accomplish. and unsatis-
factorily In that 1t does not achieve all
the things that might be achieved. II was
designed, he said, for the particular pur-
pose OF taking party primaries out Of the