The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-16
THE PRIMARY LAW.
Politicians Rail at 1T Because 1t Has
Cost Them Much.

Whatever may be the merits of the Joss
primary election law, it's administration
has placed it in high disfavOr with the
men who are accredited with being party
leaders and with the candidates who per-
mitted themselves to be mulcted by the
grafters snd the vote seller. At the read
ing of the returns Friday night and yester-
day the bare mention 'of primary election
law was sufficient TO call forth a chorus
of growls and excavations from the promi-
nent Republicans present and from the
weary. hollow-eyed men who had worked
hard night and day trying To evolve order
out of chaos.
Mayor Bookwalter, listening to the re-
turns and talking of the days work, was
heard to say in an aside: IF / have any
thing to do with II this Is the last time we
will ever have to monkey with this abomi-
nation" Chairman Elliott said little but
the disgust written in his face was sufii-
cient evidence of his feelings. It's hOrri-
BILE" he said. II hope that this is the last
time we will have 10 work under it,"
The consensus of opinion seemed to be
that. while the law is a good thing in
theory, it does not work out Well in prac-
tice. 1t gives, so the men who were "bled''
say. an unlimited opportunity. to the cor
rupt and venal man to beg, lie and steal.
IL makes IL incumbent upon any man that
desires election TO spend large sums to
gain the good Will of human parasites.
they declare, and after the money is spent
the candidate has no certainty that the
man he bought will keep up his end of the
unsaVOry transaction.
The thing that was plainly evident In the
election Friday was that there was no sys-
tenn of any kind Votes were east, counted
and returned in a loose. careless, haphaz-
ard way. There was delay in receiving re-
turns and in tabulating them. and the
whole state OF affairs, in the opinion of
those most interested, was most unsatisfac-
tory. The hope was expressed frequently
yesterday that at future primaries there
will be some system used by which things
will be done in some order instead of a
helter-skelter. don t-care fashion.
1t was stated yesterday that the law
violated in letter and spirit during Fridays
election. There was an absolute lack OF
members of election boards did not cOnfne
themselves strictly 10 their duties but in
some cases left the ballot boxes to talk to
voters and candidates The inspectors in
more cases than one violated the law by
not making returns to the county chairman
i'm the time specified
To those who complained bitterly of the
evil things that accompanied the admins
tration of the Joss law il was pointed out
that the law might be amended and so
changed that the obnoxious features would
be done away with and the good ones ac-
centuated and made more practical The
answer that nothing could do away
with the opportunity IL gave for widespread
corruption, or that IL could never be made
more than cumbersome, bulky way of Sc
Letting candidates.
A politician OF more than local prom
inence stated yesterday that one of the
questions the next Legislature would Ger
tainly have 20 consider would be the repeal
OF the Joss law. He said that the men who
make politics a business were down on the
measure and the people in general. who
were expected TO benefit by its provisions
are a.atheuc.