The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-30
PRIMARY LAW COMMITTEE
HON. ADDISON c. Harris NAMES HIS
SIX ASSISTANTS.
Five Plans from which the Commit
tee VIII Attempt to Evolve a
Satisfactory Bill.

Hon. Addison c. Harris. selected by the
Commercial Clubs primary election law
committee to appoint a committee of three
Republicans and three Democrats to work
with himself in preparing a new primary
bill. yesterday made the following selec-
ton: A c. Harris, chairman; r. o. Hawk
ms, C. n. Thompson. A. o. Marsh, ]. z.
Mccullough. John w. Kern. and E. A
Perkins.
There were five plans submitted to tbs
Commercial Club committee at its last
meeting, and from these a bill will be
drawn T. E. Griffiths embodied his ideas
in the following:
gestions as to the future work OF the COM
mittee and important features or a gooo
primary election law. AS to the future
work of the committee; 1T seems to me
the first thing now is TO agree upon a Dill
that the committee will support and Sc
sure expressions from public speakers,
newspapers, political and commercial or
ganizations In favor of an improved pri-
mary election law; also use all other means
possible to create greater public senti-
ment In favor of It,
az consider the important feature Of the
primary election law to be one that VIII
cause the nominee as nearly as possible
voters of his party. and fundamental pro-
visions to attain this object to be:
Il. Direct nominations.
81 An expression OF the first and Sec
ond choice OF the voter
"3. Registration and the declaration of
the voter. at that time, of the party that he
affliates with A failure to make such
declaration to disqualify him from voting
at the primary election.
- Nominations for all parties to be made
at the same time and place.
30. Provisions that Will allow every prop
erly qualified voter, who is willing 10 ex-
press his party affiliation. to vote and have
his vote properly counted and that will pre-
vent the counting of any other kind OF
vote
CHARLES MARTINDALE'S PLAN.
Charles Martindale submitted the follow
ing:
81 have your favor of the 18th in regard
to work of the primary law committee and
your request for suggestions as to impor-
tant features of a good primary election
bill. L note the following suggestions:
Il. Convention primary instead of direct
primary.
20. Board of primary commissioners APP
pointed by the County Commissioners for
term of four years.
20. Inspectors, clerks and judges of pri--
mary elections to be appointed by Board
of Primary Commissioners.
"a. All ballots uniform size and paper
without distinguishing mark.
%. Vote buyers punished by fine not less
than $1,000, one-half to go to principal
prosecuting witness by order of court.
sc. No delegate allowed to give proxy,
but in his absence the alternates to be
called in their order on the ballot on which
they are elected.
"a. Penalty for bribery or offer of bril-
berry of delegate to vote or absent himself.
Penalty OF $1,000 fine, one-half TO the bribee.
S: To vote at primary voter must nave
affiliated with the party at last election of
state officers.
80. Penalty for repeating. illegal voting.
etc.
PLAN OF EDWARD INsLEY.
Edward Insley:s plan follows:
"Registration.-No primary law can be
safeguarded without good registration
law. The arguments used in Indiana
against registration law do not apply to
primaries. The party poll is in a way
substitute for legal registration, because
the two leading parties keep jealous watch
of each other. At that, it is an imperfect
of absolutely no avail, except in the hands
of the machine. The poll is used at pri-
maries by only one side, and is accessible
to only one side. and for only selfish pur
poses. Indiana is disgracefully behind her
sister States in this needed reform, simply
because the State Constitution, fifty years
ago unwisely made a uniform registration
law mandatory upon the Legislature,
mandate which the politicians have for
another. and chiefly on the plea that it is
not necessary. But 1t is necessary for a
good primary law, if not for the election.
THE law must be general to conform to
the Constitution, and that necessitates max
ing il simple, if it is to be acceptable TO
the country as well as the city. There are
simple models in abundance. L would have
an original registration, with provision for
additions and revisions. The original reg
istration may be taken on the day of
general election. An entirely new registra-
ton should be taken very four years. The
registry should be kept in a public Office,
be open to inspection by party committees,
and their written challenge should require
suspect notices. But L am merely men,
| uoning some safeguards which all good
registration laws have in common.
state Primary Law.-No definite pri-
mary law applying equally to all parts of
| the State would or should pass the Legis-
lature. But there should be provision for
| regularity in the call, for the constituting
| of primary boards, and statutory offenses.
| The State committee of any party should
be empowered to prescribe other rules. 1t
should be empowered to appoint the man.
ner in which the primary shall be held
as not otherwise designated by law. The
State committee should also have power
To determine differences between counties
regarding the method of holding joint
primaries for legislative candidates or Con-
| gress.
Large Cities.--A primary law mandatory
upon cities of above - population, and to
be optional with other cities. This to be
T dree he msfod to
be used If majority of the precinct COM
mitteemen SO determine. The option of a
| direct or indirect system to be submitted
| to the voters at every election for precinct
| committeeman, and If there is a majority
either way, the committeeman shall vote
in accordance with such instructions. If
not, he shall use his own judgment in vot-
ing the proposition. The primaries for
parties casting over 10 per cent of the vote
at the general election, TO be held on the
| same day. but not at the same polling
places. Primary precincts to be provided
for each party, of not less than two nor
more than seven election precincts.
Where the election boards, hereafter
mentioned shall determine to hold the
registration in concurrence with the pri-
mary. there shall be registrars at each poll
ing place of either party.
Primary boards 10 be selected In the first
| instance from the members of the party
| serving on the regular boards at general
elections and on nomination by the regular
| party committees.
Members of boards to be paid for their
services. And If the public is not yet edu-
Gated TO the point of regarding the primary
| as of much Importance as the election
assess the poor candidates as is now done
in Minnesota and other States.
THE Australian system of voting at
| primaries, by all means.
''Boards.-For each city to which the law
| applies, an election board of four members
bipartisan, appointed by the Judge of the
county court. all, from commissioners
down TO the lowest officers at primaries or
| elections, to be officers of the county court
| This board to have charge of elections
| primaries, registration and apportionment
OF precincts. In this we would be following
the example of all large cities in the coun-
try"
OTHER SUGGESTIONS
William EOrtuna'S fdaas Of rri,,or,, ~