The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-07
HOSTILITY TO NOMINATIONS BY THE
PEOPLE.

1t is reported that some of those who
are now active in the canvass for county
offices are making loud objections TO the
primary election law. These objections
come, how ever, from some who are candi-
dates or their friends. They are 10 the eff
feet that aspirants are compelled TO es-
tablish complete organizations at consid-
cradle cost. and that much i'll feeling has
been aroused between candidates. That
Is. il is a complaint from some excellent
citizens who, because they take an inter-
est in the public positions. come TO i'm
agine they are very much the whole thing.
One of them is reported as saying that it
was much easier TO get nominated by the
old system.
The difficulty with those who make such
objections is that they do not see the other
side in all its enormity as do thousands of
Republican voters. To those who are loud
est I'm such objections the primary
packed with Democrats and nonresidents,
held and ended in a few minutes. is a
proper thing if they are able to do the
packing. 1t was easy for some men, often
Democrats and saloon keepers. to organ
lie a gang. march them to two or more
precincts and carry them. To a few, it
doubtless seems all right to have Demo-
Gratis and nonresidents select delegates to
nominate candidates tor whom Repub-
licans are expected to vote. Unfortunately,
some of these men could not see why Re
tion of such primaries. Nevertheless,
thousands did object, and previous to the
enactment of the present primary law
their objections reached a point where
they ceased to regard such nominations as
binding. During the two years before the
enactment of the law the primary on
the old basis went from bad to worse very
rapidly.
1t is undoubtedly true that the present
canvass preliminary to the primaries of
for some aspirants who announced them
selves months ago and began to gather
their forces There is nothing in the pri-
mary election law that requires citizens
to be aspirants or spend weeks in organi-
zation. If the aspirants for any Office
could get together and promise that they
would devote but a week to the canvass
they could save themselves time and
money without changing the result. There
is no law that requires a citizen to be a
candidate. II there were, and he were
having so serious a season making can
vass the whole matter would be changed.
On the other side, no intelligent man
will say that the old primary afforded an
opportunity to secure deliberate decision
of Republicans. The primaries were al
ways in haste, and, when there was any
thing OF a contest, packing with Demo-
Gratis and nonresidents was as often the
rule as the exception. People have come
to see the evil of the old haphazard pri-
mary, recognizing that government by par
~ must have its primaries. controlled by
party men, who do the voting. and that
nominations must be made in a way that
will insure expression OF the popular will
the people. the people must bvgin at the
fountain head, the primary election, and
begin there by ways that will give them
a voice in naming the candidates. Prac-
teal reform in the methods of govern
ment has reached the point where the
same honesty and care are exercised in the
primary to secure a fair result as in
the election, which is the ratification of
the work OF the primary