The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-07

Court on nominations made py tne 80
board shall be chosen from the party cast,
ing the highest number of votes Al - asrtv
preceding e%lection; and two from .ns ~
two Of opposite party shall expire every
two years The court may decline 20 AZ
point any person so recommended, an NJ
Quire a further nomination; noweNeI' IL
person shall be appointed other than one
so Endorsed except in case OF faiiurs :" -.
part OF the committee TO make sucn re
concentration. The board sessions sndn y
public and its records open to pubic inspee-
ton"
Mr.. Insley's substitute motion met wfrs
little favor and was killed by a vote eIe
TO 3. Still unwilling TO accept the repvi'
of the subcommittee on that point. M.
Kern offered the motion that the Snc c'
Court be substituted for the county com
missioners as the appointing power he va
strongly backed by Mayor anu
the motion was passed After TINS oiscouuIid5
sion arose as to whether such power coulo
be legally conferred upon a judge Dy lne
legislature. Judge Mccullough was en-.
phatic in the declaration that IT couia nor
be. He said that the Supreme Court mas
held time and time again that the Leeisia,
ture has absolutely no appointive power ana
the passing Of the bill with such a feature
in it would amount TO the exercise or sucn
power. He doubted strongly whether sucn
a provision would stand in a test suit
Mr.. 7. Z. Griffith made the motion tnat
the Circuit judge appoint only on the
recommendation Of the county central com
mittees. but that a list of no less than SIX
names be submitted to him from which he
could make selections. Mr.. s. L. Morss
and others were Of opinion that such a pro-
vision would amount to nothing more than
giving the central committee the right 10
be nothing more than a igurehead. 1t was
pointed out, however, that the judge need
not be limited to the six names and the
objection was made to having a judge
mixed up so directly in politics, and there
was a sentiment against that so strong that
fhn fnta ~ thu nnra nrhf
full; the position, however. was one of such
difficulty that the commission could do no
better than to place the responsibility on
the shoulders Of the Judge. 1t was said that
he might be a weak man, might at the die
tation Of committeeman and political friends
name the members of the primary boards
unfairly, and might in time of necessity
use the power to promote his own political
fortunes: The members of the commission
admitted all those possibilities, but fell
back on the idea that the character of the
bench generally is so high that good men
will usually be given the power. Mr.. Grit
fth's motion carried by a bare majority.
A REGISTRATION LAW.
When 1t came to a discussion Of the third
section of the comm report, re-
lating to the registration law. there was
more stripping OFF of fair exteriors to dis
play bony interiors. The plan to have a
general registration law was received In
chilly silence. Republicans and Demo-
Gratis turned toward 1t the coolest of
shoulders and it died 'abornin'.' Many of
the gentlemen present could not resist the
temptation to take a metaphorical punch
at registration in general. S. Z. Morss
declared earnestly that registration laws
had been productive of more election
frauds than possibly anything else con-
cause of unlimited corruption and debauch-
cry in New York and Pennsylvania. he
said, and there was no possible excuse for
their trial In Indiana. Besides that, he
said, the passage of such a law would add
immeasurably to the expense of elections,
and the people out in the State would be
head vigorously. Charles Martindaie
acquiesced. John Kern followed with
some talk along the same line and Charles
rotary George Z. Hunt and Edward Insley
stood their ground gamely as friends of
the suggestion, but they were outnumbered
and retired.
How are you going to keep a man from
voting out Of his precinct, / should like to
know ?" said DR.. Hunt.
Send him to the penitentiary." said Mr..
There are very few cases, anyway"
said Mr.. Bookwalter, where men go out
of their precincts to vote. At best it Is a
dangerous business"
LAID ON THE TABLE.
Mr.. Martindale moved that the third
W 80 ~ AoA4
upon the table and it died a peaceful
death.
On the fourth section Mr.. Insley submit
ted a substitute resolution which was it
self chopped up a bit and finally passed in
a modified form. 1t was: That part of
the committees report referring to the
expenses of the primary is not approved In
so far as it applies to Marion county. Nor
t. A. ----:x.s $1,000 -l
proved in the respect that it neglects to
provide or suggest that a plan for a sep
arate law for Marion county should be
provided, optional with the other counties,
the expenses of the primaries to be paid
out of the public treasury. There is no
necessity for holding the primaries of all
parties jointly to reduce the expense. as
the report seems to take for granted. With
joint primaries one must be held In every
election precinct, but with separate pri-
maries only half as many polling places
much"
Mayor Bookwalter seized the opportunity
to narrate some OF the unpleasant expert
primary. Y have no idea" he said,
how hard it is to get money out Of can
didates unless you have tried 1t. / nave
had a little experience in that and / know
how 1t goes. / am here to tell you that
with the money the candidates are willing
to put up it would be impossible to pay
the rent of the polling places and the sal
HI HlnHUI
was strongly for having the expense of
providing polling places and the paving
Of election officers come out of the public
treasury. In this connection Mr.. Book
walter commented on the lack of secrecy at
most primaries and remarked that when
he cast his vote at the recent one he had
to do it In a room where there was only a
lamp for a light. where there had been
no proper provision for privacy, and where.
as he made out his ballot, there were four
teen statesmen standing over his shout
der noting how he voted and giving him
the laugh.
At this point John W. Kern made the re-
freshingly frank declaration that the ma
1or1ty of the candidates on the present
Democratic ticket had been drafted. 1t
was impossible to get them any other way
under the prevailing circumstances he said
I'VE are In the minority, very badly In the
minority, and the men did no. want to
take the places. We had to draft them
NOW you can depend upon it that these
men would not val to submit to assess
ments to pay for election expenses" Mr.
Kern was also In favor of having the public
pay part of the expenses of the primaries.
MR. HAWKINS'S MOTION.
r. o. Hawkins moved that the expense
Of the primary election voting parapher-
MALTA, such as election booths, etc., and also
the pay of election officers. should come out
of the public treasury; but that the parties
bear the cost Of printing tickets and the
like. The motion was passed. Mr.. Kern
moved that the provision be made COM