The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-23
Men Composing the Committee Will
Go About Their Work Practi-
cally Unhampered.
SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS MADE
DISCUSSION OF IDEAS SUGGESTED
BY SECRETARY HUNT.
New Committee Not Committed to a
Measure for Mandatory Direct
Primary Nominations.

discussion its subject for several months,
last night placed the preparation of the
law to be proposed to the legislature I'm
the hands Of a committee of seven, to be
appointed by the chairman, Addison c.
Harris. After doing this with unanimity,
the committee, by vote of 6 to 4, de-
clined to instruct the committee as to it's
work, or to commit II to a measure that
would require mandatory direct primary
nominations, without discrimination be-
tween the counties, or without reference to
local option.
The committee took roundabout way of
reaching these two questions. Over an hour
was spent in general discussion after Sec
rotary Hunt had read the five replies he
had received to the committees circular
letter asking for detailed suggestions as TO
the basic principles of the proposed law.
After this discussion Judge A. o. Marsh
moved that the preparation Of bill be
left with committee of seven, of which
Mr.. Harris shall be chairman, he to ap-
point three Democrats and three Republi-
cans. this committee to report its law the
second Monday In November. Judge Marsh
said there had been a reasonable amount
of discussion in the committee sessions and
the members had given serious thought to
the subject and were undoubtedly prepared
to act. The motion prevailed without a
negative vote.
William Fortune then directed attention
to the fact that the committee was not in
structed what to prepare, and that its whole
work, which was one involving great labor,
might be nullified by the whole committee
when 1t was reported. He thought the
work Of the committee should be defined.
He moved that the ideas suggested in a
communication to Secretary Hunt be in
dorsed as those the subcommittee should
develop in its work.
SECRETARY HUNTS IDEAS.
Secretary Hunts ideas were:
/. / favor nomination of candidates by a
direct vote.
2. A registration law. with a declaration
8. A board of election commissioners, BIZ
partizan, to take charge of the primary and
general elections. The members to be Sc
T. first and second choice in voting,
in order that the nominee may receive a
majority Of votes.
5. The primaries Of both parties to be
held at the same time and place. This pre-
vents frauds and reduces expense. The
same election officers will answer for both
8. The expense of the primary election to
be paid out Of the general fund, as is the
general election The candidates may be
assessed to pay portion OF this expense.
z. All the safeguards and penalties for
illegal voting at general elections should
obtain at primary elections. Uniform bal
lots. without distinguishing marks. secrecy,
etc, should be rigidly enforced at
general elections.
s. A rotation of the names of candidates
in printing the ballots, so that no one has
a more favorable position on the ticket than
the remainder.
9. The law to be mandatory in Marion
county. and optional in all other counties
In the State.
This brought strong speech from
Charles Martindale in opposition. He said
that the problem of primary reform was
form was plant Of slow growth, and the
accomplishment of the ideal was only to
be secured through long series Of con-
cessions. The committee had been seeking
an academic law, but such a law If pre-
scented to the Legislature would surely fail.
law providing for simple reforms would
pass. He said the law would be the result
Of compromise just as the Joss law had
been.
Edward Insley moved that, as the full
committee was not present, the subject of
instruction, which clearly meant to com
NIT the committee to mandatory indiscrim-
mate direct primaries, should be left to
tune insisted that the purpose of the in
struction was solely to provide founda-
ton on which to build the structure of q
law. He realized that many members had
convictions they would not surrender, but
the Ideas Of Secretary Hunt represented,
as Ii could be best understood the ma
tority sentiment of the committee, and
gave all parties fair chance to be heard
when the law was finally submitted. IL
the principles expressed were unpopular 1t
would soon be found.
ATTITUDE OF LEGISLATURE.
State Senator Charles N. Thompson said
that all legislation was largely a matter
Of compromise. He wanted to vote in the
next Legislature on the bill that the people
wanted. Any BILL he said, that does not
satisfy the committee and the community
would have no chance of passage in the
Legislature. The support of the committee
and the community was prestige that would
agreed with Mr. Martindale that the law
should be simple and seek to accomplish
by steps what was desired.
r. o. Hawkins said the Hunt PROPOSE
tons should not be the instructions to the
subcommittee without having been dis
cussed seriatim at another meeting. He
that political parties shall select candi-
dates at a direct primary election. He said
the only reason the Joss law passed in the
last Legislature was because the Legisla-
ture was willing to try II on the dog" and
gave 1t to Marion county. What was need
ed, he said was proper safeguards TO keep
sse nd dThes. eIeceons no matter how
system or nominations was good under
some circumstances, but mandatory law
was not desired. and. although he favored
primary election reform, he opposed a man.
datory law. He said he had for years adj
vocated a registration law and his idea in
the concrete was that, say in 1904, all the
voters should register and then not be
required TO register again unless they
changed residence from one precinct to an
other.
T. f. Grifflths favored instructng the
committee proposed Mr.. Martindale
moved 10 lay the motions of Mr.. Fortune
and Mr.. lnsley on the table, and on a di-
vision or the ten members of the committee
present six voted in favor OF the motion.
Herman Munk suggested that the COM
mittee be instructed to report the skeleton
OF its bill TO the committee in two weeks,
and this prevailed.
FIVE SUGGESTIONS.
Secretary Hunt read five detailed sug-
gestions as to primary law reform Those
other than his own. quoted above were:
T. E. Griffiths-Direct nominations: first
and second choice of candidates; registra-
ton. declaration of party affiliation and
failure 10 declare disqualification at a gen.
eral election; nominal ions to be made by
all parties at same time; security OF honest
count.
Edward MISUNDERSTANDING as substi-
tute for voluntary poll: discriminate law;
Australian ballot in large cities: primaries
should be conducted by public officials paid
partisan primary boards covering same
board 10 cover primaries, registration and
elections and also the apportionment OF
primary precincts
Charles Martindale--Con primary
J instead of direct nominations: board Of