The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-10
He Objects to Statements Made by
Smiley n. Chambers I'm Masonic
Hall Speech.
THE BILLS FIRST BLACK EYE
BLOW WAS GIVEN, HE SAYS, BY DIR
HUNT AND ASSOCIATES
Edward InsIey iso Explains About
the Early Republican Com
vention and Other Matters.

ence TO the primary election bill in the
speech of Smiley n. Chambers at Masonic
Hall Thursday night, in which Mr.. Cham
bers is reported to have said:
"One of the essential features of this bill
was to deprive the chairman of the commit
tee of the right TO name the judges, inspec-
tors and clerks in primary elections, and
place this power in the hands of a board of
primary commissioners. This particular
feature was distasteful to Mr.. Logsdon and
Mr.. Bookwalter because. in the power to
name the officers of the precinct primaries
there abided with them the power to secure
the result they might desire"
The primary bill was written by Senator
Thompson, aided by a committee of the
Commercial Club, of which Addison c. Har-
ris was chairman. The senator said:
After it was drawn and approved by the
Commercial Club subcommittee the bill was
introduced by me. and contained this provi
sion: That majority of precinct commit
teemen in primary district should nomi-
nate election officers, and that such nominal
tions We're subject to rejection by the pri-
mary board if the nominations were unfit
The Senate amended this provision so as to
place the right to nominate in the party
chairmen, subject to rejection for the same
cause. The House, when the bill was OH the
floor, amended it by striking out any right
in the primary board to reject nominations
by the chairmen. This is the history of he
bill. so far as the provision to name judges,
inspectors and clerks is concerned.
LAS TO it's defeat? While the bill was
pending in the Senate a protest was en-
tered with the Commercial Club directors,
and the latter. without notice either to Mr..
Harris or myself adopted the protest, ac-
cording to the newspapers, and repudiated
the bill.
NOT OPPOSED BY BOOKwALTER.
This action was a serious mistake 1t
took hard work to recover from this blow.
but the bill passed the Senate in the best
form obtainable. 1t was decidedly a long
step toward primary reform. In the House
the Democrats, urged on by the local Dem
ocratic machine and by then prospective
Democratic candidate for mayor and some
Republican members, and aided by the
opposition of the Commercial Club friends
OF primary reform, killed the measure on
third reading.
In the fight i'm both houses Mayor Book
walter did not appear, nor was there any
evidence that he was opposing the bill. lie
gave me the personal assurance that he
had no objection to the passage of the bill.
/ know that the bill went to its defeat
through the opposition TO il by some local
the unfortunate action of the Commercial
Club"
Edward Insley, who also took part in the
fight for the bill last winter. said yeSter-
day: ut is untrue that the passage of the
bill was opposed by MIR. Logsdon and Mr.
Bookwalter. That some local Republicans
did fight Ii and fight il hard is unques-
tionably true, but l know personally that
while Mr.. Logsdon objected to some of it's
provisions at one stage of its career, his
objection was withdrawn. and that he and
he rn1 rpSnnnSihln m n n o.
gree whatsoever for the final defeat of the
bill. The persons who first gave the bill
a black eye were George Edwin Hunt and
his Citizens League associates
AMATEUR REFORMERS DID IT.
eff the amateur reformers who consti-
tute the Citizens League-Mr Swift is the
only one of the seven who has had any
previous experience-had not cut the ground
out from under the bill at the start, l sim
cerely believe we would now have. more
suitable primary election legislation, They
made mess of the primary reform move
ment, just as they have Of the Citizens
League. The bill never recovered from the
stab in the back given it by it's alleged
friends
Everyone who is familiar with the work
of the last session knows that the bill was
defeated by coalition in the House between
enemies of the bill, most of them Demo-
Gratis and enemies of track elevation. The
former alone were unequal To the task,
until reinforced by the enemies OF track
elevation. who were also bitterly opposing
the policy of Mayor Bookwalter. No one
knows better than Smiley n. Chambers
the source OF this opposition. Without the
assistance OF friends and associates of
Smiley n. Chambers the enemies of the
primary election bill could never have en-
oompassed it's defeat. The railroad lobby
was fighting Bookwalter first and then the
primary election bill. as Mr. Chambers
we'll knows Mr.. Bookwalter did not fight
the primary election bill and none of the
elements which brought about the defeat
of this bill was essentially Bookwalter
element. The anti-Bookwalter members of
the lower house Of the Legislature were
the most active opponents of the bill.
MIR. Chambers also reiterates in this con-
/ nection the Misrepresentation concerning
| the Republican convention last spring.
That there was to be early convention
! had been no secret for many weeks previous
to the date upon which it was held. Those
| in control of the organization in this city
| were of opinion that IL would be party
| policy to have a long campaign instead of a
| short one-all the more so because the re-
| nomination of Mayor Bookwalter was con-
coded by all except d few malicious NAL
contents and the mayor was not only will
| ing but anxious to Eave the campaign
| fought out on his own record
NOTICE GIVEN
"All the notice that could be given was
/ given Mr. Logsdon stated informally tC
newspaper reporters. and the statement
was published. weeks before the call was
issued that there would be a primary fol-
precinct committeeman in March. Two
weeks legal notice OF this primary for pre-
cinct committeeman was given. There was
| ample time TO make fight in the precincts
| If there were any votes back of this alleged
| anti-Bookwalter element. AS much a fight
| as its numbers were capable of was made
| at the primary for precinct committee
| men, but the ants were overwhelmingly
| beaten
I'm pursuance of law, the new commit
tee met, decided upon the convention and
| then adjourned. Thereupon, with the sole
! purpose of putting the Republican organi
| zaTion in a false light. the Martindale- Rid
| path clique. already so overwhelmingly
| beaten that there was no hope OF success
| circulated petitions demanding that III,
| city chairman call the general commtte,
| into session again, and induce il to re-
| consider its action, well knowing that tn,
| action already taken by the general com
mittee had been in accordance with law
| and that the city chairman had neither tn,
| authority nor sufficient reason 10 recon
| vene the committee for this purpose Ii |.
very easy To get people TO sign any kline
| of petition, and although some 1900 name,
| were obtained for this petition, il has sine,
| been ascertained that 70 per cent. of then
| were simply to obige a friend In othel
| words the kickers numbered not more thar
! 500 instead OF 1000.
| ssThe so-called ants had in reality nearl,
| six weeks notice of the early convention
! They did what they could 10 stir III
enough opposition 10 make a fight worth,
tain a candidate. No fair-minded citizen %
| lndianauolis who is familiar with tn,