Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-23
Machine Elements Support of
Primary Election Movement
Might Prevent RealReform
cuMMlNs WANTS STRONG LAW
Such Support as Mentioned Above,
However, Is Suspected of Seeking to
Exert an Influence Which Will Sc
euro a Mild Sort of Law That Will
Amount to Very Little.
to Tlmes-Republica,.

Special to Times Republican,
Des Moines, March 23.-It is believ-
ed by many who are taking a deep In
terest in the movement for statewide
primaries that the support of prim-
airy election law will be a popular
thing this year and possibly there may
be some ulterior objects in the support
from some quarters. A Des Moines
paper came out Monday with an edi-
torial supporting primary elections and
the next day followed 1t with another
urging that things should move slow
ly. 1t is being asked will the support
OF the machine or politics for profit
only element Of the republican party,
including the corporate interests, sup
port the primary election movement
because 1t is likely to prove a popular
movement and by supporting 1t infiu-
ence can be exerted to secure mild
sort Of law that will amount to
little.
Considerable thought is being given
to the law by the governor and his close
friends, and some Of the principal
points Of the law are far from being
decided upon as yet The governor de-
sires strong primary law that Will
be state wide and accomplish the ends
sought in making the selection of cam
didates a record of the will of the peo-
pie and not thu manipulation Of poli-
tics and polits clans. The new prim-
ary law that Las been adopted in Wis
consin and which has yet to be tried
for the first time does away with the
state convention. Governor Cummins
is not ready to say that an Iowa law
should go that far. He believes the
state convention to be useful and
Important factor.
An important phase of the primary
election agitation Is whether or not
the selection of a candidate should
be on a plurality or whether there
should be first and second choice with
convention to decide. A new idea
In this matter is whether or not the Sc
lection of candidate should not be
by total Of the first and second
choices to be designated as the nomi-
nee. This would give the convention
no hand or choice in the selection and
would leave it entirely with the peo-
pie. Illustration is made to the Greek
generals, eleven Of whom on certain
occasion determined by ballot who
should lead the forces in battle. Each
general received one ballot as first
choice and one general received ten
ballots as second choice, and was so
cot 0f bo Arof nd
ond choices. -
The determination of how platforms
are to be drawn is another matter
which hinges on the question of wheth-
err or not the convention shall be
done away with. In Wisconsin the
platform is drawn by the state central
committee. Should a convention be
held for that purpose only 1t is an open
question whether or not there would
be a very great attendance at state
conventions which in the past have
been considered ap important factor
in arousing the patriotic as we'll as
the parry spirits of the people. State
conventions in Iowa in the past have
been known to be very entertaining
and picturesque affairs. One method
which has been suggested Isl to have
no state platforms but to depend on
the national convention for the plat
form. There are no doubt a great
many people who would not be con-
vinced that such a course would prove
successful in Iowa.
There will of course be a vast
amount of detail to be worked out in
primary election law and this work
has not even begun yet, land will not
he till the convening of the legislature
is nearer at hand, but after the main
provisions that are desired have been
determined upon the actual drawing
of the bill will not be so difficult.
The top of the scaffolding in the we'll
of the rotunda at the state house has
been torn off as the work is now com
pleted at the extreme top From the
first floor at the present time it looks
as deep a, blue as it would be pos
sible most to paint Some people are
stout in their declaration that it is
Jet black. AS matter of fact it is a
little lighter than at the st. Paul cap
itol and the contract calls for shade
as nearly like the capitol at Washing
ton as possible. When the rest of the
scaffolding is removed so that the light
can reach the top in greater quanti-
ties the color will not. seem so dark,
it is believed, but it will always look
much darker than it was formerly. 1t
used to be a light or sky blue. This
is the big pan shaped structure that
is suspended by wires. The bell of
the dome or the part that will be seen
about this, has been covered with al
uminum and tinted deep gold. Scaf-
folding will now be erected in some OF
the corridors and work will begin
these shortly. The completion of the
work at the top of the rotunda or on
the dome is but start towards the
work of decorations.
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