Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-09

this one. There were neither stand
patters' nor "progressves' in the reg
islature. II would have puzzled the
most ardent mischief maker to nave
made up o. classification of the mem
bers with This as basis. The 32nd
general assembly marked an era OF
good feeling In political affairs.
PRIMARY BILL PRE-EMINENT.
Nearly all who have discussed the
matter refer to the primary election
bill al tho one chief accomplishment
of the legislature, yet there are many
who realiHe that other measures are
well nigh as important, even tho the
popular attention has not been direct
ed their way. The primary election
bill will not be in force for over a
year, and 1t is probable the legislature
viii authorize the publication of spe-
cial pamphlet giving the law in full so
that every voter of the state may
study it. The law provides for state
wide plurality primaries for the NOM
nation If all save Judicial officers,
with provision for conventions to de-
eide where no candidate has received
So per cent Of the vote. Tne primaries
Of all political parties are held at the
same tir1e and all on the first Tues
day after the first Monday of June,
which would make the dates vary from
June 10 s. The judges and clerks
will be selected as election judges and
clerks, and polls open in registration
cities from a. IN. to y. M. ana IN
the country from p. m. to s p. m.
At the time Of voting the voter calls
for the ballot of the party he affiliates
with, thus making a party declaration,
but subsequently his name appears on
a party roll which Is corrected from
year to year, and is subject to correc-
ton In prescribed form. Candidates
to file nomination papers with petit
tions signed by voters. Ballots are OF
uniforrr size and color All candi-
dates Tor office are voted on and
preference is given for United States
senator. Committeeman are selected
by ballot, also delegates 10 county con-
ventions Boards of supervisors and
the executive council are canvassing
boards. Where one candidate has re-
ceived more votes than any other, and
this is at least S5 per cent of the vote
cast for that office, he is declared
nominated. All other nominations go
to conventions. The county conven-
tons will be held eleven days after the
primary district conventions on call
of party committees, and state con-
ventions the latter part of June or
early in July. Nominations may be
made by petition as now. and In case
there have been no candidates before
the primary election the county con-
ventions will make up tickets. There
are strict clauses forbidding all man
ner Of corruption in connection with
the primary and improper influences.
The law applies to first class cities ex-
cept where the commission plan has
been adopted. Judges will continue to
be nominated by present methods.
IMbETERMlNATE SENTENCE.
The bill which many of the best men
Of the legislature believe to be of
greatest Importance, outranking the
primary in its character in every way
is the reformatory bill. This law marks
the taking Of step that probably will
nev;.r be retraced, a step which means
tha': for all time Iowa is to try to fol-
low methods in the punishment of
crime and the treatment of those who
have been convicted that will look pri-
maMly to the making Of better man
and the betterment of society as a
whole The manifest inequalities of
the old system will be removed. In
stead of courts being solely for the pur-
pose of wreaking out the vengeance OF
the. state upon those who go astray
they will be parts OF great machine
for the conversion of undesirable or
dangerous elements OF society into good
citizens. After the. first of July the
courts will cease to apply the old hard
ana fast rule of definite sentence for
fixed term, and will sentence those
convicted for the terms fixed by law
for the crimes. A man convicted of a
crime for which the code says the
term shall be from five to twenty years
will be committed without fixing any
definite time 6f punishment. The man
may get out in five years or in twenty
or he may remain forever. This will
be under the control of parole board
who are under 30 years of age, and
who have not been convicted of the
Most heinous crimes.
The parole board will keep an accur-
ate record of every person committed
To the reformatory and where there is
evidence of a, reformation or that the
prisoner will be in fact good citizen,
q parole will be issued after proper
time. Paroled persons will be re-
CURED to make reports regularly. In
'!ase of second fall the paroled per-
son may be sent back on simple order
of the parole board to serve out the
longest term connected with the crime
for which he was convicted. In case it
is found, after commitment, that a pris-
,oner is in fact second or third termer
or has deceived as to his age-usually
matters that the committing judge
cannot readily find out-he may be
transferred from the reformatory to the
penitentiary. The parole board will
consist of three members with a secre-
tary, having an office in the state cap
itol. This reformatory and indetermin-
ate sentence plan has been adopted IN
many states and 1t Is common in Eu
iopean countries. 1t will involve
great deal OF labor on the part of the
parole board. but ITS advocates believe
it will be OF Immense benefit in dealing
with crime and injecting the reform of
That Er1a class Af rlufortunates whose