Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-11

" 'OCCOIIU
such, and it has been known in other
states, was non-existent whatever the
railroad representatives accomplished
it was was with clean work.
Little Partisanshp.
Neither was there any display of
craftsmanship In the session save as
to the antics of one Miller, chairman
/ of the democratic state committee
! aided and abetted by a few disgruatl-
ed republicans The democrats got
more proportionate to their numbers
than the republicans. There was
no time one could tell democrat
from republican By his vote his
talk or his associations. Neither was
there any factionalism. This seemed
| to have all disappeared some timc
| between the close of the last lesls-
lative secession and the opening of this
one. There were neither stand
patters" nor 'progressives" in the leg
| islatur. 1t would have puzzled the
most ardent mischief maker rather
| than to have made up classification
of the members with this as basis
The 32nd general assembly marked
an era of good feeling in political af-
| fairs.
The Primary Bill.
Nearly all who have discussed tie
matter refer to the primary election
bill as the one chief accomplishment
Of the legislature, yet there are many
who realize that other measures are
well nigh as important. even though
the popular attention has not been
directed their way The primary cleo
ticn bill will not be in force for over
La year and it is probable the legisla-
| ture will authorize the publication OF
a special pamphlet giving the law IN
full so that every voter OF the state
may study it. The law, provides for
statewide plurality primHries for the
nomination of all save judicial Off
| GERS, with provision for conven-
lions to decide where no candidate has
received s5 per cent of the vote. The
primaries of alls political parties are
held at the same time and all on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday
Of June, which would make the dates
vary from June 2 to 8. The judges and
clerks will be selected as election
Judges and clerks, and polls open in
registration cities from Z a. m. to 8
D. M, and in the country from 2 p. m.
to 8 p. m. At the time OF voting the
voter calls for the ballot of the party
he affiliates with thus making party
declaration but subsequently, his
name appears on party roll, which
| is corrected from year to year and is
subject to correction in prescribed
form. Candidates to file nomination
papers with petitions signed by vot-
ers. Ballots are of uniform size and
color. All candidates for Office are
voted on and preference is given for
i United States senator. COMMITTEES
! men are selected by ballot, also dele
i gates to county conventions. Boards
4 of supervisors and the executive coun-
Gil are canvassing boards. Where one
i eleven days after the primary, district
conventions on call of party commit
candidate has received more votes
i than another and this is at least 35 per
cent of the vote cast for that Office
he is declared nomin ated. All other
nominations go to the convention
The county conventions will be held
!, tees. and state conventions the lat
ter part of June or early in July
Nominations may be made by petition
no candidates before the primary
, election the county conventions vii
make up tickets. There are strict
clauses forbidding all manner of cor
ruption in connection with the pri
mary and improper influences. The
, law applies to first class cities exceDt
, where the commission plan has beer
! adopted Judges will continue to be
nominated by present methods.
The Reformatory Bill.
; The bill which many of the bes
: men of the legislature believe to b.
n Of greatset Importance, outrankins
: the primary in its character in ever,
way, is the reformatory bill. This
law marks the taking Of a step tina
= probably will never be retractced, {
: step which means that for all time
/ Iowa is to try to follow methods il
/ the punishment of crime and tn
/ treatment of those who have been con
J. victed that will look primarily to thu
y making Of a better man and the bel
g terment Of society as whole. TIL
n manifest inequalities of the old sys
n tenn will be removed. Instead of court
t being solely for the purpose of wreak
e ing out the vengeance of the stat
$ upon those who go astray they vii
t be parts of a great machine fer tn
p conversion of undesirable or DANCE.
S Gus elements of society into goo