The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-11-25
MANY REFORMS IN
PRIMARY LAW
NEEDED
-. r.. INGRAM.
SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE sEPARA-
TON OF CITY, COUNTY AND
STATE ELECTIONS. AND Pun
IshMENr FOR CORRUPTION.

+. +. Ingram. who was member OF
the constitutional convention. was the
chief speaker at the banquet Oh the
Wholesalers association In the Penoo-
scot Inn "Wednesday noon. His topic
was The primary election law. lie
spoke In part. as follows:
'Bourke Cochran. OF New York. be-
fore The Chicago grand jury that was
Investigating the primary election
frauds. said that crooked as pri-
mary" had become byword amongst
politicians This is largely SO because
primary election laws are new laws,
they have Intentionally been made
needlessly cumbersome and unwork-
able by politicians who heretofore
have controlled caucuses and are now
trying TO retain their supremacy under
the direct primary system.
Our primary election laws must be
made better or our elective system
will grow worse.
The late primary election cam
paign was made mainly In saloons or
at places connected with saloons. The
influence exerted through the saloon
channels concentrated that vote on
candidates whose appeal was 10 that
element The other votes were scat
tered and ineffective.
Our laws and policies are deter.
mined by the governor, mayor. legis-
lator and alderman. Voters ought 10
be free 10 select such candidates sepa-
rately.
Some one has computed the cost of
| the primary TO the city as sl3O.OV0.
This does not include the enormous
cost TO candidates, who must naturally
expect to make good the investment.
| The expenses OF such primary are
ruinous to candidates and demoralz'
ing 10 voters.
bad as II Is, the direct primary Is n
great Improvement over the old eau
Gus and convention. Then the people
were ignored Under the direct pr!-
mary at the very morst they may be
BAN boozled and sold out. they cannot
be left out.
I'm suggesting amendments am re
ferring particularly TO the Wayne
county primary election law because
the local law Is Of great local I'M
portance and its amendment can os
secured with less difficulty
First: The number OF Offices to De
voted on at the direct primary should
be reduced City elections could be in
the spring. county elections on alter
nate years TO state elections.
Second: Each candidate should be
required to put up a forfeit TO get his
name on the ticket, the forfeit to be
returned to him only X he gets hall
as many votes as the successful can
didate. This will simplify matters by
reducing the number OF candidates.
Third: There should be corrupt
practice act similar to the British cor.
rupt practice act. the courts TO 1oroid
printing the name OF a candidate on
the ticket at the general election II
II Is proven he or his agents gave
voter money, cigar or drink,
carriage ride. promise OF JOB or
anything OF value during the primary
campaign.
Fourth: II a candidate In the pri-
mary receives a majority Of all the
votes cast for the ONCE his election TO
that office shall be certified and there
will be no contest at the general cleo
ton for that office. This would inspire
all parties 10 try and secure4the ONCE
and end the contest at the primary.
The number Of party candidates would
be reduced, partisans would be COM
PEELED to vote their own party ticket
In the primary.
Fifth: The section that permits the
instruction OF voters should be repeal
ed. IL Is used for corrupt purposes.
In this day and age II man doesn't
know enough to mark his own ballot
that fact should automatically dis
franchise him. The right 10 instruct
is seldom used except for the purpose
of securing the delivery OF bribed
vote.
I'VE should have a good state pri-
mary law because state policies neces-
sarjly are determined at the Repub-
lican primary The general election.
Is but a ratification. Democrats de-
string to participate with their votes
In state matters can do so by becom-
ing Republicans. for the only votes
that count are those cast in the Re-
publican primary. Other Democrats
can find satisfaction In the thought
that though they are denaturalized,
they are permitted TO live and prob
ably will die as we'll and the laws VIII
be as good and as well enforced as
II they had hand In IL.