The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-11-26
MANY REFORMS IN
PRIMARY LAW
NEEll!E9! :. :.
-. r.. INGRAM.
SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE sEPARA-
TON OF CITY, COUNTY AND
STATE ELECTIONS, AND Pun
isHMENT FOR CORRUPTION.
-F. T.. INGRAM.

F. F. Ingram. who was member OF
the constitutional convention, was the
chief speaker at the banquet of the
Wholesalers association In the Penob-
scot Inn Wednesday noon. His topic
was The primary election law" lie
spoke III 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 a 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 10 retain their supremacy unde,
the direct primary system
Our primary election laws must be
made better or our elective system
viii grow worse.
The late primary election cam
paign was made mainly In saloons or
Ut places connected with saloons. The
influence exerted through the saloon
channels concentrated that vote on
candidates whose appeal was TO that
element The other votes We're scat
tered and ineffective
Our laws and policies are deter
mined by the governor, mayor. legis
lator and alderman. Voters ought To
be free 10 select such candidates sepa-
Iately
Some one has computed the cost OF
the primary To the city as $4,000.
This does not include the enormous
cost To candidates. who must naturally
expect to make good the investment.
The expenses Of such primary are
2 iuinous to candidates and demoraliz'
iDg TO voters.
Bad as IL is, the direct primary Is
great Improvement over the old eau
Gus and convention. Then the people
we're ignored Under the direct PR
mary at the very morst they may be
bamboozled and sold out. they cannot
be left out
I'm suggesting amendments am re.
ferrlng particularly to the Wayne
county primary election law because
the local law is of great local i'm
rortance and its amendment can be
occurred with less difficulty.
First: The number OF Offices TO be
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 II he gets hal!
hn = n
ddate. This will simplify matters by
reducing the number OF candidates.
Third: There should be corrupt
practice act similar to the British cor.
,unt practice act. the courts TO forbid
printing the name OF a candidate OH
the ticket at the general election IL
il is proven he or his agents gave
voter money, cigar or drink,
carriage ride. promise or Job or
anything OF value during the primary
campaign.
Fourth: II candidate in the pri-
mary receives a majority or all the
votes cast for the office his election 10
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 secure the ONCE
and end the contest at the primary.
The number Of party candidates would
he reduced. partisans would be com
pelled to vote their own party ticket
in the primary.
Fifth. The section that permits the
instruction OF voters should be repeal
Cd. II is used for corrupt purposes.
IN mis- day and age If MAN doesn't
know enough to mark his own ballot
that fact should automatically dis
franchise him. The right to instruct
IL seldom used except for the purpose
of securing the delivery OF bribed
vote.
1--WE should have good state pri-
mary law because state policies neces-
sarily are determined at the Repub-
lican primary The general election.
Is but 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 well and the laws will
be as good and as well enforced as
II they had hand in it,"