The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1909-08-26
STATE is NOT PROUD
OF THE RECORD MADE
Law Passed in 1907 Applies
To Only Four Counties, the
Other Eighty-eight Turning
It Down.

primary election law was made here
yesterday by New York legislative
committee consisting of Senator Geo.
L. Meade. OF Rochester, chairman;
Assemblyman Jesse S. Phillips, An
dover; Robert S. Conklin, New York
City: Frank l.. Howard Waverly:
James E. Fay. Brooklyn, Senator P. H.
McCarren is member of the commit
tee. but he did not attend the hearing.
Judge Walter II. Knapp, of Canaan
digua. counsel, and Henry Lammert,
stenographer, accompanied the COM
mittee. B. J. Haggerty, Sergeant-at-
Arms of the New York Assembly, ar
ranged for the inquiry.
Those who were invited to appear
before the committee were Albert
Sahm, John w. Hoffman. Harry W.
Bennett, Gaylard r. Hawkins. Frank
D. Stalnaker. Adolph Schmuck. Leo
pold G. Rothschild, w. N Harding, c.
F. Remy, w. A. Ketcham, Evans Wool
len, Louis Rowland.
Ten Years Experimenting.
After experimenting for 10 years
with a variety Of primary election
plans, the Legislature OF Indiana pass
ed law in 1907 that is applied in a
compulsory way to but four counties.
The other SS refused to stand for a
law compelling them to make their
nominations by direct vote of the peo-
pie.
In the last campaign both parties
adopted the usual plank pledging
themselves to the enactment of a pri-
mary reform measure. The Democrats
decided in caucus to support general
primary law. The Republicans did the
same thing, but all of the action along
that line was behind closed doors.
On the floor of the House and the
Senate the leaders of both parties
were very careful in seeing to it that
there was no serious attempt to bring
up the primary election bills.
1t is admitted that the primary law
under which the four larger cities, In
dianapolis, Evansville, Terre Haute
and FIT. Wayne, is compelled to oper.
ate is something of farce. but there
seems to be no disposition on the part
OF any one to change it,
Demand Has Died.
In fact, there are plenty Of indica.
tions that the demand for primary re-
form. as advocated at the beginning
of the crusade, has died out, and that
something more practical will be de-
manded in this state, where every 9th
er man you meet is a student of poll
tics
The early advocates of the direct
system of making nominations insist
ed that it would break up the politica,
machines in which they might name
the candidates. Experience has shown
that the people who clamored loudes,
for the reform are the ones who were
the slowest in taking advantage of it
In the larger cities the purchasable
element has been the most ready to &c
to the polls. In fact, the same ele
ments that have been predominant ir
electing the delegates under the ole
system in the large cities PRACTICAL,
control the primaries.
The first primary plan in Indiana
was known as the Joss law. Appar
emily there were all kinds of safe
guards to keep down corrupt practice.
at the polls and that it paved the wa,
for the finish of the party machines.
Plenty Of Corruption.
The first time the Republicans nom
mated their county ticket under i
here it was not denied by the newsna
pers that advocated the reform tha
there had been more corruption thar
ever before in nominating the ticket
One candidate for place in the cour
house is said to have spent nearl,
$4,000 in landing the nomination.
The salary for the two years the iol
held was less than half that sum.
Some OF his opponents are said to hav,
spent nearly as much as he did.
Practical Republican politicians her,
say their party is jnst beginning to re
cover from the effects of that frs
primary. The difference between tn,
new and the old system was that i
gave the srafting element here twt
rounds at the candidates who wer.
compelled to put up" Or be defeated
The first law opened houn.iful harv
est field for the noarcrs.
The year following the first exneri
men' with the primary law here tn,
Republicans lost control of the citv
Three or four years later the presen
law was enacted.
Didn't Back Candidates.
It was supposed to be a vast i'm
provement over the first one. as it pro
vides that both parties shall max,
their nominations at the same time
anc place Under this system oppor
tunity was furnished in the recent mu
nicipal campaign here for machin,
politicians ct both parties to make
com oinafion In the City Council b,
which the election officers wer,
thrown out in a fourth OF the pre
cincts
The Council met AT nff1nirh. tn car