Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-24
WHAT "PLUMPING" MEANS

]. A great many Iowans did not under
stand what the Illinois papers were
talking about when they referred to
the .plumping" carried on at the re-
cent primary in that state The Chi
cago papers which were fighting for
the nomination of Lee O'Neil Browne
and the bipartisan gang in the legis-
lature which elected Lorimer to the
sc, late, declared that in nearly every
one Of these contests the so-called
.siackpotters" were elected by the prac-
tice Of "plumping." The Peoria Journal
throws little light on the subject. IT
seems that the constitution OF Illinois
has feature called generally the mi
nority representative PLAN" This pro-
yided for three Legislators in every dis
trict, two from the party that was in
the majority In the district and one
from the party that was in the minor
ity. Each voter was then given three
votes and he could cast them as he
pleased. The friends Of the Jackpot
ters" saw that their three votes went
for their candidate, while the other
fellows scattered their votes. The
Journal in explaining further says:
In making up the primary law, this
minority representation business was
one Of the obstacles that confronted
the lawmakers who wanted direct
primary. It was because Of this la.ge-
" that one Of the other primary laws
had been declared invalid. It was be-
cause in the case Of legislators an en-
tirely different system Of voting APP
piled to legislative candidates to that
used In voting for other candidates
Under this provision Of the constitu-
ton, and the laws made in accordance
Herewith, there were three candidates
in each district. That is, there were
three legislators to be selected. The eff
feet Of this provision was that the
party bosses nominated only a .suffi-
cient number to be certain of an cleo
ton.
IN republican districts the republic
cans nominated two and the demo-
Gratis one. In democratic districts the
reverse was the case.
In order to make the primary accord
with the constitution and the laws,
and in order to avoid the whole pri-
mary law being declared invalid be-
cause Of the legislative part, the latter
was made the subject Of primary law
OF its own, known as the little pri-
mary"
This law gave the primary voters,
50 far as the selection Of candidates
was concerned, the same rights in re-
gard to selection that they had under
the law in the election of candidates.
This was because the courts had in
effect decided that a. primary election
was the same as any other election.
It looks as though the only way TO
get out Of this means of putting scoun-
drels on the ticket through Pumping.
would be to have the. constitution
amended and do away with the obnox-
ious minority representation" ptan
that has never served any useful pur-
pose.
Such provision as this may have
some redeeming features, but they do
not seem to be apparent. It is hard to
understand why any election machin-
cry should be made so cumbersome, or
why any such power should be given
to a minority as is given by this pro-
vision. A well organized minority with
every man casting three votes would
have a great advantage over an unor-
ganized majority. With such system