The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-25
Little Understood by Aver
age Citizen Regarding Or
ganization of Parties, Now
Being Effected.
A PRECINCT BASIS
FOR ORGANIZATION
How County, District and
State Committees Are Gre
ated and Other Matters to
Enlighten Voters.

Despite the fact that in Indiana gen.
eral elections are held every two
years and complete organizations Of
the machinery Of the political parties
is necessary preliminary to these
elections. there appears never to be \
clear understanding on the part OF
many voters as to the manner in
which the party formations are brought
about and as to how party machinery
is oiled and put under steam.
Here in Wayne county more or less
confusion has resulted this year be-
cause Of the fact that there has been
a change in the manner of creating a
county central committee, the full
compl. nent OF precinct committee
men to compose the central commit.
tee instead OF especially chosen mem
bers for this purpose. The methods
of the Republicans and Democrats arei
in the preliminary organisations,
though the working forces differ some
what in numbers and in the methods
of selecting members OF the com.
mittees.
The Republican organization. now
in the making in Indiana. has for It's
general head q state committee. and
reaching down to the voters through
out the commonwealth are the organi.
zations subordinate to the central or
state body.
Precinct Organization.
In the making of this general state
force, which will conduct the battle
the coming campaign. the start 10
made with the groundwork-the pre-
cinct organizations. Precincts are
created in each county by the boards
of commissioners, the boundaries BE-
ing set forth and defined with q regard
for the number Of voters therein, and
precincts may be created. either by
the commissioners of their own v o.
l,tion, or on the petition Of the com.
lnittees of either party when It In
shown that the number Of voters con-
tanned in a precinct as then consti-
tuted is in excess of the maximum
number fixed by statute, which at the
present time is 900. frequently, how
some precincts and in one or two is
now exceeded in Wayne county.
The precinct committee 10 by theory
and practice the guardian Of his par
TVS affairs within the boundaries pf
his bailiwick. On him depends TO 4
large degree the work Of organising
the voters themselves. He must look
after the POLL Of his precinct and on
his correct listing of the voters - to
casts of results that are to follow. A
good poll throughout the state has
been found invaluable as It shows just
where the real work must be done and
enables the state committee to con.
centrate its working forces ct the
points most needing help.
Precinct Meetings
The selection OF the precinct com
| mitteeman 10 up to" the voters OF
that precinct and that is what II 70 be
done the state over on Friday and Sat
urday Of this week, two days being al
lowed for the purpose by the stato
committee which in its call made sons
days ago outlined the rules to be fol-
lowed and which, In most counties,
| will be strictly adhered to. The voters
AZ q rule meet in their respective
townships and wards, though occas-
ionally, as in the case Of two small
townships. Joint meeting ID held and
the selection Of committeemen Tor III
the precincts contained In both are
made at the same session.
In Richmond, where precincts are
| numerous. the meetings will be by
| wards. and from two to five precinct
committeeman must be selected In
each. II T. ward has two precincts.
for example. the voters present from
each get together 1t the ward meeting
| and select q committeeman for each.
In Wayne county ~ IN entirety, there
are "a precincts and the 81 precinct
committeeman therefore selected on
Friday and Saturday. will, under the
present rule, constitute the Wayne
County Republican committee.
4 New Organization.
In years past it has been the Gus
tom In Wayne county for the prectnct