Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-19
INDIANA DEMOCRATS
FOR STATE PRIMARY
Convention Adopts Platform
Containing Plank In
dorsing the Plan.
WILSON ADMINISTRATION
RECEIVES HIGH TRIBUTE
Shively, Renominated for Senator,
Praises President in Speech.
Ralston Lauds Bryan.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. March 19.--In-
diana democrats in the state convention
here today, needing the wishes of Presi-
dent Wilson and Secretary Bryan. de-
clared in favor OF statewide direct
primary law when they adopted, unani-
mously. the platform presented by the
committee on resolutions containing a
plank indorsing the plan. The primary
section was written into the platform
after an all-night session, during which
Senators Shively and Kern urged the
Of the committee to include ap-
proval of the primary system in the
document.
Prior to the adoption of the platform
Senator John w. Kern was selected per
manent chairman. l.
The committee on rules recommended
that as Senator Shively was unopposed
for denomination he be made the party s
nominee The report was adopted unani-
mously.
Committee Is Resentful.
The vote in the resolutions committee
on the plank for statewide primaries
was 7 to 6. After the platform had
been completed members of the COM
mittee expressed resentment over the
actions Of Senators Shively and Kern
and representatives in Congress who
appeared before the committee and
urged the adoption of the primary plank.
Mayor Joseph E. Bell of Indianapolis.
chairman of the committee. declared
only one out of the thirteen members
of the committee favored the primary
feature, and that it had been adopted
nnlv after the and TenrpGQnt-
atives had made a plea that If such a
plank were not included it would be a
reflection on President Wilson's policies
For that reason. Mayor Bell said. seven
the primary plank.
He said that the members of the COM
mittee instead of being constructive fol-
the party had become it's pallbearers, for
he declared, without the convention sys-
tenn the party's organization would &C
to pieces.
Thinks Letters Were Sought.
Speak king for the committee, Mayor Bel
also asserted that members Of the com
mittee had expressed their opinion tha
President Wilson and Secretary Bryar
had not written the letters indorsing thu
statewide primary to Senator Kern vol
unfairly, but had been asked to do So.
The primary plank as adopted by the
committee declares for a statewide pri-
mary law for the nomination of all of.
fees but saving the state convention fol-
counsel. organization and declaration OF
party principles
Candidates for every state Office ex-
cept that of governor and a candidate
for United States senator were to be
named by the convention. The sessions
opened at o o'clock this morning, and il
was indicated that the final adjournment
would not be taken until late tonight.
There were 1885 delegates present
Tribute Paid Administration.
High tribute was paid to the national
administration, President Wilson, Vice
President Marshall and Secretary Bryan
in the platform adopted. Such fulfill
ment of party pledges in the first year
has been without parallel in the history
of the country, the document says.
The democracy of Indiana" reads the
platform, in delegate convention assem-
bled. remembering the great responsibility
cast upon the democratic party of the
nation by the overwhelming voice Of the
people at the last national election, points
with supreme pride and satisfaction to
the record of its achievements within
without a parallel in history of the
prompt and complete fultillment OF the
party'S pledges to the people.
I'VE heartily commend the untiring zeal
and ceaseless labors of President Wilson,
Vice President Marshall and the demo-
cratic members OF Congress, in both the
Senate and the House. for the prompt
and faithful manner in which they re-
deemed the solemn pledges made by the
party to the people in the Baltimore plat
form of 1872"
The platform contains planks putting
the party on record as fayoring a state
wide primary law. an arbitration act
similar to the Erdman law, and demand
for a rigid enforcement of the liquor
laws. The present financial embarrass-
ment of the state is charged to the :e-
yious extended rule of republican *
and administration
Shively Lauds the President.
Senator Shively.. after being renominat-
ed, thanked the delegates for the honor
and then entered upon discussion of
the work of the national administration,
paying high tribute to President Wilson.
The senator declared that the democratic
rule had brought about real revision
Of the tariff downward, had divorced the
currency system from specu-
lators. had solved the trust question, and
that President Wilson had met perpleX-
ing international problems with a firm
ness and tact that have been uneXcelled
in the history of the country.
Senator Shively said in part:
'-r..e tariff has been revised and re-
yised downward. In that work no honest
fear, no mistaken apprehension was
lightly ignored On the other hand. that
powerful confederacy of special privilege,
which has fattened on the perversion of
custom house taxation, did not dictate
a. paragraph. line or syllable of that
revision. 1t was a revision conceived,
wrought out and enacted into a law in
the interest of the whole country"
Solution of Currency Problem.
Discussing the currency question, the
speaker said:
For a long series Of years conflict of
interests in the banking and currency
~ stem had baffied all effort at solution
That problem has been solved. The con-
.rol of the circulating medium of the
,ountry has been divorced from spec,,-