South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-20
XELso's ANTI-PRMARY SUIT.

by the last legislature, should not he
regarded By any means as a suit by
the democratic party, though Kelso
pretends to be a democrat. Those who
have watched him about the state
house at indianapolis during the last
several sessions Of the legislature, need
not mediate long on the real source
Of his anu-primary interest. Kelso's
main politics is lobbying His clients
are always. or quite always. the public
utilities. though last winter 20 ap-
peared also 10 have taken on a con-
siderable interest in the Indiana brew
ers He was one of those lobbyists
who were downright mad at the pas
sage OF the lobby registration law, and
who, for a while. at least, insisted that
he would never register under it, "a
vow which ne may or may not have
kept However he continued con-
spicuous about the hotel Hobbies. TO
the end Of the session. and IL there was
ever anything proposed in the legis-
lature that was progressive, tending TO
the masses of people. which at the
same time met mis- approval we doubt
very much il he evei made that ap-
proval very public. on the contrary
he vas for everything that the public
service corporations and the brewers
wanted ard against everything with a
shadow Of show fer rendering the
dominance oil those interests less GER
tain.
Which leads US 10 assumethat per
hsps he is still serving his masters.
Anyhow. his arguments in favor of his
suit, as quoted in his petition, and in
the state press. sound very much like
those advanced by him when the pri-
mary law was before the assembly;
only he made no bones OF it then that
the people could not be trusted at a
primary to nominate candidates who
would give the public service corpora
tons a square deal, if elected. We
were about 10 turn the state over TO
the rabble. then, but now, it seems he
has grown more solicitous Of the
rabbIe and fears that on account of
the fee charged under the law to get
ON TIE ballot. the rabble may not be
able to get Q LOOK in. 1t beats all how
soIicitous OF the rabble these interests
become when they need a sleeps
clothing behind which 10 hide their
wolfishness.
p is oil
gressive" Lott, of Vincennes, found
that much fault in his petition TO have
the law set aside by the courts, but
somebody has since discovered that
the courts can eliminate that feature
and still retain the remainder OF the
act. Kelso. caring less. in reality, for
what il costs to get on the ballot, than
he does about having such thing as
"A ballot, wants the primary eliminated
altogether. The public service corpora
tions and the brewers too are of such
mind. hence whether KelsO be their
servant or no. ne is quite evidently
playing a game that they want played,
realizing as they do the superior ease
with which they can control political
conventions in comparison with con-
trolling direct primaries.
Incident to which. Gov. Ralston' $
defense OF the primary in the Lott
case. through Atty. Gen. Milburn's Of
flee. and as it is announced he will
also defend it in the Kelso case, the
charge that the democratic party is
trying TO get rid Of a law of its own
making. falls Hat. IL is more appar-
emily the utility brewery combination
with Kelso either consciously or I'M
consciously. as a stool-pigeon, that
has undertaken that task. Kelso may
be a partisan democrat tut remem-
Der that Evan b. Stolsenberg, who
with John r. Jones. of Plymouth
framed the primary law and its
amendments. is real democrat, anC
democrat OF Kelso's home town, and
being something ~ a lawyer, will rem.
der the attorney generals office HI:
help in the fight 20 keep the measure
alive.
Furthermore il may be that Kelso
E0lAAtN AAtlA AlENfNN az AAAN nuns AftsaANANt
OF the democratic majority in the las
assembly with regard 10 doing his bid
ding on certain measures notably th'
three-cent railroad fare law. is de
liberately undertaking TO discipline th'
party in behalf CT the public service
corporations, by besmirching it in tn,
eyes OF the general public. Kelso.
democrat. or alleged democrat, insti
tuting such a suit. would naturally in
cline the public toward thinking IN,
democratic party as whole. wanteS
the same thing. furnishing that mucl
campaign thunder for the republicans
with whom the railroads. quite with
out doubt. will be generally lined VI
in the future as in the past Gov
Ralston. very properly, is resentinl
that inference with all the ma