South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-07
DEMOCRACY SITS \ NEW STAND
ARD IN INDIANA FOR KEEPING
OF PARTY PLEDGES.

4 -
OF PARTY PLEDGES.
With the passage OF the Jones-Nan
Nuys primary law the Indiana dem
ocracy can look the people in the face
and insist that il mas kept the faith
The bill is not the original Jones bill.
introduced in the house. and once
killed as the Binear bill i'm the senate.
i Neither is il the original make-shift
Van Nuys measure. II is a compro-
mise, and unlike most compromises,
a decided Improvement Rep. John
\. Jones. of Plymouth, father Of di-
rect primary legislation in Indiana,
smiles and comedies that he has won
50 per cent of what hehas been after,
which makes it easy enough for those
who have opposed him. and have even
been abusing him. to come back with
the declaration that ne has won APP
/ Droximately % per cent more than
what he went after In other words
We have the Jones bill as to the direct
/ nomination of congressional county,
/ city and township tickets. and the Van
/ Nuys bill providing for preferential
] primary as to governor, lieutenant
governor, United States senator's and
president and vice president, leaving
| the state convention free to make the
other state nominations as OF old *
cept that the delegates will be named
at the primary.
With the passage OF a workmans
compensation act there Will be little
TO point TO i'm the democratic state
platform of 1914, that has not been
complied with. not that all the demo
cratic members Of the legislature
wanted TO have them complied with,
nor because the state democratic or
ganization wanted to have them COM
piled with, but because as Pres't
Wilson said in his speech at Indian
apolis, the democratic party is two
thirds progressive and the republican
party One-third progressive" The
progressives on the republican side
of the legislature cooperating with
the progressives on the democratic
side is what did the work 1t looked
for "A time as though the reaction
aries might be able to ward off all
primary legislation. or make ridicu-
lous whatever might be done. which
was undoubtedly the original purpose
OF the Van Mugs substitute for the
Jones measure. However the import
ance OF keeping party pledges. same
as you would keep your promise TO
pay your note at the bank, finally
proved itself IL was easily made ap-
parent that for the Indiana democrats
in 1916. TO expect TO appropriate TO
themselves any considerable align
ment with the democracy of Wood
row Wilson. would look like shallow
mockery. unless progressive legisla-
ton. and especially such as the presi-
dent had recommended. were given
consistent consideration.
Under the Jones-Van Nuys bills, it
is now within the power OF the people
10 make their party organizations. as
well as public officials generally. more
representative OF the people Even
without particular effort organization
men are more likely 10 feel their re-
sponsibility 10 the people, than they
have been in the past. and in the ca
bosses. perhaps they can provide us
q somewhat better quality OF party
government. Indiana is To be con
graduated when that bright day
comes.
The three big measures of the ses-
sion. the anti-lobby law. the primary
law. and the workmans compensation
sion of the legislature. They put In
diana in the front rank of the states
our temperance friends will of
course. ask what became II prohibit
ton. but that was not party meas
ure and We doubt II ii VIII become Il
party measure with any Of the parties
represented in the present assembly.
for a considerable time 10 come
Neither was woman suffrage "a plat
form measure. as il appeared before
the Legislature. and the defeat of the
law does not. even within the claims
OF the women themselves. violate any
platform pledge. Indeed as the SEES
sion nears its close. our hopes of the
fulhllment OF the party promises are
being So well realized. that our faith
in the return OF democracy To power
in 1916. is actually swelling Doubt
ful II any party i'm the history Of In
diana has i'm "A single session Of the
legislature, ever kept better faith with
the people. IL is certainly "A distinct
challenge 20 the last several repubH-
can legislatures-espe specially in 1905,
1907 and 1909.
The progressive democracy Of Indi-
ana has set "a new standard in the
keeping of platform promises. repu-
dating in most effective manner.
the old theory that platforms are
made 10 catch votes. and then 10 be
violated. Henceforrh the party plat
form in Indiana. viii be regarded as