South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-15
Sen. Kern Expected to Attend
Meeting in Interest Of Bill
Changing Method of NOmi-
nations.
\ EDlGNA'S SO TH
GEN NERAL ASSEMBLY
FROM THE NEWS-TIMES
INDIANAPOLIS BUREAU

INDIANAPOLIS. Feb l5.-With-
out dissenting vote the Indiana
house today passed four bills. They
were the Cleary measure for clean
elections which provides for the de
struction OF all blue pencils about
voting place at the close Of the polls.
Durhams bin permitting the removal
of state prisoners 90 the penal farms.
and the Reeves and Lyday measures
making changes i'm the appellate
court practice laws.
blow was aimed an theaters in
which muscle dances are staged.
when Rep. Mendenhall offered a bin
prohibiting the exhibition Of "im-
moral, disgusting. swayins-the-bo body
dances" Rep. Feick introduced a
measure To permit railroad employees
to form insurance associations with "a
maximum policy of $1,000. bill by
Hickman seeks 90 prohibit the sale
of liquor within 10 miles of the state
penal farm. Life permits FOR school
teachers who are graduates of state
or normal schools after two years
service. are provided in new bill i'm
troduced today by Rep. McClaskey.
Primary i, Up Go Caucus.
Monday night in caucus OF the
house Of Representatives. it now APP
pears, the fate of primary election
legislation hy this general assembly
viii be solved. John Worth Kern.
United States senator from Indiana.
and perhaps the chiefest of the adRo-
Gates of a direct primary election Jaw.
VIII be at the caucus his friends say
and Wiu urge with might and main
the passage of primary law that viii
conform 10 the platform pledge OF
the democratic party made last spring
Almost overnight here there has
sprung up demand that This lc-is-
lature pass primary law. The adj
NOcates of the measure in the house
and senate last Friday banded to-
gether in secret caucus M the Clay
pool hotel to use every influence theE
can bring 20 bear on other members
90 support direct statewide primary
election law that viii not only pro-
vide for the election oi all candidate
for office hy the primary route hut
would compel the election OF all party
organization officials an the primary
as well
John n. Jones OF Plymouth. the
author OF such bin that now is lee
fore the house. is the center of the
fight being made 90 pass the measure
but VIII give place. OF course. TO sen.
Kern when that democratic leader app
pears 60 urge the passage Of law
that viii. many believe. insure his re-
nomination as the democratic candf-
date 10 succeed himself two years
hence. Kern VIII bring with him the
support Of the president and William
Jennings Bryan. which support was
used before the last state convention
TO compel the incorporation Of a prI-
mary law revision in the democratic
platform. even though such men as
Joseph F. Bell mayor Of indianapolis
v no was a member OF the resolutions
committee declared On that occasion
that such action br the resolutions
committee was making the members
Of that committee the "pallbcarers Uf
the democratic party in Indiana
Thomas TaggaTt went ro Washing
ton some DAYS ago. Ills visits pur-
pose was kept profound secret.
/ When ne came back. n a private iu-
terview. ne said that there were but
one or two or three members or the
entire Indiana delegtion I'm congress
that really favored the enactment 90
a primary law others he said. had
been forced into line by the few that
were outspoken in their support n
such a measure-meaning Kern.
However. the meeting Friday ni-ht
seems 20 have crystalliZed The sertl-
ment OF those. who are for a primary
and who also are members of the Leg
islature 90 such an ~sNtent that the
/ chief question now before the dope
sters IS the possible action ~ the
| house republicans on the proposed
| bfll The leaders OF the house. par
tiCuiarly including Charles R. Etd-
we'll speaker. are not running the
CONTINUED or PAGE TWO.