South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-13
HAPPENINGS IN AND ABOUT TOWN
Political Gossip

That Evan y. Stotsenburg OF New
Albany, attorney general. had pub
rcly advocated certain Immediate
and drastic changes in the state
wide primary law, passed at the last
session OF the Legislature. and used
for the first time Tuesday, March Z,
is going the rounds Of the state
press. According TO the article in
question. Stotsenburg urges elimina-
ton Of the laws provisions for
nomination Of state candidates. its
clauses on second choice voting. and
the insertion Of a provision for
plurality nominations.
Whether or not the above are
truly Atty. Stotsenburgs sentiments
can not be verified on a moments
notice. That the law may undergo
a few changes at the hands Of the
next legislature is possible. But too
much tampering with an instrument
which received the apparent en-
dorsement OF almost so per cent OF
Indianas franchised strength seems
not only impossible but highly i'm
probable
The article quotes confusion over
the primary in almost every county
in the state. True enough, there
was trouble here, but what can be
expected considering the fact the
primary was having its first trial
and that those called upon 20 test
it in the field were hardly acquaint-
ed with many of the features. The
primary is a new thing for Indiana,
a good thing for the voters, and.
understood, will stand with very few
and mostly minor changes.
A republican call has been issued
for the meeting of county committee
chairmen OF the 18th congressional
district, who will gather here Tues
day afternoon. March IA, at the
oliver hotel for the purpose Of form
ing a district organization. A dis
trict chairman will be elected, to
succeed Edward r. Murphy. On
Wednesday, March Is, the district
chairmen will meet at Indianapolis
TO elect "a chairman. vice chairman,
secretary and treasurer of the re-
publican state central committee.
The &. o. p. state convention will be
held at Indianapolis April and 6.
In Elkhart, according to a pre-
primary arrangement between re-
rRrr ft1 nd har.
Of both parties seeking office filed
on the republican ticket. The result
in the nominations was
Standpatters-Drak (judge), Has
kins (prosecutor). Beardsley (sen-
ator). Yoder and Anderson (repre-
senatives), Sanford (sheriff). and
Kinney (surveyor), and Ifferet (com-
missioner. southern district.
Bull moosers-Reed (treasurer),
Holderman (coroner). Leer (com-
missioner. middle district), and II
ferret commissioner. southern dis
tricD.
No unsuccessful candidate any
where has vet given a more succinct
or satisfactory explanation for his
defeat than that advanced by Leon
ard b Clore, aspirant for the demo-
cratic gubernatOrial nomination.
I'm badly skinned; the reason is I
didn't get enough votes" is the way
Mr.. Clore puts it - a philosophy
which all those who failed might
well appropriate as their own
The Iaporte Argus comment on
the primary as follows:
"The manner in which the pri-
mary which has just ended. was
conducted indicates that the best
kind Of primary has not yet been
obtained. but it does not prove that
the primary is worthless. Too much
money was spent by the candidates;
II that there can be no doubt. A
poor man did not have an equal
chance But the people did have an
opportunity 10 express their own
wishes and even if that does not
bring on the millennium il is far SUI
perior TO Darkroom methods Of con
ventions; YES. even if no better
candidates were named"
It's over and counted and every
thing apparently settled but the race
between Jim Watson and Harry
ew-and there doesn't seem to be
much cause for contest over which
Of the two is best qualified fer the
senatorial nomination.