Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-03-13
RISK PRESENTS
NOVEL PLAN FOR
PRIMARY FIGHT
Wants Committee to Present
Records and Platforms
of Candidates.
COMPLIMENTS SALLEE

A novel proposal to the effect that can
didates for office should be required by
their party committee to submit their
party and official records, together with
a statement of their platforms, to ths
voters prior to the primaries. has been
made to A c. Sallee, chairman of the
democratic committee, by James K.
Risk, democratic candidate for the nomi-
nation for governor.
Mr.. Risk proposes that the state COM
mittee frankly state to the voters the
political experiences and the general ac-
Quaintance throughout the state Of the
candidates and should have each mem
Der of the democratic state committee
inform the county chairman in his dis
trict Of the attitude Of the candidates on
all questions and to ask that every dem
ocratic paper in the district give to the
people the information the state commit
tee has been able to obtain"
Mr.. Sallee has referred the proposition,
which was embodied in a letter to him
from Mr.. Risk to the state committee,
and has sent Mr.. Risk a reply, reading
as follows:
IT have carefully read your very inter
esting letter Of the Sth inst, setting
forth your views as to the duties Of the
democratic state central committee in the
primary, and you may rest assured that
l shall take pleasure In presenting the
same for attention at the next meeting
Of the committee.
1.-THE state central committee has al
ready taken a determined stand for fair
play and square deal for every aspirant
who enters the primary. 1 consider it
the duty Of the state committee to elect,
and not select, the candidates, and we
have religiously refrained from taking
zrN oAh
and Insist that the county organizations
bring out the very cleanest and strongest
men possible for precinct committeeman,
delegates to the state convention, con-
gressional and county candidates, etc.
Il sincerely hope that you may find 1t
convenient TO visit state headquarters oc-
casionally. All the democratic aspirants
for state Office have been IN, and I am
sure you viii find a most hearty welcome
awaiting you. We need the advice and
counsel of men Of experience in directing
the affairs Of our party and, Of course,
am going to feel free to call upon you
at all times"
In presenting his proposal to Mr.. Sal
lee, Mr.. Risk says:
Il think the committee, through its
chairman, should request every candi-
date fling petitions to state clearly his
opinions on questions affecting state gov
eminent, and what he expects TO do in
case he is nominated and elected.
SAYS CANDIDATES SHOULD
PRODUCE THEIR RECORDS.
Il think a candidate, II he has served
the state IN any capacity as an official,
should produce his record. Il he has
served as a member of the legisla-
ture or the state senate he should be able
to point TO the legislation that he has
assisted In placing on the statute books
or attempted to have placed on the
statute books and, also. TO furnish infor-
nation as to the legislation that he has
opposed.
If the candidate has served IN any
other official capacity in the state he
should call attention to his position in
the management OF state affairs. II the
candidate has never held public office
he should state, at least what his atti-
tude has been on the important Ques-
tons that have been under consideration,
In order that the people may know ex-
actly what his attitude IS on all ques-
lions.
The democratic state committee should
insist that every candidate should have.
so far as the democratic state commit
tee and the county organizations are
concerned, a square deal: that neither
the state chairman, district chairman,
county chairman, or the precinct COM
mittee take sides IN the nomination ex-
cept when determined by the state com
mittee, that the Official record. OF a can