Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-21
PRIMARY BILLS
NOT AFFECTED
AFTER ORATORY
Senate Elections Committee
Works on Measures, Follow
ing Public Hearing.
BOTH SIDES PRESENTED

With eloquent arguments Of both
friends and opponents of the present pri-
mary system in Indiana still ringing In
their ears members of the Elections Com
mittee Of the Senate today resumed con-
sideratiOn of the two bills now before
them-the Alldredge bill to extend the
primary system and the Beardsley bill
to limit it.
The arguments were made at public
hearing on the bills in the Senate cam
Der last night. Speaking in defense of
the primary were Edward C. Toner of
Anderson, former Progressive State
chairman and former Republican candi-
date for the nomination for Governor
Senator John S. Alldredge of Anderson,
author Of the Alldredge bill; Oswald
Ryan, an Anderson attorney, who was
formerly active in the Progressive party (;
Mrs. Ovid Butler Jameson, an Indianap-
oils suffrage leader; DR.. Amelia Keller
of Indianapolis, q suffrage leader, and
Abram Simmons of Button, former
member Of the State Senate. Lined up
in opposition to the present primary sys-
TEN were Senator A. II. Beardsley Of
Elkhart, author Of the Beardsley bill +;
Ralph Kane, an indianapolis attorney,
until recently Of Hamilton County, and
Charles r. Martindale, an Indianapolis
politics
Albert ]. Beveridge, who was to have
spoken in behalf Of the primary, was
unable to be present because of pre-
vious engagement, and Fred lands OF
Logansport, former Congressman, was
forced TO remain away because Of III
ness. LIN
HOLDS INTELLIGENT
VOTE TAFPNGGIRTE
Senator Beardsley declared that It ap-
pears TO be- impossible to vote inteni-
gently under the present system, however
diligent a voter may be.
MY bill does not repeal the primary
law" he said. MANY people seem to
think that with the passage Of my bill
we would go back to the old system. My
bill simply provides that delegates are
put on the primary ballots instead OF
candidates. It seems to ME that 1t would
be much easier for the average voter to
choose six or seven delegates than to
choose among a long list Of candidates"
Senator Beardsley explained that,
while the bill abOlishes State wide and
district primaries, there is feature
which makes local primaries optional.
Senator Alldredge declared that he be-
lieved the question goes down to tho
fundamentals or govern luent
MY bill provides for an extension Of
the primary system. permitting voters,
however humble, to cast their ballots dl
rectly for candidates" he said. "One
bill makes It possible for some one else
to do your voting: the other permits
you to do It yourself My bill calls for
the repeal OF the presidential primary,
and I believe this should be done until
we can have a uniform Federal primary
law. Ny bill also would amend the pres
ent law so that a plurality instead of
majority could nominate
Senator Alldredge revealed the fact that
the committee had agreed to an amend
ment whereby the sherIS5 and judges
would be eliminated from primary cleo
tlons in order to cut the cost. He said
the amendment would provide that can
didstes could have watchers at the polls.
LONG BALLOT
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
Mr.. Ryan in his talk pointed out that
the government Is one OF political parties.
The only objection l have heard to
the present system" he said. lis that the
ballot is too long, yet the author Of the
bill to abolish IL is willing to compromise
on a local primary with long ballot.
"The primary came as direct protest
against the condition which the Boards
ley hin seeks to reimpose."
Mr.. Ryan also took up the contention
that a poor man cannot be a successful
candidate in a primary election. He said
the answer comes from California and
he read a list OF men he termed poor
who had been nominated there over men
he termed wealthy. He declared that
four years is not long enough to test
any system of elections.
Another objection Is that we don't
have representative government In a pri-
mary he said 81 submit to you that
the last place on earth for representa-
tlon and deliberate consideration is IN
a political convention. The average con-
vention delegate is as much bound by
the slate as the members Of the cleo
toral college are by the choices of their
respective parties for the presidency"
WARNS AGAINST
GENERALITIEs.
At this point Senator ]. Monroe Fitch
of Muncie, chairman Of the Elections
Committee, complained that the speak
ers had not held to the subject of the
bills and asked subsequent speakers not
to deal In generalities.
Mr.. Kane admitted that in Hamilton
County. where the primary system was
In effect for years, 1t had proved reason
ably satisfactory" but he said he did
not believe 1t would prove practical in a
county large as Marion.
He said he believed the expense to
candidates is a serious question.
1.-THE successful candidate for Governor