The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-02-14
1BY II. K. REYNOLDS

tsTAFF CORRESPONDENT l. n sERYlcEI
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Feb. 14.-With
only eighteen working days remaining
before the seventy-second general as-
sembIy Is Is be realized. according tc
Indiana law makers returned today to
their seats ready to buckle down to
business in an effort to dispose rapidly
of the mass lof proposed legislation that
confronts them.
Although the legislature hps been IN
session for more than a month, no
measures of Importance, with the ex-
ception of the general appropriation
have been enacted into law. This does
not indicate, however that the law
makers have dilly- -dallied since they
convened early in January. but that
careful consideration of all legislative
proposals has held up final action on
many bills until the necessity for their
enactment is established in the minds
Of the majority. Governor McCray's
expressed desire for quality, not guam
tity" as the watchword of the 1921 as
sembly is TO be raeltzed, according TO
the opinions of Republican leaders and
the reliability of their prediction is fore
cast by the fact that both houses have
voted for the indefinite postponement Of
more bills than have been passed.
Committees are to be rushed with the
work during the remaining days of the
session and many long arguments are
expected to develop when the more i'm
portant bills are presented for final CON
s1deration
The primary law controversy which
has presented a perplexing problem to
legislative leaders, viii be thrashed out
largely, it is now believed, IN the CON
ference committee of antt-and pro-pri-
mary advocates. with a view to avoiding
serious clashes in either house when
the various bills on the subject come
70 a vote. The conference committee
was organized with the approval Of the
governor after he announced his With
drawal from the primary fight. and Its
members are expected to agree upon
compromise measure which can be pas
sed smoothly and swiftly after it's in
troduction. The pro-primary faction
Is still holding out for extension of the
present system to include the direct
nomination Of candidates for all state
offices. while the antis. backed by the
Republican state Committee, are de-
manding the nomination of candidates
for governor and United States senator
IN state 0iFCht4OHS DS lt4c ooIAlt 4liItAA-
cd employed under the present law for
the selection OF candidates for all the
state offices. In support Of their plan
for re-vamping the primary law, the
legislators who favor its revision are
planning to mollify the objections of
the opposition by Offering to include in
the new statute more stringent regula-
tions for the operation of party con
ventions. These probably will include
restrictions concerning the giving of
proxies change sin methods of ballot
ing and so-called defects which have
been pointed out by those who declare
that the voice of the people is likely to
become a mere whisper in the midst of
convention manipulation. The question
of the abolishment or retention of the
presidential preference vote is now the
issue upon which opposing members
of the conference committee viii plan
TO trade when their deliberations reach
a critical iuncture.