The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-05-07
PRIMARY
DISCUSSION
IS PLENTIFUL
Aftermath Of State Elections
Cause The Republicans To
Shake Their Heads.
TIMES BUREAU AT sTATE CAPITAL


INDIANAPOLIs, May Tt there -
any one thing that IS uppermost ia
discussions az state political leaders
Ia The capital IT is comments on the
primary election law. Prior to ta~
IaHt session Of the general Assembly
leaders IN the Republican and Demo
cratic parties took steps 20 abolish
This system Of selecting candidates be
..anse they saw in II an evil which r
he urinary is continued. viii end 20
sisrupt political party organizations
fatal thing 10 the American FORM 81
COVE rnment'
The subject is renewed by the gro
teSoue happenings in indianapolis ana
verre Haute in the primary Tuesdes'
The thing that occurred in Indlanap-
lis is the old story. The famous Lew
shnnil. one time notorious for the puf-
chase IF several car loads Of potatoes
~ nich he sold on the public market Cor
the purpose Of bringing down the hlgh
cost Of living captured the Repuor-
can nomination for mayor not ny me
Vore of the republican party. but ny
the support OF an element In the
democratic party.
This situation ia not more discon-
eerting to the republicans than it is
10 the thinkers in the democratic
party The leaders in Hoosier democ-
tacy made every effort to hold their
voters in line and keep them away
from the republican ballot in the prt-
mary. They realize that the partici-
patton Of democratic voters in re-
publican primary tends To weaken the
chances Of the democratic candidate
"a the election.
Neither Of the two large papers I'm
indianapolis dare 10 express their
true opinions ON the primary election
his week because both Of these dailies
are supporters Of the primary system.
The best they can do is to fan back
IN alibies-
Tho power of the rabble and the
underworld to thwart the wishes OF
the good citizens-whieh are in the
,natority-is demonstrated in the last
urinary election. No better object
lesson could he obtained than In the
selection of the republican candidate
for Judge of the city court in Indian-
apoHs'
Two exceptionally high grade men
were running for this office in the
capftal city. The forces of the or
SANITATION were divided on them. This
was realized throughout the cam
paign. A third candidate, not bad
man in himself but keene enough 10
capttalize on the situation, set out 20
make an appeal 70 the lawless. This
element was also bright enough 10
know that II he was chosen they
would necessarily have q friend at
court. He would be under obligations
to them. The result was that this
third man was an easy victor The
other men. who would have guaran-
iced impartial justice IN the court
were relegated to the scrap heap.
some OF the republican candidates
chosen are weak. They are Of char
acter that a responsible party organi-
zation would never attempt 10 put be
fore the people in an election.
The selection q Dom NJ Roberts
for the democratic nominee for mayor
In Terre Haute is another illustration
Of what may happen in q primary
nat would never be likely to occur in
convention.
Those that are looking forward rol
the repeal Of the primary law two
years hence take the view that the So
called responsible citizenship does not
care to be bothered with the selection