The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-19
WOMAN VOTE
RELIED UPON
FOR PRIMARY
Friends of Direct Voting
count Favorable Sentinent
Among Women as One of
Biggest Points.
TONER IS CHAMPION
Especial Correspondence OF the
Richmond Palladium.)

at least taken a paramount place in
legislative affairs. 1t may not be the
most important question before the
assembly but today around legislative
corridors and hotel lobbies it was the
subject most discussed and at least
was assuming the spectacular role.
1t was being rumored about that the
friends of the direct primary would
make big effort toward an early
killing at the public hearing that will
be held Thursday night. Edward G.
Toner. of Anderson, who is generally
regarded as being the leader in the
tight to retain the present primary
law with all it's important features,
was busy in Indianapolis today, and
said he would be here for several
days. 1t is said Mr. Toner will re-
main here until he has killed the
antl-primary movement, or until he
Is convinced there is no chance to
kill 1t. 1t is supposed of course that
Mr.. toner will be one of the principal
speakers at the public hearing.
1t is also said that the friends of
the law as it now stands will make
an effort to have many women at
the public hearing, and it is probable
that some of the speakers will be
women.
Rely Upon Women.
Ihose who favor radical changes
in the law are pointing to the fact
that in the reorganization of city and
county committees all over the state,
women are receiving places as vice
chairman and secretary, and that the
return to the convention system of
nomination would not mean that wom-
en- would be shut out from any voice
in party nominations. But this argu-
ment is brushed aside by the pro-pri-
mary men who apparently are count
ing on the sentiment among women
as one of their biggest points.
That much reliance is being placed
was evident the other day when AL
bert j. Beveridge opened the fight for
the primary by speaking before an
audience of women .xrs,
Women For Primary.
1t is a. matter of considerable inter-
est also that the organization before
which Mr.. Beveridge spoke was the
indianapolis branch of the League of
Women Voters and that this organiza-
tlon went on record as being strongly
in favor of the direct primary as it ex-
lists. The indianapolis organization is
branch of the state organization of
the League of Women voters and at
the head of the state organization is
Mrs. A. H. Beardsley, of Elkhart, wife
of Senator Beardsley who is leading
the fight to repeal the statewide pro-
visions of the present law. OF course
the state organization has taken no
action but the situation is one of in
terest.
Friends of the primary as it exists
were today pointing to many dire
things that have happened to those
who have tried to monkey with the
primary question.
Defeated Democrats.
The defeat of the Democratic ticket
in 1916 was being laid at the door of
the Democratic nominees for state Of
fices in that campaign who in 1915
had used their influence to keep the
nomination of state officers except
that of governor to the convention
system.
Republicans who favor the retention
of ali features of the direct primary
were saying today that Dale Critten-
berger, candidate for state auditor and
others on the Democratic ticket did
not care in that campaign to trust
their chances for denomination to a
vote of the people and that therefore
they carefully saw to it that the way
was provided for them to obtain their
nominations by the convention route.
OF course everybody knows they were
defeated in the election.
Friends of the primary law say this
Democratic defeat was recorded in
spite of the fact that Wilson was re-
elected president and that the issue
"he kept us out of war" was popular
one.
Satisfies Other States.
Friends of the primary as 1t EXISTS
were saying also today that informa-
ton from other states could be pre-
sented to show that in those states
where the primary law is in good
working order nobody would think OF
attempting to repeal it. California
was nointed to as one such state. Gen
erally the friends of the primary ad-
mitted that possibly some minor
changes in the Indiana law were need
ed but they said the repeal OF the
statewide features would be out OF
the question.
One of the peculiar phases of the
situation was the fact that most OF
the noise on the primary question was
being made by those outside the
legislature.
Repeal TO ran.
Generally the opinion was still belng
.xnressed that repeal of important
features of the law would fail but there
was great difficulty in finding out Just
how Individual members of the legtsla-
ture stood on the question except OF
course, among those who were taking
the lead on one side or the other. No
body seemed to be willing to make a
prediction as to how the members or
the senate elections committee will fin
ally vote on the question, 1t is this
committee which now has the primary
bills under consideration and which
will conduct the public hearing.
Some were predicting that by no
means all of the members of the COM
mittee would attend the public hear
ing Some were willing to venture a
guess that the senate committee would
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