The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-11-15
Far Fewer Candidates to
Be Named on Ballot If
Promise Is Kept.
BACK TO CONVENTIONS
Old Party Farley Would Be
Returned to Power
Under Plan.
BY ROBERT BEARD

fronted by such an array of primary
candidates in May, 1880, as they
mere in May of this year, if the Re-
publican party carries out, in the
coming session of the general as
Sembly, the platform pledge made
In the recent campaign.
Despite many threats at revision,
the present primary election law
survived the 1927 legislative session
without alteration. Proposals and
counter proposals for drastic or
moderate changes were heard about
statehouse corridors.
However, both parties seemed
content to stand by the existing
statute, rather than risk revision
when there was no agreement as
to what the changes should be.
Charges Are Pledged
Now Republicans, holding an 80
to 20 majority in the house and a
80 to IL majority in the senate, and
with a Republican again in the
Governors chair, are pledged to
make these changes:
/. To take the nominations for
United States senator and Gov
ernor out of the primary election
and transfer them into the state
convention, where all other state
offices, other than Governor, are
made under the existing law.
2. To take the nominations for
representatives in congress out of
the primary election and have these
nominations made in district con-
ventions in the thirteen congress
Sional districts of the state.
8. To do away with the "presiden-
tial preference" feature of the pres
ent primary law, thus leaving to
state convention delegates the ex-
preston of Indiana'S presidential
preference.
Democrats Are Silent
The Democratic state platform
made no reference to the primary
law. Democrats and Republicans
showed a wide divergence of opin-
ion with respect to revision when
they addressed the Indiana League
of Women Voters at its annual con-
vention here last March.
Candidates of both parties at the
time professed alarm at return to
the old boss-ridden conventions, :"
while others advocated revision.
None came out boldly for repeal,
possibly having an attentive ear for
the statement of Mrs. It. j. Louden,
who presided, that "Our organiza-
ton stands for the direct primary;
but don't think we do not have an
ear for convincing arguments"
Both parties, apparently. were
happy to leave the primary law out
of the campaign.
How the women will regard the
Republican proposals for alterations
remains to be seen. They are I'M
derstood to be doubtful if they can
WELD the influence in convention
that is theirs with the ballot.
The proposed changes would re-
duce the number of candidates to
be voted upon to a larger extent,
proportionately, in less populous
counties than in Marion county.
Scores of Names Listed
In the primary last May, the Re-
publican ballot handed Marion
county voters carried 1874 names, in
addition to those of candidates for
precinct committeeman and for
delegates to the state convention
The Democratic ballot presented
seventy-flve names, plus the addi-
tons named above.
Had the changes now proposed by
the Republican party been opera
tive last May, the number of can
didateS on the Republican ballot
would have been reduced by twenty
two. by the elimination of two can
didates for President, three Tor
United States senator, ten for Gov
ernor and seven for congress.
. The proposed changes would not
disturb the method of nominating
candidates for state representative
and state senator, and would leave
them in the primary balloting. The
large number of these candidates in
Marion and other heavily populated
counties is responsible to a large
degree for length of the ballot.
With four state senators to be
nominated from Marion county
alone, the Republican ticket offered
sixteen names. Fifty-two candidates
were on the ballot for state repre-
sentative from Marion county, with
only eleven to be named. Similarly
Democrats offered six candidates
for state senator from Marion coun-
ty and twenty-four for state repre-
sentative.
Cite Recent Election
Leaders of the minority party
would like to see some revision Of
the general election laws to pre-
vent county candidates being swept
into office on state ticket, or state
candidates on national ticket.
Their desires in this line were
heightened in the last general cleo
ton, when Harry G. Leslie, Repub.
Iican, was carried into the gov.
ernship, although he ran approx
mately 10000 votes behind Her.
bert Hoover, and Frank G. Daley
lost to Leslie by some $4,000 votes
while leading Governor Smith by
approximately 10000
Separation of state from nationa
elections, separate ballots or sep.
arate divisions on voting machines
would hvae returned Daley thu
winner and insured Democratic vic
tories in many normally Democratic
counties which were lost, Democrat
contend. ..,ss. ..,ss,. a,,s,nnns