The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-20
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Editor Times:
What is to become Of our primary
law? From present indications, the
4 attitude Of much of the press and
many Of the candidates, it appears
to be seriously threatened. 1t has
bitter enemies in both parties. These
enemies confidently are hoping to
destroy it in Indiana, as they al
ready have succeeded in doing in
several other States.
In other States where it has been
abandoned, the people evidently
have been persuaded into believing
nat they were too indifferent to the
Importance of the high privilege of
determining who should be their
candidates, therefore did not use It.
Also, that they were lacking in in
telligence TO enable them to choose
candidates best fitted for Office
Hence without much if any protest,
they have lost the primary and re-
turned to the boss ridden" conven
ton.
These are the alleged causes for
FORGETTING the primary: Indifference
and ignorance. The first cause, in
difference, is shamefully and sadly
too true. The second cause, ignor-
ance, is absolutely groundless and
UNANIMOUSLY insulting. The cause for
the spirit Of indifference is the fact
that the administration of the law
has been such that it has failed 10
inspire confidence and respect for
the law
Had the convention system pos
sessed any virtue, it would not have
been abandoned To return to it
is to return to whit universally IS
conceded to be extremely bad and
defective. Only after years Of eX-
perience with this rotten convention
system, with its vices and conse-
quent woes, which made it unendur-
able, did a sense of common decency
always possessed by the majority
of mem, cause them to turn to the
primary as remedy.
Now to return to that unbearable
political filth and shame is the
height Of folly and a stigma upon
the intelligence of our citizenship.
But the "bosSes" and the would be
bosses propose that very thing.
The friends of the primary never
have claimed it to be a perfect and
faultless law. But none dare to
challenge the fact that the principle
of it is right. The primary recog-
nizeS the voter as both sovereign and
subject. This is the basic principle
IL our American democracy.
The convention system primarily
is assuming an illiterate electorate
that easily could become venal voters
and that our government is a med-
UNI and guise of republican forms,
an oligarchy Of profligate and flagi-
tious men.
During April and May, 30,0O0,000
out of total of 100000 voters
will have the right (and it is their
outy, too to indicate at primaries
their choice of presidential candi-
dates or convention delegates. There
are twenty States that have primar-
les. This is the greatest weapon that
the people have against a boss
ridden convention. God forbid that
they should lose it.
But unless the people awaken to
their opportunity to use this impor-
tan5 instrument of our Democracy.
the primary surely will be elimi-
mated. There has been no lack of
warnings, 1t does not require a
prophet nor son of a prophet to
see that the abrogation of this law
is freighted with portentious conse-
quenceS for evil.
GEORGE H. REIBOLD.
Danville, Ind.
Editor Times:
The ga class of Whittier School
No. SO wishes to thank you for your
kindness in sending Us copies of The
Times.
We found them very interesting
and useful. Through them we learn
many new things about our hero.
Colonel Lindbergh. We enjoyed
very much Lindbergh's successful
story we"
Thanking you again for your
courtesy, we remain,
THE ga CLASS OF SCHOOL SO,
Mildred Langdon, Secretary.