The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-21
PRIMARY FOES
LOSE IN SENATE
BY TWO VOTES
Republican Floor Leader in
Bitter Attack on Re-
peal Bill.

cit would be cur sovereign duty
to put the Governor and United
States senator back on the primary
ballot instead of supporting any
further effort at primary repeal.
SIS Indiana afraid to give hel
people a chance to chose who they
want to represent them in any pub
lie Office? Why are we the only
state to be taking steps backward
in regard to the primary?
"Our people are too good to be
thus falsely dealt with"
In such ringing phrases did
Senator Lee J. Hartzell (Rep., Allen
and Noble), Republican floor leader
lead the attack on the Beckett pri-
mary repeal bill in the senate Fri
day afternoon. Others joined the
fray and the bill failed of a consti-
tutional majority by two votes, "a
ayes and 20 noes.
LesIie's Advice Unheeded
Governor Harry C. Leslie had
urged entire repeal of the primary
in his address to the general as
sembly. The Friday fight brought
forth the spectacle Of Senator
Harry K. Cuthbertson (Dem., How
ard and Miami) defending the
chief executives position against
attack from the elected leader in
the senate of the Governors own
party.
Cuthbertson blamed the primary
for Klan control of the G.. 0. P.
and the election of former Cover
nor Ed Jackson undel the wing of
D. @. Stephenson, Khan chief, now
serving a life term in prison fol
murder.
"This bill is designed to get away
from control by such organizations
as the Khan and restore party re-
sponsibility," Cuthbertson said. "It
is nonpartisan and nonpolitical."
The bill, introduced by Senator
Joe Rand Beckett (Rep., Marion)
provides for election of precinct
committeeman and convention dele
gates by the primary method, anc
choice of all candidates by county
district and state convention with
secret ballots. In counties under
$4,000, the present primary may be
retained under an amendment tc
the measure.
Beckett and his hackers have been
advertising the measure as propri-
mary, rather than anti.
This viewpoint was advanced by
Senator Chester A. Perkins Dem.
st. Joseph, who asserted that sup
porters Of the bill are friends OF
the primary"
Charges Insincerity
Senator James j. NejdI Rep.,
Lake, pointed out that such an idea
was insincere and that while it was
a move to repeal the primary it was
a coWardly one.
I'm opposed to the primary law,
Nejdl declared. But lets repeal it
like men and go back to the con-
vention system, cut out that secret
voting idea and keep politics clean
by keeping the convention open and
clean. We all know that they never
will be gospel meetings, but that is
politics"
Senator Walter s. Chamberlin
Dem., Hancock, Henry and Madi-
son) charged that the bill will make
the county convention "a closed
corporation"
I'VE know that. friends of the pri-
mary system are not for this BILL
Senator Edgar A. PERKINS Dem.,
Marion) declared.
1.-THE League of Women Voters and
other friends of the primary have
fought it consistently. It was the
old convention system that pro-
duced genuine corruption. Under
the primary we have come a whole
lot nearer getting the wish of the
people. Conditions are much bet
ter right here in Marion county due
to the primary. If you want to es-
tablish the old boss rule again, just
vote for this bill"
Sixteen Republicans and eight
Democrats voted for the bill and
ten Democrats and ten Republicans
voted against it. Having not been
decisively defeated, Beckett will
bring the matter to another vote
next week