Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 55, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1915 — PRIMARY MEASURE PASSED LEGISLATURE [ARTICLE]

PRIMARY MEASURE PASSED LEGISLATURE

Substitute for Jones Bill Provides That Most Officers Be Named > By Primaries. ’ « PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES Speculation On Who of the Many Probable Aspirants Will Be' People’s Choice for Nomination for United States Senate—No More Conventions to Be Held in Hoosierdom Except State Convention and Delegates to That Will Be Chosen at the Primaries. No more political conventions for Indiana. The 69th general assembly has enacted a primary law that will cause all nominations from justices of the peace to congressmen to be named at primary elections and which also provides that deelgates to the state convention shall be chosen at the primary. The democrats who had forced the passage of a primary law and who favored a direct state wide primary were forced to accept a limited measure that still bears the Jones name but which was prepared by former Senator Stotsenburg, of New Albany, and W. W. Spencer, of Indianapolis. Presumably it is somewhat distasteful to Taggart, et al, but when the machine democrats realized that a primary measure was certain they had a substitution framed that leaves the nomination of state tickets to conventions.

The measure provides that preferential primaries shall be held for United States senators and for presidents and vice-presidents, but the duty of naming the selection is only compulsory when such candidate receives an actual majority in all votes cast. That the primary law will greatly increase the cost to candidates and make necessary a vast amount of publicity for each, especially in the counties with large cities is sure and that the expense of conducting the primaries will prove materially more is' also certain, but if it results in securing more nearly in arriving at the choice of the people these conditions may be justified. It is said that a poor man’s chances of securing a state nomination are eliminated when primaries are adopted. This will be determined in time and we can begin to adjust ourselves for the primaries that are to be held next year. Speculation is already rife as to whom republicans will nominate for United States senator to oppose John Worth Kern, present senator and the unquestioned choice of the democrats.

Among those mentioned are William L. Taylor, Charles W. Miller, J. W. Fesler, James E. Watson, Edgar D. Crumpacker, Harry New, Hugh Th. Miller and Will H. Hayes. It is quite a fine array of talent, experience and statesmanship and the people should begin at this early day to study the men who are to be the prospective candidates for United States senator and governor. There is every indication that Indiana will go strongly republican next year and we should be very careful to get the best men for all offices. By the delegate form of nominations it was expected that those who represented ns in conventions would use good judgment in selecting candidates, but now it comes directly to us and we should try to know the worthy of the aspirants for office. t