Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 68, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1909 — FINE SPIRIT OF SELF SACRIFICE [ARTICLE]

FINE SPIRIT OF SELF SACRIFICE

Candidates Forego Contest In Public Interest. NOT TO DEUY LEGISLATION ♦ In Order That Larger Public Interests May Not Be Delayed, Democratic Candidates for State Offices, Notwithstanding Strong Presumptive Evidence in Their Behalf, Will Not Press Their Personal Rights—Movement for Purity of Elections Has Grown Out of the Scandals of the Late Election—A Rebuke In Store for Republican Sneers. Indianapolis, Jan 26.—The candidates for slate offices on the Democratic ticket, who failed to get comniis Bions because the vote, on the face of the returns, was against them, have made a sacrifice of their personal rights in order that larger public interests may not be delayed. All of these men felt that on the legal votes cast last November they were entitled to the offices for which they were running, There were many suspicious delays about returning the election results to the secretary of state. Many errors were made, some of which stand against the Democratic candi dates uncorrected. And then there was the notorious manipulation by the Republicans of. the new foreign vote in trust-ridden Lake county. Even with all this, some of the Democratic state Candidaies were defeated by less than 200 plurality, and all believed that before an adequate tribunal they could have established their rights to the offices. But the existing method of contesting state elections was apparently de Bignod to defeat its own ends. At any rate it cannot be successfully invoked where there Is a partisan division of the two houses of the general assembly. and never without a prolonged and serious interference with other public business. Taking this view of the situation, the Democratic candi dates concluded not to contest the 190$ election Calling attention to their own self slicrificing attitude, in a public statement, they asked the legislature, without regard to party, to “ini mediately take up and pass such need ful legislation as will hereafter prevent the casting cf illegal ballots in Indiana; provide for speedy and immediate returns from all election precincts, so that al) candidates for offic' 1 may know at once the result of an election, and tlx and determine n sreedy method of contest of all offices in the future In such way that the same ffiav he determined regardless of the political complexion of the per sons charged with the settlement of such a contest."

One of the hills now pending in the legislature, and regarded as of the greatest importance In securing clean voting, provides that where a voter is challenged he shall answer certain onestkihs under oath before be shall he given a ballot. If he Is a native born ho must answer the following questions,: What is your name and age? VTnw/)ong have you resided in this precinct ? How long have you resided in this county? How long and whore have you resided *he state of Indiana 0 When and where did you cast your last vote’ By what two persons can it be proved that you have resided in the state of Indiana six months inynediately preceding this election, in this county sixty days immediately preceding this election, and in this precinct thirty immediately preceding this election? If he claims to be foreign born he mast answer the following questions: Where were you born? On what ship did you come to the lh»ited States of -America and from what port? At- what port in America did you land and on what date? In what court did you declare your Intention to become a citizen of the United States, and at what time? How long have you resided in this precinct? t How Jong have you resided in this j

county, and wb re? How long have you resided In the state of Indiana, and where? When and where did you last vote? . By what two persons can you prove that you are the person to whom the papers declaring you intention to become a United States cltisen were issued; that you have resided in the state of Indiana for six mouths immediately preceding this election, in this county sixty days Immediately preceding this election, and In this precinct thirty days immediately preceding this election ? The penalty provided for falsely answering any question is imprisonment for from two to fourteen years and disfranchisement for life. It is claimed that with a law containing these provisions illegal voting such as it is alleged was practiced at the recent election in Lake county and elsewhere, would be attempted. There may be some changes in this bill, but that It should be passed with Its main feat« urea intact appears to ba generally conceded. It Is not a partisan meas ure in any sense, although introduced by the Democrats, and it Is declared that all good citizens who are interested in the purity of elections should urge their senators and representatives to join in Its passage. Governor Marshall, who has the confidence of the whole people in a striking degree, is known to favor the essential features of this bill. Speaking generally, the voter is coming in for his share of attention at the hands of legisla tors this 'winter. It Is proposed that he be registered prior to all general elections, and then It is proposed that he shall be compelled to present him self at the polls and vote his sentiments unless he is prepared to furnish a good excuse for not doing so. If he falls to show up and vote he lays himself liable to a fine if he has no defense, that is, if a bill now pending in the senate becomes a law. This com pulsory voting bill has been reported for passage by the senate committee on elections. ♦ • e Some of the Republican leaders in the legislature are sneering at ths Democratic program of economy. Ani they sneer especially at the proposal to abolish unnecessary offices, boards and commissions. If these men would only put their ears to the ground they j might not be quite so bold. There are , many of the Republican rank and file who have let the Democratic members know that their economy program is 1 approved by them. The Democratic ( leaders in both houses assert thKt they j have no revolutionary plans, but they | say that extravagance and waste of public revenues must be stopped. If the Republican politicians want to! stand in the way they will have to take the consequences when the facts are laid before the people in the next | campaign. A Republican in a hotel ; lobby—and there are others like him — I talking about the many boards of this, that and the other, declared that a man could hardly start in any business without first being examined and certi fled by a commission. “Why,” he said, “you can’t give a pill, nurse the sick pull a tooth, measure out a dose of salts, doctor a horse, sell a pair of spectacles, ’embalm the dead, and a lot of other things without having a board of some kind haling you into court for a violation of some law.” And that is about so, though all of the things he enumerated are not objectionable in themselves. • • • The Commercial organizations of the state have taken an interest in the ten reform measures for conducting public business proposed by the Merchants’ association of Indianapolis and others, but it is not likely that all of them can get through. Something will be done, but there will not be time to intelligently consider and act upon all that is asked, even if it is all desirable. The one great reform to which the Democrats are committed is better public service for less money, and this idea will guide them throughout th* 1 session, regardless of particular bills... « * • At this session of the general assembly legislation and congressional apportionment laws should be passed, but there is little prospect that the Republican senate and the Democratic house can agree on arranging the various districts. All that the Democrats are asking is a fair apportionment, one which will not deprive them of just representation. In other words, the Democrats will not permit a partisan gerrymander of the state. A group of Republican senators have prepared a legislative apportionment bill, but it is conceded to be unfair and so has no chance to get through the house. As matters now stand, no one expects a new apportionment to be made this winter. Rather than accept something worse, the Democrats will take their chances under the present law. « « • When the general appropriation bill is brought up for consideration later on in the session, some of the persons in the state house now drawing comfortable salaries will use a magnifying glass In vain to discover where they come in. It seems to be settled that they won’t come in at all. If plans, now on foot can be carried out no Appropriations for salaries will be made unless there is a separate law creating the office and fixing the salary. It has been the practice for several years to slip extra salary items into the appro priation bills, thus making pleasant and proflatable jobs where none existed under any indej>endefit enactment In this way many party favorites wen? taken care of. Tills sort of thing was done noticeably two years ago. It was especially so as to the state auditor’s office, with a slight difference. Money was appropriated to pay for extra clerkships provided for In the Insuranoe bill which met its death just at

the close of the session. Governor Manly vetoed this bill, calling It a “per Odious" measure, and bls veto was sustained. But the appropriation, bill was not changed, and the extra clerks were subsequently appointed by Auditor Blllheimer and have drawn their salaries with a regularity that is touching, even though it may not com mend Itself to the taxpayers. • . * * Attention has been called heretofore to the Faulknor bill which proposes to readjust the force of employes in the governor’s office. It is tn the interest both of economy and of the careful management of public business, and has the approval of Governor Marshall. But there is an intimation that some Republican members will oppose Its passage. This causes great surprise. The bill will save the state |2,000 a year at least and probably a great deal more. MILLARD F. COX.