Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1914 — FIVE BALLOTS THIS YEAR. [ARTICLE]

FIVE BALLOTS THIS YEAR.

State, County, Township, Centennial Celebration and Constitutional Convention. The Indiana voter this year will have five separate ballots presented to him when he enters the voting place in his respective precinct on November 3 and an explanation of the different ballots is proper at this time. The state ballot is printed on PINK paper and contains the names of all the candidates on the different state tickets, the party device at the head of each ticket appearing at the top. Underneath the emblem appears the name of the party, and then follows the name of the candidates for United States Senator, instead of Secretary of State, as heretofore. We vote direct for United States Senator this fall for the first time. Heretofore United States Senators have been elected by the state legislature. The names of all the democratic candidates will appear in the first column under the democratic i emblem of the rooster and the words “Democratic Ticket,” followed jn order-by the Republican, Progressive, and other tickets, each in a column underneath their respective party emblem. This order of tickets is followed in the county and township ballots. The county* ballot is printed on WHITE paper and is headed, after the device or party emblem and name of party, with the candidate for congress, followed by the repre"sentative or judicial candidates and then by the candidates for county office proper. The township ballot is printed on YELLOW paper and is headed by the candidate for trustee. The two extra ballots are nonpolitical, and each are but four inches square. The constitutional convention ballot is printed on WHITE paper and contains the words: “Are yoii in favor of a con-

stitutional convention in the year 1915, followed by blank squares opposite which are the words, “Yes.” “No.” The voter marks his ballot in whichever square he wishes to vote. The second proposition to be voted on is whether or not the state of Indiana will appropriate $2,000,000 for a centennial celebration in 1916, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the state’s admission to the Union. This ballot will be printed on BLUE paper and will contain the words, “For the appropriation of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for a centennial memorial” with the words “yes” and “no” each preceded by a square, printed thereunder. On the constitutional amendment proposition The Democrat scarcely knows what advise to give its readers. The law providing for the holding of such a convention, as it stands today, is void, but it can be corrected by the next legislature, it is said. The title to the act says that the convention shall convene in the city of Indianapolis on the “first Monday of November, 1915,” while in the body of the act itself, it (provides that the convention shall convene on the “first Monday in May, 1915.” In the event a favorable vote is had, that is, a majority of the votes cast be in fdvor of such convention, then the law provides that a special election be held in March, 1915, to select delegates to such convention. Delegates to such convention are to be non-partisan, that is, no political party shall be permitted to nominate candidates for delegates. The same number of delegates are elected as we have members of the general assembly, and they receive the same pay and would, no doubt, have the same number of unnecessary doorkeepers, clerks, pages, and other “employes” as does each session of our legislature. These delegates so elected revise the constitution of the state, and remain in session not exceeding 180 days, Sundays excepted, or three times as long as a session of the legislature. The constitution agreed upon by this “assembly” is submitted to the voters of the state at the next general election as the delegates may provide. The holding of a special election next March and of the six months’ session of the convention will cost the taxpayers of Indiana in the neighborhood of $750,000. Perhaps more. It is argued by many of the advocates of a new constitution that this amount can be saved to the state in one or two years by the adoption of an up-to-date constitution. Whether this be true or not The Democrat is unable to say, but the very fact that the machine politicians of the state are against it—because, it is said, that they will be out of a job when we get a new constitution—rather convinces : us that it might be a good thing, although we have little confidence in any reduction in public expenditures under any constitution that may be adopted. . As to the blowing in of $2,000,000 for centennial celebration- —and the Acts of 1913 provide that the common, council of certain cities of the state may also appropriate funds not exceeding $2,500 each, for the purpose of aiding in such celebration—it seems to us, there should be little division in sentiment, but everyone opposed to the useless and extravagent expenditure of public money and the providing of a lot of political jobs for a bunch of “patriots” ■who arfe too lazy to go out and earn a living by the sweat of their brow, vote NO on this proposition. This “worlds fair” business, “centennial celebrations” and like events, has certainly gone to seed, and it is time to call a halt. Indiana voters should sit down hard on the proposition to take $2,000,000 out of the l state treasury and countless thousands from their city treasuries to promote a proposition that is of little benefit to any one except the job holders and the citizens of Indianapolis. We may reasonably expect that every mother’s son of ’em down at Indianapolis will vote “yes” on this proposition, and . unless the voters “up state” .vote “no” it will carry.