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The Influence of Political Platforms on Legislation in Indiana, 1901–19211
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 August 2014
Extract
Numerically the political platform touches about six-tenths of one per cent of the legislation introduced in an average legislature. For instance, in the 1911 Indiana legislature, there were 1,111 bills introduced, while only six bills originated in the political platform of the controlling, in this case the Democratic, party. This revelation, although startling at first, is somewhat deceiving. In the first place, the political platform does not attempt, nor do the party leaders desire it, to touch upon all phases of legislation. There are various kinds of legislation, such as the relocation of county seats, weed laws and individual relief laws, which are too local or trivial to be included in the state platform, and there are other types, such as anti-liquor legislation, which the platform avoids because of their magnified importance.
Although the percentage given is correct, this six-tenths of one per cent is about twenty-five per cent of the important legislation considered. In this study of the twenty year period in Indiana, beginning with the inauguration of Governor Durbin in 1901 and through the successive administrations and ending with the first legislature under Governor McCray in 1921, we are interested in those platform planks alone which positively pledge the party to legislation.
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- Research Article
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- Copyright
- Copyright © American Political Science Association 1923
Footnotes
1
For the study of this subject, the daily newspapers were the most fruitful source of material. The Indianapolis News and Indianapolis Star for the period of years 1901 to 1921 gave invaluable aid. The earlier platforms were secured from Henry'sW. E.Indiana Political Platforms, 1850–1900. Later platforms were taken from the Indiana Legislative and State Manual, which was published in 1903, 1905, 1907, 1909, and 1913. The platforms not taken from these manuals were clipped from the newspapers quoted. The governors' messages are found in the Indiana Senate Journal, or the Indiana House Journal. The Session Laws from 1901 to 1921, and Burns' Annotated Statutes were used in determining the platform planks and governors' suggestions that became law.
References
2 Indiana State Journal, and Indiana House Journal for 1911.
3 Holcombe, State Government in the United States, 327.Google Scholar
4 Goodnow, , Comparative Administrative Law, 46.Google Scholar
5 Indianapolis News, March 5, 1917.
6 Indianapolis News, March 10, 1919.
7 The first Indiana platform plank on the subject of taxes in this century appeared in the Republican platform of 1918.
8 For extensive comment on the 1914 Democratic platform and the 1915 legislature, see the editorials of the Indianapolis News and Indianapolis Star from January 12 to March 9. Especially noteworthy are those appearing between the dates January 20 and February 26, inclusive.
9 Indianapolis News, March 8, 1915.
10 Esarey, , Indiana History, II, 631.Google Scholar
11 See Session Laws of 1919, ch. 2.
12 See Indiana Session Laws, 1917Google Scholar, ch. 4.
13 Indiana Legislative and State Manual, 1903, 123.
14 Indiana Session Laws, 1907.Google Scholar
15 In 1900, the platform of the controlling political party proposed two planks, and both were enacted: in 1902, one plank which failed; 1904, three planks, two passed; in 1906, eight planks, six passed; 1908, eight planks, all failed; 1910, six planks, four passed; 1912, six planks, four passed; 1914, four planks, four passed; 1916, eleven planks, four passed; 1918, twelve planks, ten passed; 1920, eight planks, seven passed.
16 In 1901 and 1903, there were no platform planks contained in the governor's message; in 1905, two measures, both of which passed; 1907, six proposed, six passed; 1909, three proposed, one passed; 1911, four proposed, four passed; 1913, two proposed, one passed; 1915, four proposed, four passed; 1917, nine proposed, five passed; 1919, fourteen proposed, six passed; 1921, six proposed, four passed.
17 Indiana Session Laws, 1921.Google Scholar
18 Indiana Session Laws, 1919.Google Scholar
19 Indiana Session Laws, 1913.Google Scholar
20 Indiana Legislative and State Manual, 1907.
21 Ostrogorski, , Democracy and the Party System in the United States, 174.Google Scholar
22 Article V of the Constitution of Indiana (1851) deals with the power of the governors. The only references to his legislative power are in sections 14 and 15 which explain his veto power, his ability to call a special session of the legislature, and his messages which he sends from “time to time” to the legislature.
23 Section 1 article V, Indiana Constitution 1851.
24 Governor Goodrich's message to the legislature of 1917.
25 Especially the Indianapolis Star in editorials between January 6, and March 5, 1917.
26 The Nation, Vol. 94, p. 558.
27 For Governor Durbin's 1905 message, see the Senate Journal of 1905, page 17.
28 The number of platform planks included by the governors in their messages to the legislature have been as follows: 1900–0; 1902–0; 1904–2; 1906–6; 1908–3; 1910–4; 1912–2; 1914–4; 1916–5; 1918–6; 1920–4.
29 The messages, arranged in consecutive years, contain the following number of planks: 1900—3; 1902—18; 1904—12; 1906—16; 1908—16; 1910—13; 1912—7; 1914—9; 1916—24; 1918—23; 1920—7.
30 Indiana House Journal, 1901, 72.Google Scholar
31 Indiana House Journal, 1903, 20.Google Scholar
32 Indiana Senate Journal, 1905, 23.Google Scholar
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