Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 259, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1910 — TAGGART AGENTS PEOPLE SLANDER [ARTICLE]

TAGGART AGENTS PEOPLE SLANDER

Democrats In Retreat, Under Bosses, Losing Tempers. CMPAIGN OF DEFAMTION ON Old Methods of Taggartlsm Revived In Most Brutal Forms As Desperate - Expedient In Effort to Btem Tide Towards Republicanism In Indiana— Republicans Continue Argument And Appeal to Velars On Grotinds of Decency and Progress. The Republican campaign In Indiana has made such splendid strides toward victory in the last two weeks that the Democratic retreat already is on the point of rout. The Republican campaign has been made on a high level of argument If the truth has been harsh, It has been the truth. It is not often the voters have an opportunity to hear living issues so .clearly, fearlessly and honestly presented as in the Republican discussion of 1910 in Indiana. Col. Roosevelt made a positive appeal to the people for support and gave reasons in logical order, for expecting his cause to be considered by the voters. ___ Not a word did Col. Roosevelt say of the Democratic predicament in Indiana. Not once did he refer to the bossism of Taggart, the bribery charges made by John Kern against the friends of Senator Shively. Not a word did Roosevelt say to embarrass Democrats. He made a broad, high plea for progressive Republicanism and for Senator Beveridge as the embodiment of that idea. For Home and Country. Senator Beveridge has gone to the voters asking them to vote for their homes and for the country and to think of party afterwards. He has gone to the front on a showing of worthy achievement, and is asking the voters to consider his work, if it be good. Such a campaign, of course, is sure to win with Indiana voters. And doubts'the Democrats may have had as to the outcome have been blown away by the wind that fills the sails of the Republican ship, victory bound. Taggart men have been rendered desperate by developments. They have been unable to keep their own party men in line. They have made blunder after blunder. They have fallen into trap after trap. They have been led Into error, and the rank and file Democrats refuse to follow and become entangled with the unfortunate Democratic bosses. Taggart’s political motor car has broken down and mired, far from home. He has been deserted by one chauffeur after another. In such a time of desperation it is the nature of such a boss as Taggart to stoop to the slime where his machine is marooned, and in his rage to hurl mud at passers-by. That is exactly what is going on in the Indiana campaign today. Failing in argument, the Taggart crowd is using slander. Republican candidates all along -the line are being assailed as to their personal characters. Nothing is too mean or vile to be concocted Into lies and peddled about by Taggart agents In the effort to injure or defame good men in public life. Slander at Work. Candidates for county offices in counties adjoining Marion county have returned to their homes from Indianapolis to find Democratic workers spreading slanders in their absence. The Taggart campaign has taken the place of the Marshall-Kern-Shively-Lamb-Bryan campaign. In place of oratory the people are given muck from the Taggart batteries. In the place of argument the voters are forced to dodge filth and falsehood. It is as William Allen White, the great writer, predicted many months ago, when he told how the fight would be made against Senator Beveridge in Indiana. Mr. White said: "The fact that Beveridge has stood unafraid and unshaken has meant much to the people. Naturally the interests that he has rebuffed and has helped to keep within bounds are after him. "They will use money in Indiana. They will use political trickery in Indiana. They will use every scheme and dodge that the wily politician knows in the high degree of that craft. “The people of Indiana have to vote through a legislature in order to return Senator Beveridge, so it may be expected that every Republican candidate for the legislature will be assailed, not because he is for Beveridge —not at all! Spreading Lies. “The candidates will he attacked ‘on personal grounds’; local issues will be manufactured, stories will be spread, every inducement will be held out for the average voter to vote for the Democratic legislative candidates. "It will take a political Intelligence and purpose rarely demanded In American politics for the people of Indiana to sustain the champion of Indiana people, but the whole nation is watching the result, and the good will of every honest citizen of every state ia with Senator Beveridge in his fight The Indiana cause this year is<he nation’s cause.”