Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1912 — EDITORS ENDORSE TAFT AT INDIANAPOLIS MEETING. [ARTICLE]

EDITORS ENDORSE TAFT AT INDIANAPOLIS MEETING.

Resolutions Also Denounce the Democratic State Administration and Declare For County Option. Friday afternoon the republican state editorial association in a convention hail in the Claypool hotel, passed resolutions which strongly endorsed the administration of President Taft, told of the democratic extravagancies in the management of Indiana and declared for the restoration of county local option. Former Vice President Fairbanks stepped into the rear of the convention hall Friday afternoon and was escorted to the front and made a short talk to the editors assembled. The editors expressed appreciation of hiis call by rising to their feet. Leo K- Fessier, of Indianapolis, was elected president for the ensuing year, and B. F. Inman, of the Middletown News, was elected secretary. The resolutions passed by the association follow: “At its last annual meeting the Republican Editorial Association of Indiana, noting with pride and satisfaction the progress of events under the wise and patriotic administration of President William H. Taft and the evidences of popular appreciation of his courage, fidelity and fortitude in the cause of good government, confidently predicted that his attitude and acts in relation to public affairs would grow in favor as the character and value of the service rendered became more fully developed and better understood. Then and there this association pledged to the national administration the constant and loyal support of the Republican press of Indiana and appealed to the Republicans of the state to rally with us on common ground in defense of the splendid achievements of President Taft in the execution of Republican laws, policies and principles. “Again assembled in annual convention, the Republican Editorial Association, once more viewing the field of administrative endeavor, finds nothing to withdraw or retract, but on the contrary many additional acts to commend and applaud. With confidence fully confirmed in the statesmanship, ability and patriotic purpose of President William H. Taft, we hereby renew our approval of his administration as safe, wise and beneficial to the best interests of the country, and we most heartily endorse bis candidacy for renomination as the Republican candidate for President. “The record of the present state .administration, constitutes an issue upon which the Republican party may confidently challenge a verdict from the people of Indiana at the aproaching election. ~— ■ • “Elected upon a pledge of economy and retrenchment, this administration has been characterized by extravagance and waste. __ “Committed to the abolition of useless bureaus and new offices, it has created new offices and bureaus and increased the cost of the old. “The institutional. system of the Mate, lifted by a series of governors, beginning with Governor Matthews, to .a high plane of nonpartisan contool, has been made by an ambitious executive the object of petty political manipulation with consequent decrease of efficiency and increase of coat “Following a period of continual debt reduction under Republican control, die inevitable end of the present tendency in the state’s fiscal affairs ,1s either additional bond issues or substantially increased taxation. “An Issue of vital importance to the people of Indiana is presented by the control of the party temporarily dominant in the state by a corrupt and corrupting special interest having as the purpose of its habitual political exploitation of governmeht for its own financial gain. In control of the majority in the last General Assembly, this interest brought about the repeal of a Republican law providing for a form of home rule on the saloon question, which had met the manifest approval of a large majority of the people in the counties affected, and substituted a measure which has rehibilitated its business In nearly fifty counties of the state from which the people had excluded it by aggregate majorities of over $70,000. In the last general assembly the public interest was subordinated throughout to the financial ends of this single private interest. “Following that disgraceful session of the legislation the . Democratic state organization has fallen within the tyrannous control of brewery bosses who hold to the theory that their business should rule the people and not th* people their business.

The time is here, in our opinion, when the people of Indiana should throw off the yoke of the organized and capitalized liquor interest, and through the Republican party write a pew declaration of independence. We, therefore, favor local option with the county as the unit for the regulation of the liquor traffic.”