Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1915 — COLUMBIA LUNCHEON A BOOSTER MOVEMENT [ARTICLE]

COLUMBIA LUNCHEON A BOOSTER MOVEMENT

Editors Guests of Indianapolis Club Which Desires to Have Membership Over State. About forty republican editors throughout Indiana were guests at an enjoyable luncheon given by the Columbia Club of Indianapolis Thursday noon. The invitations sent out by President Hamilton and Secretary Ewbank stated that the Columbia Club desired to become a greater factor in the republican party in the future and wanted the co-operation of the republican press of the state. ’Hie gathering was quite representative, editors being there from all over Indiana* Following the luncheon, President Hamilton introduced several speakers, among them Charles W. Miller, William L. Taylor and George B. Lockwood. .It was explained that the Columbia Club, which at present has a membership of about twelve hundred, largely confined to Indianapolis, wished to extend the membership, increasing it to two or three thousand and to have as non-resident members republicans from all over Indiana. The republican papers were asked to present the invitation thus given to prominent republicans of their respective cities and counties and make all feel that the doors of the Columbia Club are swinging wide open and that they will find a cordial welcome within. The club has plans to increase the size of its very handsome quarters on the circle and to do this makes the added membership very desirable and will make it a most convenient and hospitable home for republicans who are frequent or even occasional visitors in the state capital. Sleeping accommodations can be procured at the club, a more satisfactory thing than to stop at hotels. Most of the large business men of Indianapolis and the leading politicians of the state hold membership there and one is always certain to find many at the club who will make their entertainment and stay in the city agreeable. Businessmen who spoke ' pointed out that soup houses made necessary this year in Indianapolis to take care of the unemployed were the first that had been necessary there since the last Cleveland administration. They also spoke of the business depression, the closed factories, the struggle of many institutions to keep free from bankruptcy and said that to restore business and the confidence that is necessary to •accomplishment of real progress it would be necessary to again place capable republicans at the head of the lawmaking bodies of the state and antion. The speakers were greeted with applause and the meeting had the appearance of a first great effort to the accomplishment of the restoration so desirable to all. Besides the speakers mentioned, all three of whom are capable and are possible candidates for United States senator, there was present Harry New, whose father in the long-ago years of the political newspapers in the big cities, conducted The Indianapolis Journal. Mr. New was himself connected with the paper for many years. He, too, is a possible candidate for United States Senator. Among the editors was Samuel E. Boys, of Plymouth, who ran his newspaper as a progressive organ during the campaigns of 1912 and 1914. Mr. Boys is back in the republican party and will be active in encouraging it to a forward step in law making. Another former Bull Moose editor present and one who is quite well known in Rensselaer was Henry A. Roberts, of Carmel, who is back in the ranks. Mr. Roberts is a traveling salesman, and has been coming to this city for

fifteen years. Mrs. Roberts and a hired man publish the paper, except on Saturdays when he is at home and himself dabbles in the ink. He was a great friend of Albert J. Beveridge and in 1912 held the view of many traveling men that the election of Roosevelt was a possibility and seemed more hopeful than the election of Taft. Last year, affected by the democratic administration tariff measure and recognizing the depression all over the country he got back into the republican party, arguing that it was better to follow a party than a man and proclaiming his determination to activity in the welfare of his old political organization.