Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1915 — CANDIDATE FEARFUL OF 1916 CHANCES [ARTICLE]

CANDIDATE FEARFUL OF 1916 CHANCES

John Worth Kern Seeks to Inspire Lethargic Partisans—“Jolifieation is Planned. Indianapolis, Ind., April 23. ened from their death-like lethargy by John Kern, who at this early date can feel himself slipping from a seat in the U. S. senate, the members of the democratic state committee have issued a call for a state “Jollification” meeting to be held in Indianapolis on April 28, at which time W. C. Redwood, one of the cjiief apologists and explainers of Wilson’s cabinet of explainers, will be the principal speaker. By means of this meeting of postmasters and office holders the democratic leaders hope to offset the remarkable activity that has been evidenced by Indiana republicans ever since the last election. It has been announced that following the Redfield meeting, jollification demontsrations are to be held in the various congressional districts of the state. The question has been frequently asked of late, What are the democrat-ic-office holders going to jollify about —the Chicago election or the elimination of Donn Roberts, one of the most prominent candidates for the democratic nomination for governor? This question remains unanswered. During the past few months a number of county and district love feasts have been held by republicans. The attendance at these meetings has been remarkably large and the enthusiasm has been unbounded. Never before in the political history of the state has any political party manifested the activity during an “off year” that the republicans of Indiana have so far this year. The indications are that a number of similar meetings are yet to be held in various parts of the state before the heated summer season opens. This activity on the part of republicans is what has scared John Kern and his close personal followers. For a while the democratic politicians figured that it might /be a part of wisdom to pay no attention to the republicans, but the enthusiasm and attendance at the republican meetings was too much for them. They decided that -they hiust follow suit. The result is that a schedule of democratic meetings is being prepared. There is a marked difference, however, between the meetings the republicans are holding and those proposed by the democrats—the demand for the .democratic meetings is coming Trom the top, while the demand for the republican meetings is coming from the voters. The republican state committee has .-scheduled a single meeting during ’the past few months. Every republican meeting has been in response . to a demand from the voters themselves and all arrangements have been perfected by local party workers. It remains to be seen whether there will be any real public interest in the meetings that are being planned by the leaders of the democratic state machine. The start being made by the democrats —bringing Redfield into Indiana —is not being greeted by any great amount of enthusiasm by the rank and file of the party. Redfield, it has been announced, is coming to reassure the business men and interests of Indiana but it is not putting the matter too strongly to observe that Redfield is looked upon as pretty much of a joke by the business interests of Indiana. It will take more to reassure the business men of Indiana and convince them that a democratic administration should be returned to power, than Redfield’s platitudes and jumble of meaningless figures. There is a possibility that the democratic leaders will come to realize within a short time that they made as big a mistake in bringing Redfield to Indiana as they did when they brought President Wilson to the state three months ago to deliver that political speech which has caused him so much embarassment and his party so much damage.