Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1915 — WARREN T. M’CRAY PROPOSED FOR GOVERNOR [ARTICLE]

WARREN T. M’CRAY PROPOSED FOR GOVERNOR

Kentland Citizen Endorsed by Tenth District Friends at Big Meeting Held Wednesday. Warren T. McCray, of Kentland, farmer, stockman and banker, was given a big boost for governor of Indiana Wednesday when a representative gathering of political friends from all the counties of the tenth district gathered in Kentland to impress him with a popular demand that he enter the race for the republican nomination. It was a big meeting, big in the sense that every county had sent many who were interested in having as the party standard bearer a business man to whom the people of the state could look with confidence in the management of the great affairs of Indiana. The meeting was an enthusiastic endorsement of Mr. McCray as the man qualified from every standpoint for the important position. He was praised as a businessman, stockman and citizen of the highest type and not only did Kentland republicans show their approval but also the entire population, for democrats and progressives wore McCray badges and gave their impressions of their townsman by saying that he meets up to the requirements in every way.

Large automobiles began to arrive from Lafayette, Williamsport, Valparaiso, Crown Point, Monticello, Brookston, Chalmers, Fowler, Rensselaer and other points before the noon hour and just at noon when it was raining in torrents a procession of automobiles arrived from Brook. It was stated that there were 42 cars. One of the cars was occupied by four stalwart men in their shirt sleeves. There was no top to the machine and the men in the rear seat held the staff to a large flag that floated in the breeze. Rousing cheers from the crowd gathered beneath awnings and in doorways as the procession went through town. A bandstand on the corner of the courthouse square was decorated with flags and bunting and it was from this stand that the speaking started when the storm temporarily suspended. Ray Cummings, chairman of Newton county, took charge and proposed J. B. Lyons as chairman. Mr. Lyons appointed a committee to go to Mr. McCray’s bank and bring him to the grandstand. Three bands, the Kentland, Brook and Morocco, led the way and the committee soon returned and there was a wild demonstration as Mr. McCray mounted the steps and took a seat on the stand. Fred Longiwell, of Brook, made a brief speech giving praise to Mr. McCray as a citizen and to him as the kind of businessman that is needed at the head of the state government. He spoke briefly on political issues and was applauded in every reference to Mr. McCray. There followed brief speeches of endorsement from other counties. Joseph Sleeper spoke for Benton county, C. F. Preston for White county, Dr. J. W. Shafer for Tippecanoe county and Geo. H. Healey for Jasper county. Another shower forced an adjournment to the courthouse, where the meeting continued and where Mr. McCray made a splendid speech, proving his ability in that line to meet all the demands of the position. This speech will be published in a later issue.

Arch Hall, of Indianapolis, followed with a fine address. Then other speeches followed and the meeting closed with cheers of endorsement Not only were the counties of the district represented but also from all over the state. Oscar M. Hadley, former state treasurer, was present and a number of others from Marion county. (Mr. McCray as the undisputed Hereford cattle king of the country is widely known among stockmen and farmers. He also has an acquaintance in all parts of the state that will prove valuable to his candidacy. For eleven years he was a trustee for the Northern Hospital for the Insane at Loganspdbt. He has been the president of the American Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association and also president of Indiana Live Stock Breeders’ Association and has often talked at the meetings of the association held at Purdue University. Of ideally clean moral life, a Christian gentleman, a deep thinker and a man of unlimited business capacity he seems to possess all the qualities so essential to the standard bearer of the republican party that it is expected his good qualities will spread to every section of the state and make him the nominee of the party when the primaries are held next March. The meeting at Kentland was called a “surprise party” and while it was not exactly that, it was an affair not of Mr. McCray’s but of his friends and was certainly all that could be hoped for 'as the first step in the campaign for the tenth district’s candidate for gover- . - ■ U.I