Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 275, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 November 1915 — Necessity For Union. [ARTICLE]

Necessity For Union.

As the campaign'advances it is significant to note that among those who are taking an active part in republican politics in Indiana, are a large number of men who were leaders in the progressive party in 1912 and 1914. Among these is B. R. Inman, assistant secretary of the\ Columbia Club, of Indianapolis, who is in charge of the membership campaign which has resulted in an increase of the club membership from 1097 to over 3,200 since March Ist. c Mr. Inman, like many other former progressives, believes that a three party alignment *is impractical, and that a restoration of a protective tariff is possible only through the success of the republican party. In a recent issue of the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, that paper quoted Mr. A Iman in an interview concerning the selection of the candidates on the republican ticket in the coming campaign. The Tribune says: “Ben R. Inman, formerly a well-known newspaper man of the sixth district, who was one of the most active progressives in the 1912-14 campaigi.s, is doing as much as any one man in the state to bring the two wings of the republican party together coming contest. Upon the showing made by the progressives in the 1914 election Mr. Inman, who -was a republican in every bone and sinew, saw, as did thousands of others, the futility of longer undertaking to combat the democrats with a divided party, and at once set about to bring -the progressives and republicans together in order that they might wage successful conflict against the common enemy. In an interview with Mr. Inman this week he said: “The tariff will be one overshadowing issue in the next campaign. All republicans, 90 per cent of the progressives, and a large number of democrats believe that the restoration of a protective tariff if essential to national prosperity of a permanent, potential type. That the present democratic tariff law is unpopular with business men generally, as well as with the agricultural classes and wage earners, is evident. That the rehabilitation of the republcan party is essential to the restoration of a protective tariff is also evident. “Thus it is that republicans and progresisves alike realize the necessity for a union of all the forces of protection in the 1916 campaign. In order that this may be accomplished it is necessary for those who disagreed in 1912 to put aside their differences as to leadership at that time and submit to the will of the majority in the rehabilitated republican party as to the leadership in 1916. “In the selection of the candidates on the republican ticket from .county to national in 1916, there should be no discrimination against any man because of his attitude in 1912. Ability, fitness and capacity for highest type of public service should be the first consideration in the’ selection of the nominees in the coming campaign. The individual who persists in demanding that one person should not be nominated for a public office berause he was promoting the nomination of Mr. Taft in 1912 is as unreasonable and impractical as the one who insists that the man who favored the nomination of Mr. Roosevelt should be eliminated as a candidate. Either attitude is absurd. Each should coniene that the other had a perfect right to adopt his own course in 1912. All should agree that the nominees of the republican party in 1916 shall be selected by the majority of those who will vote the republican ticket at that election, and when such selection has been made the nominees are entitled to and should receive the enthusiastic support of every voter who believes in the cardinal principles of the repubilcan party, regardless of the nominees’ action in 1912.” The position here taken by Mr. Inman will no doubt meet with the hearty approval of the leaders of both progressives and repubilcans and should go a long way toward bringing about a close union of the forces of good government under the old republican banner. Mr. Inman has taken a very sane and practical attitude in this matter; and it is becoming more and more apparent each day that republicans and former progressives of Indiana are rapidly getting together for a united assault against the common' enemy of protection in 1916. As an evidence of the union of the twt forces, -it is said that in many counties in the state former progressives will be nominated on the republican county and legislative tickets.

Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Fendig were Chicago visitors today.

John Gallivan, a St. Joe student who broke his collarbone several weeks ago, went to his home at Columbia City today to remain until as-< ter the holidays. He has been quite poorly since his accident. In addition to the capable company, and the musical numbers of “A Modern Cinderella,” that appears at the Ellis theatre on Tuesday, Nov. 23, particular mention should be made of the chorus, on account of the excellent voices, youth, comeliness, which is an unusual combination found in the musical comedies of today. If you are looking for an ideal range coal try our B. B.—Harrington Bros. Co.

Governor Fielder, the demoratic executive of New Jersey, has no illusions. The election this year means, he says, that New Jersey is still a republican state. Thomas Edison asys that the greatest problem now confronting the American people consists in proving that a Democracy can be efficient. Mr. Edison must have the democratic party in mind. If so, the problem is impossible of solution. Harking back to his school days, Senator Kern of Indiana declares, “I managed to get through that school without having to fight a single boy.” Judging from his recent public utterances on the subject of preparedness, the child is father of the man. “Too proud to fight.” But this is apt to be the pride which goeth before a fall. When the president goes walking he carries, we are told by a veracious Washington correspondent, a pocketful of crumbs to feed to the birds, of which, the despatch adds, he is very fond. We thought as much when, following the elections of 1914, he handed out so many pocketfuls of crumbs to the democratic lame ducks in congress. The New York Times sees from the elections a reunited opposition to the democratic party, and warns Mr. Wilson that “it will not do to repeat such perilous blunders as that of the seamen’s act, or to persist in such adventures as a government-owned merchant Marine.” It also counsels him to take counsel of men of experience —not excluding republicans. These admonitions will fall on deaf ears. Administration democrats in Washington affect to find some partisan comfort in the Tammany victory in New York city. For two years the administration lias tried to starve Tammany men and Tammany congressmen have not been welcome at the White House. Yet Tammany, independent of Wilson, is able to win in an election where the Wilson cause has suffered. Extracting joy from this situation is like manufacturing sunshine frota cucumbers. Representative Pou of North Carolina, ranking member of the house committee on rules, referring to a conference with the president, says: “I told the president that it was significant that two living former presidents and the president, while they differed on many subjects, were together on the question of national preparedness”. And yet the democrats having been driven to the espousal of preparedness by republican criticism, are now trying to make it a national iskue.