Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1916 — EARLY POLITICS. [ARTICLE]

EARLY POLITICS.

This little paragraph from The Democrat deserves an answer:, * The Republican “love feast” at tended by Representative Wood of Barr, and George Healey-of Rensselaer, so far as Jasper county as concerned, it is said. Healeywanta to be appointed adjutant general of the I. N."'G., and hopes to 'be if “farmer” Warren T.- McCray, the Kentland banker and grain dealer, should Iby any chance get to .be governor, and Logan -went because he thought he had to. The editor of The Republican does not know that he wants the office of adjutant-general. He has never expressed himself in that way to any person and has never decided that he wants the job. The adjutant-general is the military secretary to the governor. The national guard is managed through that office. It requires the services of some person who has devoted some time to military studies and who has some ideas about the needs of the state militia. It is an important job in time of peace; an exacting and consuming one in time of war. The office changes with the political complexion of the state administration. It might develop that the editor of The Republican would ask for he job, but he hasn’t done so and don’t know that he could afford to do so. HoweVbr, if he does and don’t get it he won’t do like the editor of The Democrat did when he asked for the postoffice and get mad at the governor, the state chairman, the district chairman, the county chairman, the representative in congress and the successful candidate. If we ask for something and don’t get it, we will go' right ahead and be a republican just the same, because we belidve the party is a lot bigger than the selffish ambition of any man. 1

It does us a lot of good to rub a little salt on the wounds of Editor Babcock. We have never in our life seen a man who was so governed by his own ambition© and prejudices. Really he considered the postoffice his by right of a democratic plurality to which his newspaper had given mighty feeble aid and when the county chairman got the job and the city chairman endorsed his application and Congressman Peterson made the appointment, he was so indignant that he assailed them all and included the district chairman, Charles J. Murphy, in his list of despised and distrusted men simply because they 'had not given him the job. It has often been said that the true estimate of a man can be had in defeat and if that is true you have had in Editor Babcock an example of his democracy, a faith as a convenience to emoluments and reward. It is an understanding of this trait that has made' good democrats like City Chairman McFarland and former County Chairman Littlefield distrust him. It is this personal that makes 'him see in every person who shows political activity a desire for office. The 11 editor of The Republican went to the “love feast” (because he believes in the republican patty, (because he wants to see Warren T. McCray nominated for 'governor of Indiana and because he is convinced that republican success will result from the enthusiasm of such early meetings. Representative Wood did hot think he had to go. He went because he is a believer in the republican party and because he knew he would hear some splendid speaking and meet many- other members of the legislature.

We should never have thought of asking why or guessing why Editor Babcock went to the Jackson banquet at Lafayette.- Probably it was because there was expected to be a chance to get things lined up for the next postoffice vacancy or because'he waned to meet Boss Murphy and try to get things squared up with the crowd in control of the party machinery. We don’t know. It’s just a guess with us as it was with Editor Babcock, \yhen in the few lines above quoted he tried to be funny and lacked the ability to make a success of the attempt. V