Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1916 — LOVE FEAST PROVED INTEREST OF VOTERS [ARTICLE]

LOVE FEAST PROVED INTEREST OF VOTERS

Gathered About McCray Headquarters and Wore Badges Every- ~ where—Farmers Big Factor. Last week’s very successful love feast of republicans brought to the surface a great deal of interesting data from various communities and much discussion as to the progress being made iby candidates for the leading offices. The observant; one could- not fail to notice the pronounced evidence of many new alignments .and the entry of a great many new and energetic workers in behalf of this or that favorite. The change in the race for States senator, occasioned by the withdrawal of Hugh Miller and the entry of Harry New, must of necessity, because of the persistent enthusiasm of the friends of each in attendance at the meeting-, be admitted to be the making of a pretty contest. The result of this cannot be foretold with any degree of accuracy. The governorship came in for fully as much, if not more, attention than the senatorship. On every side it was admitted that the race is between Warren T. McCray and James P. Goodrich, with no prospect of any other result in the primary. It was quite plain during the gathering of the clans that McCray’s followers were more numerous than his opponents had expected or been willing to concede. The hundreds of McCray badges that had been prepared were worn and proudly by his supporters, the supply being insufficient to meet the demand.

At this love feast, by reason of the numbers present and the manner of -their work and exchange of views, it was shown conclusively that no one candidate for any office has an exclusive copyright on methods of organization. There are, of course, large numbers of politicians who have long been in the harness, many of whom turn naturally to the ranks in which they have had their training, yet there are many from this class who have joined in the demand for new material, and are ardently supported -by a class of younger and newer lieutenants whose enthusiasm demands the choice of a candidate against whom no objection can be raised by any element within the party. The stormy weather, while it did not seem to interfere with the attendance, did in fact Keep away a great many people from among those for-whom travel was made too uncertain and difficult. Most of those present were from the accessible cities and towns, with not go many from the farms. But the from the towns, was to the effect that among the agriculturists there is a most pronounced preference for Warren T. McCray. Perhaps it is because of this strong farmer following of McCray, coupled with support in formidible quantities in every city, town and village in Indiana, to which is added a certan knowledge that he is the most available man the republicans could name, that makes, from some sources, a desperate effort to decry the farmer as a political factor. The Cincinnati Enquirer's Indiana political correspondent, who is alleged also to be a publicity agent in the Goodrich camp, and on which account he must be charged with personal prejudices, was criticised in numerous groups of attendants at the love feast because of his recent ridicule of the agriculturist, of whom he said, in effect, that there was no farmer broad enough and big enough to be governor, and no right on the part of farmers to advocate the choice of a candidate from their own class. This correspondent, in his reflection upon the intelligence of the farmers as a class, seemed to have overlooked the fact that in Indians, they constitute 63 per cent of all the voters, and that a combined effort on on their part will make a victor of the one whom they support. The effect of such writings has been noticeable in that it has aroused farmers -everywhere throughout Indiana to a new determination.