Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 240, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1918 — G.O.P.OUTLOOK IS HELD BRIGHT [ARTICLE]

G.O.P.OUTLOOK IS HELD BRIGHT

CONGRESSMEN VIEW FENCES AND PLAN WINDUP—TAGGART SEES DEMOCRATS WIN. Reports made at a meeting 6f the Republican*.state committee at a conference at the headquarters at the Hotel Severin in Indianapolis Friday afternoon indicated •to 'Chairman Edmund M. Wasmuth and Secretary ' L. W. Henley that the outlook for Republican party Success in Novem-' ber 'could hardly be improved. The registration was shown to be very satisfactory and the organization in an., harmonious and efficient working shape, I Representatives Everet Sanders of the Fifth, Albert Vestal of the Eighth, and Fred Purnell of the Ninth, at- I tended the conference and expressed pleasure over the situation in their districts. Members of the executive committee also wete present. John H. Edwards, chairman of the speakers’ bureau, conferred with the committee regarding meetings that will be held after Oct. '2l, unless the influenza epidemic interferes. . . . : Secretary Henley said the reports show that in many counties every Republican has registered while district chairmen report precincts in which as high as twenty and thirty Democrats failed to register. The general tone of the reports was that the Republican registration is much larger 1 than that of the Democrats and that the Republican organization is in better shape than its opponent. Plans for the closing of the campaign were considered. The committee will continue its intensive organization work for the purpose of getting out a large vote. Secretary Henley said that the Republicans will put on a whirlwind speaking campaign unless there is something to interfere.

Mr. Edwards will continue to book speakers, although it was admitted by the Republican leaders that the influenza epidemic may force all parties to abandon their plans for- a speaking campaign. ' ’ The Republican committee will begin a wide-spread newspaper advertising campaign next week to cover the entire state. Representative Sanders, who has a hard fight, according to the Democrats, said that he is satisfied with conditions in the Fifth. He has voted for all of the measures for the prosecution of the war and is, in fact, a 100 per cent war congressman. He proposes to appeal for re-election on his record as a war congressman, John F. Bryson, of Brazil, chairman from the Fifth, predicted that Mr. Sanders will be re-elected over Ralph Moss, Democrat, who was his opponent two years ago. At the Democratic headquarters, at the Denison Hotel, a conference was held to make plans for the closing of the campaign. Among those present were former United States Senator Thomas Taggart, Walter S. Chambers, chairman of the speak-. ers’ bureau; Edward G. Hoffman, the ■ national committeeman, and Chairman Fred VanNuys. It was the first appearance of Mr. Taggart in politics this year. He went over the registration reports and the conditions in the various districts. He said that the outlook for Democratic success is very good. He has spent practically all of his time in southern Indiana, and he said that if the northern half of the state is in as good shape as the southern half that the Democrats will win. Mr. Taggart was returning from a. trip to Washington and he brought the word that several prominent speakers will be sent to Indiana. Chairman VanNuys said that the Democrats will open up their publicity campaign at once.