Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 June 1910 — NOT AN ACTIVE CANDIDATE, [ARTICLE]

NOT AN ACTIVE CANDIDATE,

But Will Take Nomination if His Parly So Wills, IS MR. HONAN’S POSITION • <c On Congressional Nomination— If Nominated Will Make a Thorough and Active Campaign, But Does Not Seek the Place, and Will Make No Fight for It, He Says.

The democratic Congressional convention will be held at Hammond one week from to-day. Several names have been mentioned for the nomination, but so far as learned Michael Duffey of Benton county is the only avowed candidate for the place. Hon. E. P. Honan of Rensselaer has been prominently mentioned for this nomination, and he has many friends here and all over the district who think he is the Moses to lead the Democrats of the Tenth from out the C rumpacker wilderness. Were he to say the word they would pull their coats and land him the nomination in short order. However, Mr. Honan is not seeking the nomination and is not a candidate in the general acceptance of that term'. Pie told a few democrats Recently that if they found no one else who wanted the place he would accept it and go out and make the best fight that was in him, but he would make no fight for the nomination. That he would not in any sense be considered an active candidate—

Mayor George, "R. Durgan of Lafayette, Attorney George B. Peterson of Crown Point, and Mayors Becker of Hammond and Knotts of Gary have also been mentioned. The two former, it is said, will not consider the nomination at all, and whether the latter have ever given the matter a second’s thought is not, known here. They at least have not made any campaign in this part of the district to secure the nomination.

And so the situation remains. Mr. Honan has not been out over the district to canvass for the nomination and has not asked anyone to support him. If his name goes before the convention he will have the solid support of Jasper county, of course, but as the matter now stands all depends on what develops when the convention meets next Wednesday. .« If the convention is of .the opinion that some one else who wants the nomination can make a better race than he. there will be no sore spots, and the Convention's candidate will have no more active supporter in the district than Mr. Honan. Mr» Honan enjoys a wide acquaintence over the district and we know of no one who would conduct a more energetic campaign or could secure, a bigger vote than he, but he has declined the urgent requests of friends to get out and hustle for the nomination, and if it comes to him at all it rmist be the free and unsolicited will of the convention. The huge republican majority in the district is enough to deter almost anyone from seeking the heretofore empty honor, but it is looking differently this year all over the country, and if Mr. Crumpacker is ever defeated now is the time, and, we believe, Mr. Honan is the man to do the job thoroughly and completely.