Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1910 — STRAW VOTING BEGUN [ARTICLE]

STRAW VOTING BEGUN

The Cincinnati Enquirer, which ceased to be a Democratic or even a near-Democratic paper. has taken the pains to get the political views of 1.500 Indiana voters, or as the paper puts it. “1.500 of the leading men oi both parties in the state of Indiana. chosen not on account of their political a ffl liations. but because of their intimacy witn business and social conditions in their respective communities." It is apparent from a reading of the replies set out that a large majority of the 1.500 are Republicans. and yet only 306 say ‘that Taft's administration is giving satisfaction, while 920 say that it is not. and the rest are doubtful. On the other hand 1.110 say that Governor Marshall’s administration is a popular success, while only 174 sav no. and the rest are in doubt. W ith respect to the inquiry: “W ill Beveridge be re-elected?" the Enquirer gives the following synopsis of the vote: 7 -.--, -/■

/‘The verdict of the replies is that he will not, or, at least, that his josition is dangerously precarious. Of those who expressed themselves .€4B. or 45 per cent of the whole, aid that he would be returned. Those who took the opposite view Vere 504, or 36 per cent. Those who 6aid that the re-election was doubtu! were 256, or 18 per "cent of the whole. In other words. Beveridge s. ie t in the minority. It is made t ear by those in the negative and !i • : expressing doubt that Bever-

dgr.’s 'danger arises from the fact hat he Js , regarded a:- being in opositipn to the Republican national i 1 ministration and out of harmony vith the doer rine of a high protecl.ve tariff. Egotism is charged againtt him in set and 'Severe terms. Others attribute the doubt to the f> e of the Republican state organization. Ever recurring as elements of .probable disaster are the tames of former Senator Hemenway, Congressman James Watson and •farmer Vice President .Charles W. Fairbanks. As in the matteruf High living, it is a striking fact that a great many Republicans who voted favorably as to the Taft administration asserted that Beveridge would te defeated or that his re-election

'!*as an unsettled question.” “Of the more than 1,500 replies ecehred, 1,108 unreservedly asserted that It was not satisfactory to the jeople. This is about 80 per cent f the whole number. Those in the ffirmative were 192 and it was by xtreme liberality upon the part of he compiler that even this, sum .as reached. Fully 30 per cent of he number of writers qualified their fiirmation by saying that there was o general complaint and that the ituation was being bettered through learer knowledge. Others insisted tat it was merely a noisy minority hat was against the measure. Of hose who were in complete doubt r had no expression to make, there • ere 120. There should be no ainsaying the fact that the maoritv recorded was emphatic and igorous. * * * That it will eriously impede Republican victory a the state is a concession that is reely made.