Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1910 — BEVERIDGE’S LEAD IGNORED. [ARTICLE]

BEVERIDGE’S LEAD IGNORED.

Not One District Patterns After Senator’s “Insurgent” State Convention. If Senator Beveridge has looked the situation fairly and squarely in the face since his recent return from a summer in New Hampshire, he. must admit to himself that Indiana has failed by a thousand miles to follow the lead which he set in the Republican State convention early last spring. : 1 It is a matter of fact that not one single district has affirmed the radical utterances of the State platform which were inspired by Senator Beveridge. The district conventions of the Republicans are practically completed, and in not one of them has there been adopted resolutions along the lines laid down by the State convention. Taking the State district by district, Indiana is not in Senator Beveridge’s class as an “insurgent.” It is a remarkable situation that Senator Beveridge has come home to face. The State convention is usually held early in the year, so that it may set the pace for the district conventions, and by its platform may indicate to them the proper lines to fpllow. Ttys was done this year. The convention was Senator Beveridge’s own little party, just as much as if he had sent out invitations for an informal meeting in his home. He controlled it absolutely. His convention speech was radical from first to last, and he 'flayed the real Republicans and the Payne tariff. It was after this speech that he telegraphed to friends in Washington that he had just “kicked the stomach off * the Payne bill.” Then the Senator hurried out to New Hampshire, .where he has re* mained ever since. In his absenc4. every district in the State, with the exception of the Third and Fourth, which are hopelessly Democratic, haa

held its convention and adopted resolutions. But there have been no more Republican feet planted in the stomach of the tariff bill. The Seventh and the Eleventh congressional districts have always been regarded as peculiarly Beveridge districts. What’s the matter with them? The Eleventh is for the tariff which Senator Beveridge derided with his boot—and the Seventh has not had the courage to declare itself. The Seventh is in an embarrassing position. It is the alleged home of Senator Beveridge, and the only explanation that can be offered for its silence is that its voice, should it speak, would be raised against the Senator. Linton A. Cox, Of Indianapolis, is the congressional nominee. He has never indicated his personal views. There is nothing but silence —of the kind that is more painful than words. In other districts there have been good, hard fights over the resolutions, but the tariff, either directly or indirectly, was always indorsed. On the other hand, the words of praise accorded Senator Beveridge were carefully framed, and never, in a single case, have they referred to his votes on the tariff. He has been indorsed as a “splendid and eloquent speaker” and in many other meaningless phrases, while there have been ringing encomimums of President Taft —who said the Payne tariff was the “best ever.” It resolves itself into this: The tariff has been praised in every district convention, and there has not been a syllable of praise for Senator Beveridge as an “insurgent.”