Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1912 — No, Not Bossed, Just the Attempt Made to Boss. [ARTICLE]

No, Not Bossed, Just the Attempt Made to Boss.

The Republican has had* a lot to say about “Boss Babcock” running the senatorial convention at Monon last Thursday, inspired wholly by a “democrat” who has been tale-bearer for the Republi-

can for a number of years. As a matter of fact there was no bossing of the delegates to the convention at all, but there was an attempt made by the Republican’s tale-bearer and another gentlemen from Rensselaer who was not a delegates, also by some of the machine pushers of White county. The delegates, however, declined to be bossed. They were for Law all the time, and “Babcock” could not have based them had he so desired. They knew that four years ago neither Jasper, Starke tor White counties would put up a mn for the place, because of the huge republican majority, and finally after canvassing the four counties thoroughly, Mr. Law was drafted in, and he stood the draft. He went out and made two thorough campaigns, winning out by about 160 in the special election and losing by only about 100 in the regular election only a few weeks later. Outside of Groendycke, Law was the only announced candidate in the field, and the Jasper county delegates, knowing what they did of the man, felt it their duty to support him, regardless of any deals that interested parties might have entered into with the White county machine' without

their knowledge or consent. If the White county machine was promised the Jasper county senatorial delegates in exchange for representative votes, tho promisers made the mistake of not knowing where they were at, and consulting the fellows who did the voting. They were unable to deliver the goods. Jasper's delegate? were pledged tq no man. They were free to vote aS they saw fit, and did so. No doubt in the break White would have gotten a majority of the votes from Jasper had It presented a good competent man for the place and had there not been so much attempted bossing of the delegates by interested parties, including the Republican's tale-bear-

er and chief bellyache”. Perhaps the senatorial delegates didn’t 'play politics; in fact they know they didn’t as It is played by the machine politicians, but there is a duty that delegates owe to their constituents greater than that of playing politics, and that is to be honest; to vote only for the best man for the place to be filled as their judgment tells them, and if there are any regrets of the delegates over their atetiorj at Monon it has not been heard from this far.

Jasper county was entitled to the nominee for representative. If White had any just clain. for the senatorial nomination more than that they, thought ‘‘now is a chance to win,” it has not been manifested. The representative delegates from Jasper certainly had a right to divide their votes between the two candidates from this county if they chose on the first ballot. Perhaps had another ballot been taken one or the other of the Jasper county candidates would have been considered the best man for the place and received most of the votes from this county, and, understand, we are not saying which ot the two candidates it would have been, either.

Of course the Republican is grieviously dissapointed, for it would naturally desire to see the weakest man nominated and elected, if elected the democratic ’ candidates are, for the worse record made by the democrats the better for the opposing party. Such is republican patriotism. If you think any of the senatorial delegates at Monon were bossed. j iii ask them and see what answer sou