Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1915 — THE INDIANA DEMOCRATS. [ARTICLE]

THE INDIANA DEMOCRATS.

The anti-machine revolt in the legislature-:—particularly in the house—-points, •we believe" to the possibility of a new and more enlightened leadership of the democratic party' of I ndiana. For most of the good that was done and most of the evil avoided the people are indebted very largely to the democrats. of the house who refused to take orders from the bosses. If these men, and the people whom they represent, will now go to work to break down machine rule in Indiana they will win the support of an overwhelming majority of the democrats of the state. It is on these unbossed legislators, and others like them, that reliance must be placed. There can be little doubt that the democrats of Indiana, outside of machine circles, earnestly desire a new leadership. Everything indicates a great weariness and disgust with the Taggart regime. Now that it has been shown that the machine is far frob being • invicible, those democrats who have been fighting it for years, and who fought it so effectively in the legislature, ought to take courage. No party can hope for real success in this country unless it is led first of all by ideas that appeal to the moral sense of the people, and in the second place by men who believe in those ideas, and are devoted to them. It is not so much a question of men as of methods and luTirciples, though, of course, there must be leaders who will pursue right methods, and co-operate with the people in working out sound principles. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the movement started in the legislature will be. pushed, and that no. chance will be given to the machine to recuperate and re-establish its hold on the democratic party. For the question is not simply one of defeating it in one engagement, but of overthrowing it. The people are prepared to do their part. They know that the machine received many severe ’ jolts during the session that closed Monday, and there must be many a man who now realizes that it is no longer dangerous—but, rather, popular—to oppose it. There is probably not a county in the state in which it would not be possible to organize a movement looking to the control of the democratic party by the people rather than by a coterie of bosses. Perhaps the day of redemption is at hand.—lndian.lpolis News-