Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1915 — LEAGUE DEPLORES MACHINE CONTROL [ARTICLE]

LEAGUE DEPLORES MACHINE CONTROL

V, ilsbii-ilryan Organization Calls on Deinoratcs to Overthrow the Bosses. The following statement was issued Friday, by the Wilson-Bryan Lcagqe of Indiana, of which Richard B. Kirby is president and Bernard E. O'Connor, secretary and executive officer; “To the Democrats of Indiana: “The Wilson-Bryan League, believing in the morals of government as represented by President Wilson and Secretary of State Bryan, has taken a deep interest in party affairs for the purpose of keeping the ideas of Wilson and Bryan before the democrats of Indiana, their main purpose being to hold those elected to represent them, to the pledges of the party and to keep faith with those who intrusted them with the affairs of government. “The Wilson-Bryan League does not assume to monopolize all of the credit for the legislation enacted in compliance with party pledges. It did, however, use its efforts in bringing to , the attention of the legislature the sentiment of the people back home. “The surprising thing is that a legislature, presumed to be under the, control of the Indiana bossocracy, threw the machine in the scrap heap and passed a primary law with teeth in it; passed a "primary law in keeping With the pledges of the party, and one that is satisfactory to the democracy of the state of Indiana; passed the primary law in spite of the opposition of Crawford Fairbanks, Thomas Taggart, Governor Ralston, Auditor of State Dale Crittenberger, Secretary of State Homer L. Cook, chairman of state board of accounts, Gilbert H. Hendren; former Auditor of State William H. O’Brien, Mayor Joseph E. Bell and his administration, Bernard Kerby, state chairman, and that portion of the state committee controlled by Mr. Taggart. “This group of men is now in charge of the’fetate government and is seeking to perpetuate its control. Mr. O’Brien, who recently retired from the office of state auditor, after a four years’ term, is now being urged as a candidate for governor. We are convinced that this is a part of a plan arranged at least four years ago, and that the state appointments during the present administration have been and are being made to promote this plan rather than to obtain efficient service. . “Others of the group will be candidates for re-election, and they

feared the effect of a primary law, which would make the control of nominations by them more difficult. For these reasons they did not consent to the enactment of a truly state-Wde primary law, but compelled tho friends of this legislation to accept a law which does not directly apply to any state office, and does not even allow a preferential vote for candidates for any of the offices now held by them and to which they desire a re-election. “The passage of the primary act has saved the party from disgrace and defeat in the coming election. This legislation was brought about by the free thinking and clean minded democrats of the state of Indiana. The democracy of Indiana owes nothing to the political machine that has so long been a disgrace and a byword in every decent community.

“The Wilson-Bryan League wishes to call to the attention of the democratsOf Indiana, the splendid work done by John R, Jones, representative from Marshall county, who framed and introduced substantially all of the provisions of our present primary law. “Mr, Jones has worked in and out of season to bring about the reform in this direction. He never at any time permitted any part of the machine or even the governor to make him swerve in the slightest degree from his purpose. He was honest and steadfast throughout the fight; a manly man with an honest purpose. This fight for honest elections made Mr. Jones the real leader of the house. .

“In his fight for a primary law, Mr. Jones was ably and earnestly assisted and supported by a number of earnest progressive democrats in the house and by a few progressive democratic senators in the senate. “The Wilson-Bryan League is sorry to say that when it looks into the senate, the picture is, different. The young man upon whom it depended so much failed, in the hour of need—Fred Van Nuys, senate leader, fell under the baneful influence of the machine and fought against carrying out the expressed pledges of the democratic party, and in his efforts to defeat the primary bill, used his position as senate leader to speak most disrespectfully of the great commoner whom the democrats of Indiana have welcomed in every campaign, since 1896.

“Jf the democracy of Indiana desires Mr. Bryan in time of need, it should at all. times welcome his advice. Tn nearly every campaign since 1896, Mr. Bryan has spoken in Mr. Van Nuys’s home town, and we have no doubt Mr. Van Nuys was always glad to be seen in Mr. Bryan’s company. We are confident that the rank and file of the democracy of Madison county is not in accord with Mr. Van Nuys’s abuse of the great commoner on the floor of. tho senate.

“The Wilson-Bryan League understands that the motives Of Mr. Van Nuys in opposing primary legislation were selfish and small and that' his efforts- were designed to benefit himself and certain personal and political friends. That out of these motives grew the fact that the primary was limited to an expression of preferences upon Hye candidate for governor only on the state ticket. It is understood that Mr. Van Nuys is a candidate for lieu-tenant-governor of Indiana and that the personal and political friends whom he sought to serve are candidates for nomination or renomination, to state offices.

‘Heretofore the democratic party has been organized from the top down, behind, closed doors in the Dennison Hotel. The new primary law has placed in the hands of the people the instrument with which they can reverse the old order and organize the party from th'e bottom up. This is the greatest ' step ever taken by any party "in Indiana since the enactment of the Australian ballot law for cleaner and better polities. 1 his law will forever prevent the re-enactment of the crimes committed in Terre Haute, Evansville and Indianapolis. This law will do much to overcome the shock and disgrace of the trials now going on in the federal court and will prevent the forcing of undersirables upon our state or county tickets. It will also prevent the importation of crooks, sluggers and repeaters from the city of Terre Haute into Marion county primaries.

“The Wilson-Bryan League deplores the efforts of the boiler plate factory located in the Denison Hotel to exculpate the governor and those who. stood against progressive legislation. It must be said, however, in ■benefit of the young man in charge, tiiat if he had written his honest convictions his story would not have been the same. “This primary law will ‘help all parties to accomplish the! same ends, and it certainly will enable the democratic party to get from under the control of those who has bossed the party and who at no time have ever had the capacity to understand what Mr. Wilson and Mr, Bryan stand

for. The Wilson-Bryan League desires to express its gratitude and appreciation for the splendid help which it received through that portion of the Indiana press that stands for clean politics and favors the keeping of party pledges. “The Wilson-Bryan League has made its fight, ably assisted by those who are in sympathy with its purposes, and now makes its appeal to the militant democrats of Indiana, who understand the purposes of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Bryan; who understand the principles of - the great democratic party; who have clean minds and honest hearts, to make use Of this great instrument—the primary election law, and elect men who are in full accord and sympathy with our national administration as committeemen in the several precincts of Indiana. “The Wilson-Bryan League will, from time to time, during the coming year, have more statements to make concerning the attitude of persons upon important public questions, so that the democrats of Indiana may be informed of the truth and may act