Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 September 1920 — M’CRAY DODGES TAX LAW ISSUE [ARTICLE]

M’CRAY DODGES TAX LAW ISSUE

Failure to Mention Goodrich Measure In Keynote Address Convinces People He is Satisfied with Present Law. STARTS “PUSSY-FOOT” CAMPAIGN _____ < Indianapolis, Ind.—Political observers who have studied the lengthy keynote address delivered by Warren T. McCray, the Republican gubernatorial nominee at Crawfordsville, last Thursday, feel that he dodged the supreme issue in Indiana —the Goodrich tax law —and occupied his time instead with platitudes relative to Republican national administrations of a quarter and half century ago. The fact that McCray did not mention taxation came as a distinct surprise to many of his friends, who had expected him to accept the challenge made by Carlton B. McCulloch, the Democratic candidate for governor, that the present law be repealed.

Satisfied with Tax Law. It is now taken for granted, according to opinions expressed here, that McCray is satisfied with the law as patched up by the recent special session of the legislature and will continue to avoid, if possible, any discussion of this issue throughout the campaign. The fact that the nominee overlooked an opportunity to explain or elaborate on the reasons that prompted t£e Republican legislature to fail to redeem their platform pledge to promptly restore the control of bond issues and tax levies to local units, is taken to mean here that he is working in perfect harmony with the state administration crowd that has been accused of seeking to perpetuate arbitrary powers in the hands of the state board of tax commissioners. Aside from his dodge on the tax question McCray’s address was remarkable for other notable omissions, among them being: 1. Failure to mention the a£jf,')lstration of Governor Goodrich. 2. Failure to mention any of the measures, except the teachers’ salary bill, passed by the recent special session of the legislature.

McCray made another startling statement, however, that Jarred some of his- well-wishing friends, when he pledged himself tq carry out the policy of the state highway commission. In view of the fact that this Goodrich board has been in power for several years and has not yet succeeded In doing any noticeable constructive work aside from the expenditure of huge sums of money, his fiat declaration on good roads failed to cause any enthusiasm. It was gathered from the tenure of his remarks that he proposed to retain the board as now constituted, although It has been one of the chief avenues used by the Goodrich admin? istration to work politics. Starts Pussy-Foot Campaign. It Is believed here that McCray really has Inaugurated a “pussyfoot” campaign in the hope that helmay publicly dodge the onus to Goodrich, although It Is a well-known fact that he has been working in close connection with the governor and Senator Watson ever since the Republican state convention. Persons who have watched the trend of G. O. P. affairs declare that it will be Impossible for McCray to repudiate Goodrich, for every voter In the state is cognizant of the fact that he allowed the governor to name his hand-picked state chairman, E. M. Wasmuth, as manager of the present state campaign, and that the Republican platform Indorses Goodrich’s administration. <

It is pointed out that Wasmuth, now dictating the Republican campaign policies, Is the same man who issued statements last winter praising the tax law and who worked with the legislature to prevent emasculation of the measure to such an extent that the power of the state board would be Jeopardized. McCulloch Takes the Lead. Republicans who are not warming up to their party leadership advanced the* opinion following McCray's ‘‘key-’ goto” address that Dr. McCulloch, by launching Mi campaign earlier, has placed the G. O. P. state ticket on th£ defensive. McCulloch already has taken a_stand for a broadened depart* ment of agriculture showing an intimate knowledge of farmers’ prob* 1 lems; he advocates the retention of automobile license fees In in which they originate and urging the total divorce of politics from the state highway commission together with an advanced system of good roads. McCulloch’s stand sos the advancement of educational institutions has also struck a responsive chord, a question on which McCray failed to offer any constructive arguments.