Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1908 — STATE COMMENT ON SELECTION OF KERN [ARTICLE]

STATE COMMENT ON SELECTION OF KERN

The fact that Mr. Kern Is a part of toe Taggart machine will not help him locally. There is little entonslasm over his nomination here on that account. —Greencastle Banner. & ■ •*- -«*»*-• *• v ‘ ♦ v c The, nomination of John W. Kern as Bryan’s running mate will be appreciated by Hoosiers regardless of party, affiliations. We delight In honors handed to our own people.—New Castle Courier. • * • With all of their regard for Bryan and with all our pride for Kern as a Hoosier, the Democrats surely cannot forget that they have nominated losers. Bryan was twice defeated for the presidency; Kern was twice defeated for the governorship.—Attica Ledger. eve Ths trouble with the nomination of Mr. Kern for vice president, from a Republican point of view, ia that the Republicans of Indiana are liable to become overconfident and lose for lack of attention to toe campaign. Mr. Kern was defeated for governor in 1900 and 1904 and to defeat him may be regarded a 3 a sort of habit and result in loss from overconfidence.^ — Martinsville Reporter. eve Mr. Kern cannot be regarded as an especially valuable Democratic asset in Indiana. In 1900, when Mr. Kern was toe Democratic nominee for governor of toe state, the Republican plurality was 25,163; in 1904, Mr. Kern being again the nominee, toe Republican plurality was 93,944. If Mr. Kern, aa the tail, adds strength to the ticket, consider how weak the head must be! —lndianapolis Star. Many conservative Democrats think that Kern’s nomination weakened Marshall’s chance in the state, for it is an undeniable fact that Marshall and the state platform were stronger alone than Kern and the national Democratic platform. Of course, the- state proposition will now receive a setback, because all efforts will be concentrated on Bryan and Kern, with the usual result —Indiana about 85,000 for Taft, Sherman and Watson. Jeffersonville Star. e e • No matter what may have been the political situation here previous tp Mr. Kern’s nomination, there is no gainsaying the fact that the naming of an Indiana man on the national ticket will prod the Republicans to harder and more determined efforts in behalf of the Republican ticket. If the Republicans will now get down to business in earnest, the nomination of Kern may possibly have a reverse effect upon the results from what the supporters of Mr. Kern’s nomination now see absolutely necessary for victory in the campaign work. —Valparaiso Vidette. e e e The selection of John W. Kern by the Democratic national convention as a running mate to Mr. Bryan is an admission that Indiana is necessary to the election of the ticket and an appeal to the state pride of Indiana. This state has always responded heretofore to such appeals, but this time we think Mr. Kern will not be able to command the allegiance of the majority of the voters. His surroundings are not good. Mr. Kern is the attorney for the Taggart interests, has on the stump and elsewhere warmly defended Mr. Taggart, is not a man of any particular personal magnetism, and has done nothing to warrant any Republican voting for him at any time or at- any place. Instead of being a strength to the ticket It is fair to assume that Mr. Kern will be found a weakness and that the election of Taft and Sherman is just that much surer. —Huntington Herald.