Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1909 — Harry New Has Little Opposition. [ARTICLE]

Harry New Has Little Opposition.

Harry S. New for chairman of the republican state committee continues to be the talk among the politicians in the state. No opposition has developed to New. On all sides it seems to be conceded that he is the official man for the place and that he will be chosen. The fact that he has always kept his hands off whenever there was a party split on hand and. that he has never been tangled up in any factional fights is regarded as being a strong reason why he should be made chairman. He has never been an officeholder, although he could have had practically anything diana republicans had to offer ana could also have been a member of Roosevelt’s cabinet had he consented to take an appointment. He is not in politics for profit. He has turned down every political offer that would have brought him profit. He is in the game for two reasons: First, because he likes the political game; second, because he is a loyal working republican. The man who, aside from New, gave promise of being the strongest candidate for state chairman, was W. T. Durbin, until he wrote a letter a few days ago demanding an immediate passage of the Aldrich tariff bIH, because, he said, business is suffering. Anyone who knows anything at all about the sentiment of republicans in Indiana knows full weM that Indiana stands for revision of the tariff downward, just as the stump speakers promised during the last campaign. This does not mean that the tariff should be so reduced as to work a hardship on American manufacturers, but that there should be a downward revision that would be consistent with a reasonable idea of a reasonable profit to the manufacturer. That’s the Indiana idea. That is what Senator Beveridge and the rest of the progressives in the United States senate are striving for and it is that struggle that is causing a delay in the pasage of the bull. Durbin, in his letter, takes issue with this fight and demands immediate passage. In this he is going directly contrary to the idea of the republicans of Indiana, so, if he ever had any idea of becoming a candidate for state chairman it went glimmering when he wrote that letter. ...