Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-01
FAIRBANKS IS IN LINE
Bows to Roosevelt Gale That
Sweeps the West.
HIS CHANGE OF FRONT
ANNOUNCED AFTER CONFERENCE
WITH HANNA.
Gulps Down Sigh, Throws His Hat
in the Air and Becomes Rooter
From Rootersville.
HIS CHANGE OF FRONT

Special From Staff Correspondent.
INDIANAPOLIS, June 1.-The tall
sycamore of the Wabash bows to the
Roosevelt gale that is sweeping over the
midlands.
Indiana Is a Roosevelt state, and Senator
Fairbanks, concluding that all is over but
the shouting, throws his hat in the air and
joins the loudest Of the Roosevelt rooters.
Senator Beveridge says nothing, but
wears delighted smile and sees to it that
he does not lose the prestige he claims of
being the Original Roosevelt man in
Indiana.
Fairbanks Change of Front
Senator Fairbanks change of front came
about in this way. He went over to Cleve-
land last week to attend the meeting of the
Indiana society.
While there he had a talk with "your
Uncle Mark" What Senator Hanna said
to Senator Fairbanks and what Senator
Fairbanks replied to him cannot be quoted
verbatim.
1t is easy to guess, however, the general
tenor of that conversation, following, as it
did, so soon the perfunctory accession of
Senator Hanna to the Roosevelt ranks.
Gulped Down a Sigh.
Anyhow Senator Fairbanks gulped down
a sigh, and gave out an interview in which
and that Indiana would join the procession.
That interview was telegraphed to In
dianapolis and caused CONSERVATION among
the Fairbanks henchmen, who had pre-
pared, for his sake, to cast themselves
without the breastworks and to die in the
last ditch, breathing the name of Fair
banks to the end
The declaration of eX-State Chairman
Hernley and others that Indiana was for
Fairbanks and would never surrender"
caused some uneaSinesS in the rank and
file of "the boys" throughout the state.
Going Against Hopeless Game.
They knew the tremendous ground swell
Of Roosevelt sentiment which was creeping
over the state. They did not relish the idea
of going against hopeless game and of
sacrificing themselves for sentiment.
Favored sons are all right, but Indiana
politicians keep a hungry eye upon the
political pie counter.
They could see themselves outside the
pie shop when Roosevelt was elected, and
little handful of men getting all the good
things; so they began to grumble
There is no question that the state or
ganization would stand by Senator Fair
banks If he demanded Endorsement for the
nomination; that is. so much of the
ganization which is composed Of the state
committee and the district leaders.
Would Be Swept Aside.
But it is most equally certain that the
organization would be swept aside by the
Roosevelt sentiment throughout the state,
and the whole political machine would be
overturned.
In that event, Senator Beveridge would
Immediately control the situation in In
DIANA and become the republican leader in
fact.
Indeed, 1t is a question which Senator
Fairbanks has yet to solve whether he
may not after all have to fight for his
supremacy.
If Senator Beveridge should become ag-
gressive and attempt to wrest the leader
ship from his colleague, the contest would
be acute, but 1t is doubtful whether upon
the eve of campaign for his own re-
election Senator Beveridge would deem 1t
wise to engage in open warfare with the
senior senator. In that event Governor
Durbin would certainly take hand, as he
wants to come to the Senate
Growing for Weeks.
The Roosevelt sentiment in the state has
been growing for weeks. 1t is declared to
resemble one of those waves of religious
emotion which sometimes sweep over a
community in the west.
The enthusiasm Is intense without being
explained. Nobody stops to figure it out,
but the word just passes along from one
man to another that Roosevelt is to be the
nominee.
The common people like him and accept
him without pausing to analyZe their pref
erence.
They say ''he is our kind and let it go
at that.
Out here, amidst the reek of industry and
coal smoke, where men work and sweat,
and fret about daily wages more than po-
litical theories; out here away from the
sublimated politics Of Washington and the
fevered atmosphere of Wall street. one
gets another aspect of the political game.
Admire Roosevelt's Personality.
These people admire the attributes of
character which President Roosevelt mani
tests. I am speaking now Of the common
run of man, merchant, farmer and work.
ingman.
They take it for granted that President
ROOSeVeit STANDS Tor the pOnC1eS which
Mckinley represented, and which. swung
Indiana into the republican column there
to remain for many years to come.
They are considering now only the per-
sonality Of the man, and it pleases them.
The anti-Roosevelt sentiment is found
here in the same strata Of society in which
it exists in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New
York; for it does exist. The man who is
at the head of a million-dollar business,
and a corporation which does a great busi-
ness upon a small percentage Of profit, dis
trusts President Roosevelt.
No Concealment Of Uneasiness.
No concealment is made of the uneasi-
ness. The people who express it can
not explain it beyond saying that they are
afraid he will do something to upset the
established order of business.
Such people want to let things alone and
to be let alone. The man with small
business which he hopes to build up is not
SO. enamored of the let-alone policy.
He wants progressiveness, expansion, to
stir up things. to reach out, and he looks
upon Roosevelt as the exponent Of that
idea.
The hostility of the trusts of the east to
President Roosevelt Is well understood out
here. 1t is appreciated to the extent that