Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-22
BURNT DISTRICT"
TALKED ABOUT
G. w. sTIvERs, OF LIBERTY,
TELLS ABOUT EARLY
DAYS IN THE
THE OLD SIXTH DISTRICT
General Tom Bennett and George w.
Julian Candidates For
Congress.

C. W. Stivers, of Liberty, the pres
ident Of the Republican Editorial as
sociation, has spent thirty-fve years
as editor Of a county or county seat
newspaper in Indiana, beginning IN
Connersville in 1865 at the age of fif-
teen years. He says his first knowl-
edge of Indiana politics was gathered
in the spring of 1866, when George w.
Julian and General Tom Bennett, of
Liberty, contested for the Republican
nomination for congress in the old
'tburnt district"
In an interview at Indianapolis he
said:
"A mere boy at the time, while l
had some knowledge of Julian as an
anti-slavery advocate. General Ben
nett's military dash and style capti-
waited me-" said Mr.. Stovers last
evening, and / shouted for Bennett,
although most Of the boys and men Of
my acquaintance were for Julian, and
he received the nomination and was
elected. General Bennett aspired to
the nomination again in 1865, but Mr..
Julian was renominated and the gen
eral then removed from Liberty
whittier I had gone-and became a
resident of Richmond. In 1870 Judge
Jeremiah NJ Wilson. of Connersville,
defeated Julian for the congressional
nomination and was duly elected.
This soured Mr.. Julian, and he soon
thereafter affiliated with the Demo-
Gratis and was recognized as a mem
Der of the Democratic party.
"My editorial life of thirty-six
years has been spent in the sixth dis
trict, most of that time as editor of
the Liberty Herald, although I owned
and edited for few years the Brook
vile American. the Rushville Repub-
lican and the Wayne Republican, pub
lished at Centerville In 1869. Sixth
district Republicanism is known the
state over as the genuine brand. The
fight down there in the days imme-
diately following the war Of the re-
bellion. with such Democrats as Judge
John S. Reid, David S. Gooding and
Judge William S. Holman as our op-
ponents, and with Julian Wilson, Ben
jamin Claypool and General Tom
Browne as our standard bearers. was
something terrific, and at times Bit
terness and partisan hate were at
whitehead. In more recent years the
bitterness and animosities of political
controversy have largely disappeared,
although the issues are vet sharply
defined and every campaign is a
drawn battle as to principles and
policies.
"The contest of 1904 is now at
hand and our able representative In
congress, James +. Watson, has nc
opposition 70 denomination, although
there are other capable men in the
district who have followings that
would be asserted on opportunity.
Mr.. Watson is very popular as an or
ator and has an enthusiastic follow
ing. 1t seems assured that he will be
his own successor.
As to the Presidency. I believe the
sixth district IS for Roosevelt, al
though Senator Hanna, of Ohio, has
many admirers as Presidential
quantity. However, since Senator
Hanna has declared he is not a can.
dictate the Republicans of eastern In
diana will stand as one man for the
hero of San Juan hill President
Roosevelt is especially the choice of
the younger men Of the party and
his popularity with the masses IS un-
questioned. Included among his ad-
mirers and among those who will sup
port him are many young and mid
dle-aged men who have heretofore
voted the Democratic ticket: His ac-
tlon in the Panama matter has greatly
increased his popularity"