The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-09-01
THAT WATSON INTERVIEW.

THAT WATSO IN IEHVlEW.
In an article in the indianapolis Star
on Saturday, Congressman Watson re-
pudiates the statement he made to n
representative of the Palladium in
itushville last Thursday, and which
was published in the Palladium of the
same day.
The statement which Mr.. Watson
now repudiates, was made to Mr.. o.
Owen Kuhn of the Palladium, in the
presence of the city editor Of the Rush
Vile Republican In the office of MIR.
Watson. At the time he made his
statement Mr.. Watson was undoubted-
Iy sincere in his protestations that he
does not want the governorship of In
diana, preferring the. speakership Of
the House of Representatives. Pos
sibly this open statement on his part
did not fit in with the political plans of
the Fairbanks machine, of which or
ganization Mr.. Watson is a very valu-
able member, and he was persuaded to
change his views over night. In do
Ing this, Mr.. Watson is but doing his
share toward continuing the unsavory
name most politicians. and especially
of being unreliable in their state
ments
Mr. Watson's attitude. as illustrated
in his statement in the Palladium last
Thursday and in the Star. Saturday.
show that he is in sort of a between
the nd-the-deep-blue-sea position
as far as the question of his running
for governor or representative is con-
cerned. Mr.. Watson, in his interview
in the Palladium. stated that the gov
ernorship of Indiana was nothing short
of political graveyard for any politi-
clan. As an insider in the famous
Fairbanks machine, Mr.. Watson realiz-
es that running for governor of Indi-
ana on the republican ticket with Mr..
Fairbanks running for president on the
same ticket, his chances would be even
simmer, and he might arrive at his po-
litical death even sooner than he an
ticipates.
Mr.. Watson, however, is undeniably
popular with the people of Indiana and
with this fact in mind the Fairbanks
machine managers probably wish him
to run for governor in order to add
whatever strength he can to Mr.. Fair
banks. We feel that this close asso-
banks machine may bring his political
career to an untimely end. He is a
bright and capable man and would
have been richly rewarded by the peo-
pie had he remained true to them His
allegiance to the Fairbanks ring and,
therefore. with the corporations, how
ever, has been an unfortunate move on
his part, and one that should place him
on the dubious list Of all careful vot-
err
In the light of his latest action, no
one can doubt but that Mr.. Watson Is
hand and glove in with the Fairbanks
machine. His statement in the Palla-
dunn undoubtedly presented his true
belief. His later statement in the Star
represents the beliefs forced upon him
by the Fairbanks managers. The
fact that the later statement appeared
in the Star should alone offer convinc-
ing proof OF Mr.. Watson's connection
with tho Fairbanks ring. The Star is
the organ of that particular machine,
and time and again it has fixed" news
stories in the interests of the ring It
represents. Nor is it very long back
since the Star was publishing snide edi-
torial attacks on President Roosevelt,
and only desisted because it found that
such policy was not popular with the
people of the state.