The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-10
Petitions Circulated Which
Ask Republican Voters Not
To Vote for Sixth District
Man If Nominated.
CAPT. JACK GOWDY is
ANGRY AT THE SCHEME.
Says That Never in His PoIiti-
cal Career Has He Seen a
More CoWardIy Movement
To Defeat Aspirant.

indianapolis. Ind. Feb. 10.-With
the evident purpose of intimidating
the friends of Congressman James E
Watson and to hold club over the
republican state convention on April
LIST and 2nd. petitions are being sent
10 various parts Of the state on which
republicans are asked to pledge them
selves not to vote for MI Watson If
he is NOMINATED for governor. The
plan is The most vicious that has yet
been attempted to keep Mr. Watson
from receiving the nomination for gov
ernor at the hands of his party.
The petitions are being sent out
from Terre Haute and indianapolis.
They bear the label of the Terre Haute
Typographical union and are as fol-
lows:
Whereas. James L. Watson,
through public acts, has been mani
testify unfair to the interests of the
workingman, therefore be it
Resolved. That We. the undersign-
ed. having in the past supported the
republican ticket. do hereby enter our
pTOttSt against the Stiiu JdIltS w d L
son being nominated for the office of
governor of our state, and it is fur
Their agreed that in the event of his
nomination we shall refuse him our
support and use our influence to de-
feat him at the polls
Captain John X. Gowdy. who is
managing Mr. Watson's campaign. re-
l.;
friends in Clinton, saying that these
petitions have been sent to that place
for circulation. Regarding this move
nent on the part of the men who are
attempting to incite the laboring
classes to oppose Mr.. Watson. Captain
Gowdy said: In all my experience in
politics from the time | was precinct
committeeman, county chairman and
state chairman, and down to the pres
ont, I have never known of more
cowardly movement against any aspi-
rant for office within the republican
party. 1t is very apparent that the
sole object of this movement is to IN
timidate Mr.. Watson's friends and to
bluff the republican convention on
Aplh LOT anu -lu IL 10 very dppdl
ont that those who expect to benefit
by this scheme believe that they can
drive the republicans away from Mr.
Watson and prevent the convention
from giving him the nomination fol
governor
las Mr.. Watson's friend for many
years and one who knows his persona
qualities and his answering devotion
to the republican party and his fidel
ty to the interests of the people il
every public position he has held,
want to protest against such tactics
However, | would register my solemn
protest against them if they were be
ing employed against any other candi
date for the nomination for governor
in the present contest. 1t would be
unfair to anyone who is a candidate
within the republican party and like
wise unfair to the party itself to at
tempt to pledge republicans agains
any of their associates before the con
yention.
Such tactics are not only unfair tC
the individual who is attacked bu
they are unfair to the party and pre-
judicial to other candidates. | do no
believe, however. that republicans
who have the welfare of the party a