Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-11
Political Views and Career of
John w. Kern of Indiana.
is A F0RCIBLE SPEAKER
Not a Polished Orator, But Tells a
Good Story Well.
HARD WORKER IN CAMPAIGN
Great Friend Of Former National
Chairman Taggart-Defender Of
Integrity of the Courts.

/ INDIANAPOLIS. July 11.-John W.
Kern. nominated for the vice presidency
by the Denver convention. has been a
prominent figure in Indiana politics for
twenty-four years. He was nominated by
the democrats twenty-four years ago for
reporter Of the supreme court and was
elected with the entire state ticket.
He was born and reared in Howard
county. He was regarded as one of the
bright young lawyers of the state After
he retired from the Office of reporter he
served four years in the state senate from
Marion county. He was twice nominated
for governor by the democrats and both
times was beaten. Once he got the COM
plimentary vote of the legislative minor
ity for the United States Senate.
Stuck to Party in 1895.
In the preliminary compaign of 1896,
! when there was such a determined free
silver sentiment and it seemed inevitable
that the approaching democratic state
convention would indorse free silver, he
was a pronounced gold man and entered
into the fight to create sentiment in the
party against the silver dogma. He made
| several public speeches in opposition to
1t and predicted that the party. II 1t In
| dorsed free silver in the state and ma
tional platforms, would go down to de-
| feat
| When the state convention met he was
arrayed on the side of the gold stand
ard. and was one of its most eloquent and
| at the same time most fearless cham
pions in the face of certain defeat.
| When the state and national cOnven-
tons had spoken on the subject he declared
his allegiance to the party and went into
the campaign that followed and did his
utmost to elect Bryan. His preconven-
| ton utterances were hurled at him by the
! opposition press and by orators on the
| hustings, but Kern took the ground that
| his party had spoken and that its utter
ances were law unto him.
| He said that the highest law In party
| Is its platform utterances, and that 1t was
| the duty of a man to obey it's voice or get
| out. AS he was democrat. he yielded
cheerfully his individual opinion before
the larger and more potent voice of the
organization Of which he was a member.
Unlike many who had been gold demo-
Gratis. but who accepted Bryan and the
1886 platform for the sake of party regu-
! iarity, Kern's earnestness and honesty
the support of the gold democrats who
stood by their convictions. he got a firmer
hold upon the free silver element, and
ever since has enjoyed its confidence.
1t was in the campaign of 1896. when so
many democrats of prominence were OPP
! posed to Bryan. that Kern won the es-
TEEN of Mr.. Bryan and received many
marks OF his favor. Mr.. Bryan himself
| introduced the subject of Kern's CONVEX
sion, and the Indiana leader said it was
| not a conversion at all. but simply bowling
| to the will of his party. Mr.. Bryan COM
| plimented him on his candor and ex-
pressed the belief that he never would
| find more able or more conscientious
supporter. The friendship begun then
| has been continued uninterruptedly ever
| since. and It's elimination in placing the
| two men on the national ticket confirms
| predictions made months ago.
Forcible and Logical Speaker.
| Though not a polished orator. John w.
| Kern Is a forcible and logical speaker and
| a campaigner of more than ordinary tact
| and ability. He tells story illustrative
| of his position on any question well, and
has the faculty Of getting crowd in SYM
| pathy with him wherever he speaks. He
| is thoroughly acquainted in Indiana and
| has made two creditable though losing
campaigns as the party'S nominee for
governor.
In each election, however. he led his
| ticket. and both the campaign and the
| casting of the ballots showed that he had
| have backed him for Vice President be-
| lieve that this strength will be greatly
| augmented this year, and they will make
a special effort to awaken state pride in
| his behalf. Mr.. Kerns delivery is so
| forcible and his logic SO convincing that
| he will make a creditable campaign for
| the ticket.
| 1t was understood before the delegation
| left here for Denver that Mr.. Bryan
would tour the state this year and 1t was
| proposed as an argument in Mr.. kern's
| behalf. both with the Nebraskan and the
delegation to the convention, to urge
| upon them that he was a man of enor
nous energy. unyielding determination
4 hly, f,, in -ork
| in which he engages There are fewer in
| tenser natures than Kern's. and no Indi-
| ana politician ever was stronger In his
| friendships or more outspoken in his en-
| mites than he.
Four years ago he was defeated by the
| antTaggart faction for the chairman
ship of the city committee. place which
he did not want and to get which he
made no effort. but despite the abuse
| of the factioHal struggle he was one of
| the most loyal supporters Of the man
| who defeated him as we'll as of the candi-
dates nominated by the same faction for
office.
| Mr.. Kern's political advancement began
| when he was a young man in Kokomo,
| where he was elected city attorney just
! after he was admitted to the bar. He
was always a hard student and entered
upon his profession with a larger stock
| of knowledge Of men and governments
than is possessed by the average man
just attaining his majority. But before
| he was tWenty-One he was q speaker in
| local campaigns In his native county,
which was overwhelmingly republican.
| AS a reporter of the supreme court he
edited and published seventeen volumes
of decisions which now bear his name.
| This office at the time of his incumbency
| was one of the best-paying state offices
| in Indiana but Kern came out of 1t a
| poor man. He did not find politics profita-
BILE when 1t yielded him office. When ne
| was state senator his salary disap-
| peared as fast as warrants for 1t reached
| his hands. for his brother legislators
| found him liberal and they made the
most of the fact.
| Twice Nominated for Governor.
In 1900 he was nominated by the state
| convention for governor and made an ac-
| tive campaign of the state. He went
| down to defeat with the state and ma
| tional ticket. In 1904 he was again nomi-
mated and was again defeated. Both Of
these campaigns were noted for the Ia
borious work that the nominee for gov
| ernor performed and for the creditable
vote he received over and above that
polled by others on the ticket.
| Mr.. Kern has been twice married. His
first wife died while he was making the
| campaign for reporter of the supreme
court. leaving a daughter two years of
| age. He married again in December, 1895
There are two children by the second
marriage Though Mr.. Kern had been
busly engaged in politics and in the
practice of his profession, he is neverthe-
| less home man. and takes great pleas
ure in entertaining his friends. His home
| is one OF the most modest on the North