The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-15
Democratic Senatorial Candi-
date Must Give Thanks to
Terre Haute and Fl. Wayne
Brewery Magnates.
COMBINATION CAUSED
THE DEFEAT OF KERN
Sweeney, Who introduced
County Option Law Repeal
Bill Yesterday, Killed the
$1,000 License Measure.
Palladium Bureau.
indianapolis, Jan. IS.

indianapolis, Jan. IS.
The only reason that John w. Kern
was not nominated for United States
senator was that a combination was
framed up against him that he could
not overcome. 1t was a case of the
field against Kern and the field won.
torship it was believed, and earnestly
too, that Slack was the man who
would fight it out with Kern. 1t was
believed, too, that Slack represented
in a measure the same influence ana
elements in the party that were be-
hind Kern, and that if the time ar
rived when one had to get out OF the
race in order to keep some one else
from being nominated either Kern or
Slack would pull out. But this was
counting chickens prior to the hatch
ing out process.
study of the ballot shows that
kera's on1y material gains were made
by tal.irg Fotes away from John +.
Lamb Kern did not get many, if any,
votes away from Slack, Hoffman or
Shively. And this IS . peculiar coin
ciGence, too. The time was when
Lamb was high man with Crawford
Fairbanks, the Terre Haute brewer
and even at the opening sof the cam
paign for senator, Fairbanks Is quot
ed as having declared for Lamb. But
then Shively appeared on the field
and not long ago Fairbanks changed
his affections and transferred them to
Shively.
Had Good Support.
shively has Fairbanks and Senator
Steve Fleming of Fort Wayne, to
thank for the success of his candi-
dacy. He was fortunate in having two
such supporters. for they know the
political game all the way through.
The peculiar feature of the whole
business at the caucus at which Shive-
ly was nominated was the fact that
Slack's support went to Shively in
stead of to Kern or to some other can
didate. This. in fact, was the sur
prise of the whole caucus.
But it is all over now, and we can
all resume three meals day and
pened.
The legislature is swamping itself
with bills. Fifty eight were introduced
yesterday in the house alone. Twenty
were introduced in the senate.
Probably the bill that will cause
the greatest fight of the session is the
bill introduced by Representative
Sweeney, of Tell City. to repeal the
county local option law. Sweeney, it
will be remembered, is the man who
put the thousand-dollar license bill on
the blink in the house two years ago
by moving to Indefinitely postpone
consideration of the bill.
Time to Call a Halt.
II am sick and tired of so much
liquor legislation" he said at that
time. TT is about time to call halt
on it,
And the house at that time. al
though republican body, voted to kill
the bill and 1t died right there.
It was expected that Sweeney would
Introduce bill to repeal the local op-
tion law, for he has always trained
with the crowd that wants the law
killed and that also wants as little
law as possible on the statute books
for the regulation of saloons. The
bill was referred to the house COM
mittee on public morals. of which
Representative Racey is chairman,
and Of which Faulkner, of Michigan
City and Elliott. of South Bend are
members. 1t is believed that both
Faulkner and Elliott will be favorable
60 repeal of the law. though they have
not said so. There are several re-
publicans in the two houses of the leg
aslature who will be for repeal, but
there are also some democrats who
believe the law should be maintained
So It is hard to tell what will happen
The only thing that looks like a GER
tainty is that the bill will bring on a
hard fight
Another Fight Assured.
And even II this is settled another
fight will come over the companion
bill to the county option repeal bill
This twin bill was introduced by Rep
resentative Kleckner, of Cass county.
and provides for the establishment of
township and ward local option The
bill was drawn under the direction of
Sweeney, but he induced Kleckner to
introduce 1t for him. Its provisions
are intended to match up with the re-
Quirements OF the democratic plat
form declaration made during the
campaign.
One feature of the Sweeney repeal
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