The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-09-08
SENTIMENT
FOR WATSON
CHANGING

nominee last year for governor came
into town last night looking fat and
well fed. He never looked better in
his life and bore every evidence of
prosperity in its highest sense. Not
only that, but he was in as good a hui
NOR as Jim Watson ever was, and Jim
Watson, as every one knows, was al
ways In good humor. He had been
at Terre Haute. where he made a la
Dor day speech, yesterday, and this
fact pleased his admirers In this city
who met him at the Claypool hotel
while he was here.
New Role for Him.
It sounded a little bit strange to hear
Watson tell about making a Labor
day speech to the union labor hosts
of Terre Haute. 1t will be remem-
bered that year ago this time union
labor in Indiana was lighting him tooth
and toe nail. trying to defeat him in
the race for governor. Labor sent its
heaviest artillery into Indiana during
the campaign last year and a system
attic campaign was made against him.
Speeches were made against him in ev-
cry county in the state by the labor
speakers He was denounced as the
enemy Of union labor for his votes on
some of the matters that had come up
In congress. The fight against him was
bitter. Samuel Gompers came into Indi-
ana and made a four days special tour
of the state, during which he made
nearly fifty speeches against Watson.
urging organized labor members to
vote against him. And the result was
felt, too, for Watson was defeated by
something like $4,000 votes. and it is
safe to say that the plurality against
him represented practically the labor
vote which was controlled by the cam
paIgn against him
All Admit Labor Defeated Him.
Had 1t not been for this labor cam
paign against him Watson undoubtedly
would have been elected easily This
was admitted by everybody He held
his own In practically every other way
and in some directions he did better
than that But he could not overcome
the opposition Of organized labor.
SO this is why it looks good for Wat
that he was invited TO deliver a labor
day address this year. His friends take
it as an indication that the sentiment
against him has changed wonderfully
since last year.
1t is also a matter of history that al
though the vote of organized labor in
the state virtually elected Thomas r
Marshall governor over Watson and
carried the state for the democrats, or
ganized labor was badly disappointed in
what it received from the democrats
when they had an opportunity to show
their appreciation of what labor had
done for them. When the Legislature
opened its session in January there
were some things which the organized
labor people wanted the legislature tc
do Labor had several bills which II
presented to the legislature all OF
which We're regarded as beneficial to
labor. But the democratic legislature
refused TO pass them or to give labor
what it asked.
| Get the Double Cross.
A large number of organized labor
| lobbyists We're about the state hous,
from the time the session opened. ant
| they argued and worked with the mem
bers in a most conscientious manner
for the passage Of bills and the enact
ment of certain laws which they de
clared would benefit labors cause in tn.
state. But they were turned down
with one or two exceptions. Towar,
the end of the session, when 1t wa
apparent that they would not get TIL
things they were asking for labor lead
ers did not hesitate to express thei
opinion OF the kind of gratitude tina
was being displayed by the democrat