The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-02
GORDON Is BADLY BEATEN
AND FRIENDS LOSE HEART
Natural Trend Of Events Has
Led to Ultimate Conclusion
That Harris is Right Man to
Lead Party.

. As q result Of the events which
have transpired the past week in
strenuous and exciting republican
msyoralty campaign. the nomination
of Edward H. Harris is assured.
For days and weeks support
ers and workers for the rival
candidates sought to eliminate Har.
ris, whose strength they greatly fear.
) ed, by circulating stories to the ef
feet that he was hopelessly out Of the
running and that ne was considering
the advisability of Withdrawing.
These reports failed to have the
desired effect. Harris continued to
quietly, but effectively push his cam
paign. His many friends stood gal
lantly by him.
Fatal Mistake Of Gordon.
The turning point in the campaign
came Thursday Of last week. This
turning point was marked by the
publication Of the now famous Foulke-
Wade letters Men who had credited
Gordon with being a clever politician
and 4 shrewd, resourceful general,
rubbed their eyes when they read the
fatal break made by this alleged mas
ter politician, and then they began
to sit up and take notice.
The spectacle that confronted their
eyes was veritable stampede to
Harris--a stampede to the man who
the editor OF the Item and the Zim-
merman henchmen had said. was out
Of the running and who would not be
able to beat out Deuker for third
place.
"Harrls the Man."
On the following day. Friday, the
voices OF the chagrined Gordon shout
ers were silenced. The man who
passed along the street or strolled
into 4 public place did not hear the
loud and Haunting Gordon talk. In
stead he heard good, level-headed
citizens quietly and earnestly talking
about that man Harris who had,
like meteor. flashed into the public
view AZ the leader in the most ex-
citing mayoralty race in the history
of the city. These hard-headed citi-
xens. who had been earnestly seeking
the right man to defeat DIR. thinner
man, realized Of sudden that that
man was Harris and not Gordon.
Increased Strength For Harris.
Figuratively speaking these citizens
then began in flocks and droves to
march into the Harris encampment
and pledge to him their support.
These citizens represented All walks
Of life-the poor man and the rich
man, the white man and the colored
man. the bank clerk and the barber.
the hostler and the laborer, the shop
man and the clerk. and so on down Z
long and varied list.
What was the result when the Cor
don and Zimmerman leaders saw this
stampede?
The Doctor rushed to his barn. har-
messed up one OF his speed mares and
then began to furiously burn up" the
city highways. making desperate
attempt to rally his demoralized for
ces.
!. 1lod0ett on the Scene.
Gordon. on the other hand. sent up
the heroic call. &C. @. D." made
famous by Jack Binns. and this des-
pcratc appeal was promptly answered
BY that famous (somc say notorious)
war correspondent. lilly Blodgett OF
the Indianapolis News.
When Rill arrived he was promptly
rushed to the postoffice. where he
had 4 council Of we- with the fright
ened Gordon snd his excited first
lieutenant. Al Spekenhier. pcstmas-
ter.
Outside Aid Was Sought.
It was promptly explained 70 Bill
that something must be done to stem
the tide toward the Harris camp, and
that that something must be an artk
Gle in the indianapolis News. Write
Il up as though zimmerman had the
nomination almost clnched and that
the only way to beax him is for the
voters to rally to the support Of Cor
don, was the order xiven BlOdgett
He complied. a. can be witnessed by
1he article which appeared In the In
dianapolis News last evening. and BY
Rke carbon copy which simultaneously
aopeared III the Item.
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