The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-11
EARLY CONVENTIONS
KILL OFF INTEREST
Time Between Them and the
Election Too Great-Late
Session Would Be Advan-
tage Over the Democrats.
palladium Specially

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republicans are favoring the idea O
holding the state convention next veal
late in the season instead of early a.
has been the custom. Various reasons
are given for this and they all are
receiving consideration.
Last year the state convention was
held early in April. This was sever
months before the state election a,
which the candidates Nominated were
to be voted for. Immediately after
the convention there was a lull in the
interest of the people in the campaign
and it was not until several weeks
later that anyone seemed to wake ur
to the fact that there was a campaign
on hand and that an election was to
be held for which they had better be-
gin making preparations.
Means Short Campaign.
This length of time, some of the re
publicans say, is entirely too great. II
Is unnecessary, they say, to have such
long state campaign. A shorter one
say of four or five months instead o,
seven months. would be much better
and more effective.
But the main reason advanced for
the holding of late convention. as
expressed by some Of the republicans,
is that 1t would give the republicans
an advantage over1he democrats IN
framing their platform. It is believed
that the democrats will hold their
convention rather early.
1t is the hope of both democrats
and republicans that the liquor ques.
tton will be kept out of the next cam.
paign. They are hoping that neither
party will make any declaration what.
ever in its platform on the subject
And 1t is for this reason that many
of the republicans believe the state
convention should be put off until late
in the season.
What Argument Is.
They argue this way: II the demo
Gratis hold their convention first and
make any kind Of a declaration in
their platform on the liquor question
the republicans will then be in a posi-.
tion to answer the declaration when
they make their platform at their
state convention. If the democrats do
not make any declaration on the liq-
uor question at their convention the
republicans who are in favor of leav-
ing the question out of the campaign
will be in a position to say: ''The
liquor question is not an issue in this
campaign. The democrats have drop.
ped it and therefore there is no rea-
son why We should drag it in
1t Is recognized that there is no
reason for the republicans raising the
liquor issue in the next campaign.
They have enacted the local option
law and there is not at this time any
demand for any further legislation
among the republicans. They say the
law is still on the statute books and
that it is working all right, so leave
it alone. Until there is a strong de-
mand for some other kind of a law,
they say, there is nothing else for the
legislature to do along that line, and
this makes it unnecessary for the par.
ty to say anything at all on the sub
ject. OF course. if the democrats
make a declaration on the subject the
republicans will be in a position to
answer it by referring to the fact that
the local option law is a republican
measure and that it is doing the work
for which it was intended That would
end the matter.
Is Up To Democrats.
II the liquor question gets into the
campaign at all it will have to be
dragged in by the heels by the demo
Gratis. And it is an even guess that
they will not do anything of the kind,
for Governor Marshall and the ele-
ment of the party which stands with
him are opposed to having it brought
in. Whether they will be able to pre-.
vent it or not. in the face of the eff
forts of such strong leaders as Tom
Taggart and others. is a question, but
before the time comes around for the
holding of the democrats state con-
vention it is likely that the governor
will be able to convince a sufficient
number of democrats that it would be
unwise to say anything about saloons
or liquor legislation.
BY leaving the subject out of their
platform the republicans will be able
to hold their party strength. say the
republicans who are opposed to an an
ti-liquor declaration. The liberal re-
publicans would see that the party did
not stand In favor Of more stringent
legislation until the demand comes
from the people. and the temperance
people would see that the party pro-
poses to stand on its record and to up-
hold the laws now on the statute
books. This. it is pointed out. would
be happy solution of the situation
from tho republican standnoint