The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-22
Captures Stokes Jackson. a
Taggart Supporter, in His
Plan to Reorganize the
State Committee.
HE WOULD ELIMINATE
TAGGART FROM GAME
Rules Will Be Changed, by the
Agreement, So That the
Time of EIecting Delegates
Will Be Changed.
palladium Specially

palladium SpeciaD
Indianapolis. Ind Nov. 1.-THE an
nouncement that Governor Marshall
and Stokes Jackson, of Greenfield
democratic state chairman, have prac
tically reached an agreement to work
for change in the rules of the demo-
cratic state committee so as to change
the time when the committee shall be
elected, has caused much comment
mere, because these two leaders repre-
sent, or are supposed to represent two
different factions of the democratic
party in this state. Jackson was elect
ed state chairman by the Taggart men
on the state committee two years ago,
and has always been regarded as the
representative of Taggart on the com
mittee. On the other hand, Marshall
was nominated for governor in spite of
Taggart. who wanted Samuel J. Raj
stOn, of Lebanon. nominated, and ever
since, Marshall has been in the COVER
nor's office. he has been quietly work
ing to bring about reorganization of
the state committee on a basis that
would eliminate the influences that
have been behind Taggart in the con-
troll of the state organization. There
has not been any secret about this
proposition.
At State Convention.
But now it is announced that Jack
son and Marshall have decided, after
conference, to try to induce the or.
ganization to change the rules so that
hereafter the new members of the
state committee will be elected at the
state convention instead of many
weeks or months in advance. as is done
at present. Just why they wish to
make this change is a matter of spec
ulation.
Jackson came to the city Saturday as
had been planned. and when he left
for home he announced that he would
call the members of the state COM
mittee to this city for a meeting on
December II. The purpose of this
meeting will be to set a date for hold
ing the primaries at which the dele
gates will be elected that will attend
the district conventions and elect the
district chairmen. All other matters
relating to the reorganization of the
state committee will be taken up at
that meeting and be thrashed out.
Is Too Far Away.
It is even said that something will be
considered with reference to the date
for holding the state convention next
year. but it is not at all likely that
there will be any definite decision of
that matter. The time for holding the
state convention is too far away to re-
quire any consideration at this time
Jackson also said he and the gov
ernor had discussed the proposed
change in the time for electing the
members of the state committee, and
that they agreed that a change would
be good thing. Jackson calls at
tention to the fact that the national or
CARNATIONS elect national committee
men from the various states at the ma
tional conventions, instead of before
hand. and he believed it would be we'll
to do the same thing in the states. He
says it would be better for the party
if the delegates at the state conven-
tion would meet by districts and elect
the district chairmen in that manner.
1t is possible that when the men,
bers of the state committee meet here
on December Il. if the proposed
change appeals to them as being prop
err they may decide not to call any
primaries for the election of delegates
to elect district chairmen, but decide
to wait and present the matter to the
state convention next year. In such
event the present members of the state
committee would hold over until the
state convention. and the present COM
mittee would have in its hands the ar
ranging for the convention. This is
regarded as an important job. espec-
tally next year when the affairs of the
party will have to be handled in del
icate manner in order to keep every
body in line and avoid eruptions.
Kelley Opposed to 1t.
Joseph Kelley, the secretary of the
state committee, however. is opposed
to the change. and his opposition
makes the situation one difficult of un-
derstanding. Reilev is an out and ont
L aSSdTt man OF the most pronounced
stripe, and always has been. He has
been secretary of the state committee
for so many years that no one is able
to remember when he was not secreta-
~. and he has held the office all the
time because Of Taggart's influence
Therefore, whatever Reiley says is Ia
ken by many TO be what Taggart
thinks, and since Kelley is opposed to
the change in the rule many persons
believe Taggart is opposed to it. also
II this is true. then il probably means
that Taggar- is afraid Of the present
makeup OF the committee. The pres
ent committee is his committee. of
course. but it is not by any means
unanimous in its support of Taggart.
1t will be rememb eredthat when the
committee met a year ago. last winter
for reorganization there was a lorg
contest for the Craftsmanship. Tag
Continued on Page Five.)