The Washington times., 1910-09-26
Republican Managers VIII
Fight Along Most Pro-
greSSive Lines.
EDITOR OF PAPER
BACKED BY OWNER
Since Taking Charge Prominent
Politician Has Made Big
Change in State.

/ IN .teLlEa Republican state COmTnlIlee mas
dec led TO make the campaign of 1910
on insurgent lines.
The winds Of the North and West have
waited great courage into the party
leaders.
insurgency had its inception in the
HOOsfer State more than five years
ago Strange as II may seem, the
strenuous political idea first came 20
light in one Of the oldest and most
COnseTvativeN towns OF the State.
Richmond, founded by Quakers, and
noted for its conservatism, gave TO
HoOsierdom the new light
The father Of Insurgency in Indiana?
James Bennett Gordon
/ A little bundle of wIres-all alive,
IL seems. His shock Of fiery red hair
resembles nothing less than shooting
flames. His nervous energy gives
truth TO the assertion that ne is a
bundle Of wires He weighs less than
a hundred. but he writes Ike a giant
Great, big, -pIexus-reachiI z sen
fences come from his pen
He writes what he thinks-what he
knows The charm Of his writing lies
IN the fact that he usually thinks
Highland knows what is right
FouIke Was His Partner.
About FIVE years ago James Bennett
Gordon was the partner Of William
Dudley Foulke-kncwn by his essays
and COmradeship with men Of great
ness-in the publication OF the Rich
mond Item.
Occasionally came from Richmond
from the Item-a splutIeT. in the
blue light OF which were CLEANED
unusual facts about the Vaccinations
OF such astute politicians as Charles
Warren Fairbanks. James T. Watson.
James A HemenWay, and others.
The Item was Republican news
paper The people began to notice
that they were hearing things about
certain Republicans through the col
uu1us OF the Item that other Republic
an newspapers mad never printed
never had dared 10 print and still keep
the editor IN the pOstmsstership.
Insurgency was srrout-ng-
James Bennett Gordon was telling
things-Ielling OF the PittsbUrg confer
ence at which Fairbanks, Watson, Hem
enway, and James P Goodrich gathered
and decided that Fairbanks was 70 be
the Republican nominee for President,
Hemenway was 10 be Senator, Watson
Was 70 be governor and so on, al
without consulting the rank and file
OF the party
At the moment the Richmond Item
was becoming most interesting, William
Dudley FouIke announced that James
Bennett Gordon was no longer con-
nected with the Item The world may
arated from the editorial tripod. Il
was done Gordon did not sQueal. He
never sCueaiS- Once a man tried to
bite on his ear Gordon never noticed
the ear. He kept lighting on.
Gordon Gets New Job.
Surfing a collar and a nightrobe in
to \ grip. Gordon struck out for NIL
Waukee. in the State OF live wire in
surgency- a man who can throw ink
like Gordon IS not long ont o. a job.
Soon the columns OF the insUrgent
daily in Milwaukee began to sizzle
Gordon had obtained a job
The second epoch Of insurgency in
Indiana came with the entrance into
newspaper activity Of Rudolph O. Leeds,
also OF Richmond The son OF the late
William 3. Leeds, tinpiete magnate,
young Rudolph-nOw only twenty-five
came into possession OF at least one
million. Some say the amount reaches
five times one
Fresh from school, young Leeds i'm
mediately sought a field OF activity In
Richmond was the Palladium, the Re
publican rival Of the Item Leeds bought
It The paper was down and out for
sure when he came into ownership Of
a basketful Of type and an old brass
press. all Of which was junk. and which
heap The Palladium, fresh from the
new type and a good press, looked the
new paper that II was.
In the early days OF his newspaper
career, Leeds did several things to
arouse the ire OF the fiery Gordon and
when Gordon left Richmond ne and
Leeds were not on speaking terms
When Leeds Richmond Palladium be
gan showing insUrgent tendencies there
came new surprise 10 Indiana Re
How can 1t be that Rudolph Leeds
IS demanding taTiI reyision2' the old
line bosses asked why, didn't his
father attain his great fortune in the
tinplate industry-the industry that was
made in America by the Mckinley high
tariff they venJured-
All Of which is true, but young Leeds
kept on and while the Item, without
Gordon. had gone back to regularisu
the Palladium, under Leeds. became the
insurSent organ Of the State
But Richmond was not big enough
field for Leeds with his liberal fortune
He cast eyes toward the Capisal-Indi-
annapolis.
Leeds Buys Paper.
As nonchaIently as some men walk
up to a cigar counter and flip a dime
for a cigar, Leeds one day walked into
the Office OF the Indianapolis Sun.
asked if the paper was for sale. and
when told Il was, hgursti'-ely sHea king,
Tipped a check across the counter for
something less than two hundred thou
SAND dollars and took possession OF the
plant.
The Sun, heretofore independent.
became so radically insuT gent that its
Old battered type wouldn't hold the
pace Following his course Rt Rich
moUd, il was the junk heap for much
that was in the old Sun office, and to-
day appears In Minneapolis a newspaper
that is the typographical equal Of any in
the country.
Cant guess who I am going to get
for editOr-in-chief.' banteTed the young
millionaire 20 a friend a couple of DAYS
after his purchase Of the Sun.
Best man money can bring prophe-
sled the friend
Yes. I think So said Leeds. CT
have Just phoned James Bennett Cox
don to come down here from Mffvau>
iSee and take charge"
And Gordon came
Leeds, acknowle edged to be the most
ievel-headed man for his age and
wealth in the middle West. was big
enough to forget the animOsfties at
Richmond.
And so Gordon is insUrging He has
won-the Republican manag gers to his
way of thinking
Fairbanks. Watson, Hemenwav-thev
are fighting outside the breasfworks.
For whom2 That's where the guess
comes in.
Gordon. Leeds. the Palladium and
the sun are fighting for the reelection
Of BeveTidge- They say Be- erid re- il
the slogan for insurgency.