The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-05-15
HAS
EDGE: ON
THIS JOB
TIMES BUREAU,
AT STATE CAPITAL

Indianapolis, Ind. May 15.-Dale ].
Crittenberger of Anderson is now be-
heved to have the inside of the race
TOR chairman of the democratic state
committee. The fact that Gutenberg
er was really a candidate for the place
was not generally known until a few
days ago, when the politicians began
talking about 1t and spreading the
Crittenberger boom. Up to this time
II was believed that the fight would be
between Peter Kruger. chairman of the
thirteenth district, and John Osborn,
chairman of the sixth district They
had their own following. Each man
appeared TO be backed up with a pretty
strong band of workers, especially in
his own district. but ii was not plain
just where either man could get suf-
ficient strength to put him over the
line.
But it is admitted here that If Crit
tenberger goes after the place in the
old-fashioned democratic machine man
ner he will distance the others He is
one of the main spokes in the Taggart
wheel He has been a Taggart man
ever since there have been Taggart
men. He has fought Taggart's battles
for him, and Taggart has been his
benefactor in many ways They are
as close as brothers in politics. When
ever Taggart plans to do something he
never overlooks Crittenberger in max
ing his arrangements.
The election of Crittenberger would
be a distinct Taggart victory for it
would mean that Taggart would con-
troll the state COMMITTEES as absolutely
as he has controlled 1t in the last two
campaigns with Stokes Jackson as
chairman. And that is just what Tag
CART is working for. Politicians here
say that il is evident that Taggart does
not want Governor Marshall nominated
for president. He wants to beat him,
and he hopes to do it so nicely and in
such a gentlemanly manner that the
governor will not know how it was
done until it is all over The Taggart
idea is to allow Marshall to have the
Indiana delegates to the national con-
vention. provided they will be for Gov
ernor Harmon for their second choice
1t is figured by the Taggart fellows
that Marshall cannot be nominated, and
then they can get the vote of Indiana
for Harmon and at the same time make
a showing of loyalty TO .Indiana's ia
vorite SON"
The election of Crittenberger as state
chairman, it is pointed out. would fit
in nicely with this plan, for it would
| give the Taggart crowd control of the
committee and make@it easier for it to
get the kind of delegates it wanted.
| Kruger also is a Taggart man, part
| of the state machine, but he is not as
well. known among the workers all ov-
er the state as Crittenherger. He
knows politics 1t is said. and would
probably be as well able to handle the
job as Crittenberger, but Crittenberger
i ie 10 haS NJ he To ~,
in Indiana. and this would count in his
favor.
| Another thing that would be helped
| by the election of Crittenberger as
| state chairman is the candidacy of
| Samuel NJ. Ralston of Lebanon for the
nomination for governor. Ralston is a
| real candidate. and those who watch
political affairs insist that he Will
surely be nominated. With Ralston
/ for governor and Crittenberger in COM
| mand of the state campaign. Taggart
would be in a good position politically.
| He could do about as he pleased with
! the party in the state, and it would be
an easy matter for him to throw Indi-
| anas delegation in the national con-
vention to Harmon and against any
other candidate. unless the candidacy
of Senator. Kern should happen to stand
| in the va.
The announcement that Gutenberg
| err viii make the race for state chair
| man is about the most interesting piece
| of political gossip that has been heard
| here for some time. Crittenberger was
! secretary of the senate a the last ses-
| sion of the Indiana Legislature He is
| one of the owners of the Anderson Bull
| letin, a democratic paper. When Tag
/ CART operated the old indianapolis
| Sentinel, a few years ago, after the
death of Samuel NJ Morse, he engaged
| Crittenberger as the manager of the
property. and he ran the paper for
| several months.
Enn EnE nEEn