The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-10-03


Clarence Gaumer for secretary of the |
federation and to elect socialist from
Evansville as secretary to succeed |
him.
Before the convention opened the |
friends of the governor doubted that |
the federation would condemn the |
governor. although 1T was known that |
an effort would be made to do so. They |
believed that the federation leaders
would not allow the criticism of his ac-
ton to go that far. But they had not
figured on the strength of the social
lists. 1t is believed that the socialists
do not care much about the action
of the governor in the Mcnamara case
as they do for the opportunity which
1t presents for them to spread their
| doctrines. The opinion prevails that
they simply seized on this incident and
this opportunity to make a hit and a
strong one in favor of their views on
political and economic uestions.
The fact is that the growth of So
cialism in Indiana is a serious menace
to both of the old parties. and the
politicians are beginning to realize
this fact. II was pointed out in these
dispatches several months ago that the
/ socialist vote at the last state election
was vastly larger than ii had ever
been before. Some counties showed
a much as 500 per cent gain over the
former election. There is a recognized
! spirit of unrest among the working
/ people. IT has not taken any definite
! form, but it exists, just the same. and
the socialists are taking advantage of
this condition to strengthen their par
! ty. This is seen in developments in
some of the counties At Anderson.
! for it,ct x%r.
| held a big meeting to which an ad-
mission fee was charged. The hall held
a thousand people, and it was packed
| and hundreds were unable to gain ad-
mission. Madison county is a strong
/ hold of socialism. but up to that time
| the socialist meetings had been held
on street corners They have attracted
ever increasing crowds. and this shows
that the socialistic ideas are gaining
in favor with the working people.
i Politicians agree that the increase
of socialists means a decrease in the
number of democrats in the state, be-
cause more democrats than republicans
are taking up with it. All of this is
strongly detrimental to the chances of
Governor Marshall for the nomination
for the presidency, for the democratic
party would not dare to nominate
man for president who would aiineante
as many voters there are socialists
in the country.
Il Republicans think that the growth
| of socialism in the state means that
their party has a better chance to car
~ Indiana next year than had been
| supposed. The more democrats that
turn ito socialists the better will be
the republican position.
The action of the knights of Fidelity
in indorsing the governor and the
democratic party of the liquor question
has also caused some alarm among
democratic leaders, for they realize
that this is liable to ALLEVIATE a good
many dry democrats in the rural COM
munities. They know that the ma
jority of the people. both democrats
and republicans in the rural counties
are opposed to the saloon. They do
not like the action of the last demo-
cratic Legislature in repeating the coun-
ty option law and providing for the
return of saloons to many of the coun-
ties. They fear that the republican
state convention next year will again
declare in favor of county option. or
something even stronger than that. be-
cause a declaration of that kind will
| attract thousands of dry democrats in
| the county districts.
There is no doubt that the democrat
ic leader would much prefer that the
knights of Fidelity had remained 81
lent on the subject, and that they had
not adopted the resolution indorsing
Governor Marshall and the democratic
| attitude on the Iiuor uestion.
The growth of socialism among the
labor unions is seen plainly in this city,
| where there are many national
headquarters of labor unions. 1t is
pointed out that the socialists have
| captured control of the United Mine
Workers. which is the largest labor
, union in the world. They were strong
enough to force John Mitchell to give
, up his membership--and his position
in the National Civic Federation under
penalty of expulsion from the union.
: The complaint against Mitchell was
that In the National Civic Federation
he was associated with of the
capitalistic class In the last issue of
the official monthly journal of one of
the large labor unions with headquar-
tiers here. ugene V. Debs had an article
expoundin socialism and literally
t picking the federal constitution to
pieces. . In nearly every number OF
: some of the these journals socialism
Is preached. The Mcnamara incident
2 is discussed in practically all of them
and the governor Is denounced for hon.
: oring the requisition for his removal
to California This activity on the
/ part of the socialists is helping to keeT
! the laborng people stirred up and in a
state of unrest. which is just what
/. the socialists more desire.
With the socialists denouncing him
2 with the Indiana State Federation OF
/. Labor denouncing him and calling on
: all labor union men to oppose any
9 movement to elevate him to higher po-
S sition; with the knights of Fidelity
: indorsing him and complimenting his
course on the liquor question, Governor
: Marshall is having a hard time of II
( with his boom Then since the word
s has come from the east that he would
: not be unsatisfactory to Wall street
and to the capitalistic interests as a
2 candidate for president. fresh fuel has
i been added to the flames which the So