The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-09-04

The candidates on the Republican
county ticket, who have also been
placed on the Progressive county tick
ct, with the exception of Lee J. Reyn-
olds, candidate for representative, held
meeting yesterday afternoon TO dis
cuss what action they will pursue
These candidates have been given ten
days by the Progressives to decide
whether they will withdraw from the
Republican ticket and make the race
on the Progressive ticket.
Will w. Keller, candidate for prose
cutor, today issued statement that
he would accept the Progressive nomi-
nation and withdraw from the Repub-
lican ticket. Announcements by other
candidates are expected shortly.
Mr.. Rellers statement follows:
Mr. Will J. Robbins. Chairman,
Progressive Central Committee,
Wayne County.
Dear SIR
Named as nominee for Prosecuting
Attorney of this Judicial District by a
primary election held last February
under the control of the then Repub-
lican County Central Committee, and
likewise named as nominee for the
same office by the Progressive party of
Wayne County in con, sotion assem-
bled on September 3, 1912. it becomes
necessary for me under Section 5000
Burns Revised Statutes (190S) to de-
clare which nomination l will accept.
In appreciation of many friends in
both parties, who worked hard and un-
selfishly for my nomination during
the cold and anxiety of last January
and February would naturally like to
accept both nominations, and this too
for the reason that the combined vote
would make my election an easy mat
ter. But as much as a fusion of two
parties on one nominee might be de-
sirable, in this instance it is impossi-
BILE. The law is plain that the name
Of nominee can appear but one place
on the ballot. This works a hardship
it tends to inject party lines into local
affairs where they have no place, and
makes independent voting a difficult
matter. The law was passed by the old
school politicians to accomplish their
purpose of whipping voters into line
it does not meet present day condi
tons, is obsolete and should be repeal
ed But the law is now On our statute
books, and although your party had
nothing to do with putting it there
and perhaps does not approve of it
still you have to meet conditions as
you find them. Your party has worked
with the law as it now stands; has
deemed it advisable to put county
| ticket in the field and then has done
the fair and honorable thing of offer
| ing places to the nominees of las
| February.
| For my part accept the nomination
rendered me by the Progressive Party
and in doing 80 desire to make a state
ment of my position in the matter.
My fitness for the office of Prosecut
ing Attorney of the county is in NJ
wise affected by whether 1 vote fo
Taft or Roosevelt and many persons
have told me that they will vote TO
me in the Fall no matter on what tick
ct my name appears, but as far as m.
personal convictions are concerned i
makes a great deal of difference wher'
my name appears when there is boil
Republican and Progressive ticket il
the field. And in the beginning I wan
to make plain that I in no wise re
gard the name Republican as nov
used synonymous with that name a
used last February. In a national cam
paign year such as this one, and NOR
particularly so this year than perhap
any other, it means for a mans nam
to be on the Republican ticket when
could be on the Progressive ticket tina
he subscribes to and condones wha
was done at the Republican Nationa
convention, that he is in sympath
with the Observation-Disclosures menway
Durbin crowd in Indiana and that b
his vote and through his influence h
encourages such disreputable politica
methods and is willing to continu
such men in Office.
Although the Republican Count
Committee has not officially demande
a stand of the county nominees o
State and National issues, it is only
question of time until it will do Sc