The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-02-03
IS
WARMLY
WELCOMED
TIMES BUREAU,
AT STATE CAPITAL.

All STATE CAPITAL.
Indianapolis. Ind, Feb 3.-The cleo
ton of Fred Sims as state chairman by
the republican state committee. yes
terday. was the very best solution that
could have been made to a perplexing
problem. There is no more popular re-
publican in the state than Fred Sims
He has always been a Woodworking
republican, in season and out of sea
son, but he has never been identified
with any faction in the party, and has
kept his skirts clear of all dirty poll
tics and trickery. But. while he has
done all of this, he is nevertheless a
first class political worker, who knows
the political game through and
through.
From the very start of the talk about
the Craftsmanship the name of Sims
was the one most favored by repubii-
cans from all parts of the state and In
all OF the factions. They realized that
he could come nearer, probably, to
bringing everybody into line in the
campaign than any other one man,
and that this would be due to the fact
that he had always treated everybody
fairly and had mode no political enc
niles In his own party.
But Sims, who is a member of the
state tax board at a salary OF $4,000 q
year, did not take kindly to the offer
of the state chairmanship. He realized
the enormous amount OF work that
viii fall on the shoulders Of the state
chairman ard he did not feel that he
wished to assume the burden. He was
acting chairman of the state commit
tee four years ago. when James p
Goodrich found he was too busy to
take care of the position. and Sims
made a good fight IN the face of the
great odds that were against the re-
pubHeans that year.
In accepting the position OF state
chairman Sims will be compelled to
make great sacrifice. Not only will
he take on an enormous amount of
work, but he will have to resign his
position as a member of the state tax
board. He holds this position as a re-
publican under a democratic admins
tration, having been appointed by Gov.
Marshall. The governor picked Sims
for the position for two reasons:
First, because he knew him to be an
expert in that line. having served as
member of the state tax board during
all of the time that he was secretary
of state. second, because of his high
personal regard for Sims as a man. 1t
is known that the ties of friendship
between Sims and the governor are
very strong. but, of course. 1t would
not be consistent for Sims to continue
to hold the place on the state tax board
while directing the republican cam
paign in this state, and this means
that he will have to get OFF the board
This will leave a place open for some
other republican, the appointment to
be made by Governor Marshall to serve
until the end of the term for which
Sims was appointed in the first place.
The governor has not given any init
nation of whom he will select for the
place That there will be a horde of
applicants for the place goes without
saying.
With Sims as chairman, VIII II.
Hays OF Sullivan as vice chairman, and
Frank d. Stalnaker of this city as
treasurer. the state committee has a
fine set of officers for the coming cam
paign.
The committee also decided to hold
two state conventions this year. as
had been predicted. The first one will
be held on March 26. for the election
of delegates to the national conven
ton and nominating presidential elect
ors. The second state convention will
be held at some later time after the
conventionu has been held at
Chicago, and at the later convention
the state ticket will be nominated and
the state platform adopted.
This plan was adopted in order that
state and national issues might not
become confused to such an extent as
to cause trouble over the adoption of
a platform or the adoption of resolu- |
tions in regard 20 the presidential |
nomination.
The primaries for the election of |
delegates to the March convention will |
be held on March % and 23 In the va |
rious counties The delegates to the |
first convention need not necessarily |
be the delegates to the second conven- |