The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-13
SHORN OF ITS GLORY.

CONNERSVILLE, Ind, Aug. 13.-|
Shorn of all the old-time fril's and
thrills which for years had co.nbined
to make a Sixth district Republican
convention a thing of joy to all who
participated therein, the remnant of
the "old guard" of Jim" Watson. Hen
ry c. Starr and others of the inner cir
Gle. met in convention here this after
noon to name a candidate for con-
gress.
Jim" Watson, looking as dapper
and smiling as when he acted as first
assistant swiper on the Taft road roll
June, came over from Rushville last
night and held sway in the McFarlan
hotel, cavorting around with accus-
toned vigor and endeavoring to show
his hangers-on that there were a doZ-
en- and one ways to prove that the
Bull Moose movement had no real
status and that Republican success
next November can be brought about
If only the faithful shall keep in line.
Nobody took Jim" seriously, how
ever, for his wellknown aversion to
anything like a truthful prognostica-
ton of events political, has been gen.
orally known ever since his famous
declaration that Joe" Cannon would
be the nominee at Chicago in 1908.
Old Days Have Gone.
Time was when Jim" was grooming
himself for this very Congressional
convention and laying wires that would
result in his being the candidate, but
that was not today. Far be 1t from
Jim" to keep anybody else out Of the
honor Indeed, he was in the position
of political martyr. willing to sacri-
flee his own ambition to return to
marble halls in order that somebody
else might take the chance. And. Oh.
what a chance" as one delegate from
Shelby county, expressed it this morn
ing. Affable Charles Hernly, Of New
Castle opined some weeks ago that
this was the year for the Republican
ticket, and the line Of conversation
INDUCED in around the hotel corridors
this morning indicated that Hernly
had the correct dope.
Mayor George Barnard, of New Cas-
tie. son of former Congressman Bar
nard, headed the Henry county Repub-
licans today, and was scheduled to act
as both temporary and permanent
chairman of this afternoons conven-
ton which was set for 1:45 o'clock
Mayor Barnard was also tuned up to
deliver the keynote speech in which
he was expected to show what a fine,
fat chance Taft has to swing the glor-
ious old Sixth, to say nothing of Dur
bin and the nominee for congress,
whoever he may be. Some of the
knowing ones today declared that Bar
nard himself was likely to be struck
by lightning and named as the con-
fressional candidate. Other men in
the race as indicated this morning
were c. W. Stivers. of Liberty, editor
of the Liberty Herald, and Attorney
Boosert. Of Liberty. Toward noon
there was a story floating around
that Judge Mark E Forkner of New
Castle, would make a desirable candi-
date and that all things considered he
would make the most desirable. The
chief difficulty, it was said, was to
get the consent of Judge Forkner HIM
self to be laid on the altar of defeat
this year when a decade or so ago
he would have been glad indeed. to
have had the opportunity of leading
the party when 1t had things cinched
in the district
Small Attendance.
The attendance today was smaller
than was ever recorded at a Congress
sional convention Of the Republicans
in the Sixth district Every county,
however, had its delegations on hand
but it was impossible to say at noon
whether all were complete or not
Wayne county it was said, was short
on the first count though recruits
were expected to fill all vacancies
by the time the convention got under
1CQ1tt1led aR RaEa @Ehtl