The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-06
Mayors Threat of Running
independently Cows
G.. o. p. Heads.
ASK HIS WITHDRAWAL
Nominee Insists on Ability to
Carry Whole Ticket to
Victory.

Republican leaders today. for the
most part, were charging Mayor w.
W. Zimmerman with the responsibility
/ for the complete annihiIation of the
Republican party not only in Rich.
mond but in the county as we'll
After the disastrous defeat of the
Republican party at the polls in 1912
! local G. o. p. leaders decided TO at
tempt its reorganization in the mayor
atty campaign this year by putting
| forth every effort to continue Republi-
can control of TIE city administration.
/ Whatever chance there was TO aC-
complish this purpose was defeated
because that party had to carry the
| burden of Zimmermanism. This bur-
! den, not self imposed but forced upon
the party, brought about the second
crushing defeat for the G. o. p. within
period of one year and also served
! to completely disorganize the party.
Postpone Organization.
! This is shown by the fact that there
| is already tentative agreement
among local Republican leaders not TO
attempt to form a Republican orgaui-
cation for the county election next
year, when a circuit judge. an auditor
and a county clerk will be elected.
! This, of course. would mean that no
/ Republican ticket would be placed in
/ the field.
How unwilling the Richmond Re
/ publican party was TO assume the bur-
den of Zimmermanism was being told
out loud today During the campaign
there were vague rumors that DIR.
Zimmerman had wished himself on the
! already heavily handicapped G. o. p.
and that after his nomination for may
or an effort was made TO have him
resign from the ticket. and now these
| rumors are being confirmed by relia-
BILE information.
One prominent Republican leader
related today how prior to the Repub-
lican nominating convention last Sep
tember a delegation of Republican
committeeman waited on Mayor Zim-
norman and requested him not TO be
a candidate for reelection. This nian
says the mayor. very angrily, inform
ed the committee that IL he were not
acceptable to the Republican party as
its mayoralty nominee he would make
the race as an Independent.
Forces Nomination.
| Realizing the fact that if the mayor
carried out this threat he would take
|
" the G.. o. =. leaders decided to place
DR.. Zimmerman at the head of their
ticket
That explains the breaking of the
Republican precedent of holding a
nominating election. The G. o. p. COM
mitteemen surrendered horse. foot and
artillery to DR.. Zimmerman and hand
ed him his nomination with as good
grace as possible at convention as a
token of the Republican party's sub
lection to him.
But after the Republican ticket had
; been nominated and the campaign
started there were several members
of the city committee who realized
that with DR.. Zimmerman on their
ticket il was carrying much too heavy
. charge. They again went 10 the
. mayor. told him he had no chance for
reelection and earnestly plead with
, him TO resign from the ticket.
. Mayor Stands Pat.
: Once more the mayor issued an ulti-
matum to the effect that he had been
nominated, that there was not the
: slightest chance he would not carry
the entire ticket to victory. and that IL
: by any means he were forced OF the
: ticket he would make the race as an
: independent. And again the Repubii-
r can leaders bowed to their candidates
} ukase.
: Now that the smoke OF Tuesdays
battle for municipal publication has
drifted away, the fact is coming home
to many Republican leaders that II
] they had had the nerve TO refuse &c
: carry the burden of Zimmermanism
} ! the result of the election could not
D have been more disastrous. so far az
the Republican party is concerned,
= and In defeat would have commanded
much more respect from the citizens
OF Richmond