The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-14
POLITICAL ENEMIES
FIGHT GRAYS HOPE
FOR REELECTION
Democrats Assail Congress-
mans Opposition to Will
sons Policy.
GO AFTER HIS SEAT
Opponents Assert He Sup
ports Spoil System and
Opposes Civil Service.
GO AFTER HIS SEAT
az w. e. PouNpsToNE.


Finly Gray, Sixth District represen-
tative in congress will be candidate
for denomination on the Democratic
ticket for his third term in the lower
house, and he is already at work t1nk-
ering with his tottering political fen
fes He is attempting to reconstruct
them extra stout, for he realizes that
he is going to have a hard fight on his
hands.
The congressional election will be
held next November in conjunction
with the county elections throughout
the district. Mr.. Gray's present term
of office does not expire until March
4, 1915.
Following his reelection last fall the
delicate task of appointing number
of postmasters in his district fell to
the lot of Mr.. Gray. He made them as
soon after election as possible, so that
the sore places of disappointed job
hunters could heal before he made his
third race for congressional honors.
Sharpen Their Hatchets.
A number of those who sought in
vain choice postmasterships have re-
fused to bury the hatchet and they
will play an active part at the Demo-
cratic congressional nominating con-
vention, and it is safe to predict they
will work against Gray
The word went forth some time ago
that Mr.. Gray would have opposition
for denomination next spring, and that
probably there would be several aSpir-
ants for this honor.
During his present term, Mr.. Gray
has made a number of enemies among
the Democrats of this, district who
stand hard and firm for party regular
ity, because of his action in bolting
party caucuses and other acts of re-
bellion against party discipline. He
also made enemies among many inde-
pendent progressive Democrats by the
positive stand he took for return to
the spoils system at the sacrifice of the
civil service.
Hammer Gray's Record.
They point out that his work in
congress has been confined principally
to a wild scramble for liberal slices of
the public buildings appropriation
pie" and to pension matters. They
complain that he has been SO busily
engaged in such activities, aimed to
strengthen his personal political ma
chine, that he has had only little time
to devote to constructive legislation.
All classes of Democratic voters in
the Sixth district are supporters and
admirers of President Wilson and the
fact that Mr.. Gray has not been in
close harmony with Wilsonian policies
has not set well with them.
Then Mr.. Gray's latest break" op-
posing a congressional gift for Miss
Wilson, to be paid for by fund rails
ed by popular subscription among the
members of the house, probably has
done more to get him Gin bad" with
his constituents, Democrats as we'll as
members of all other parties, than any
thing else.
Too Much "Grandstand."
This action on Mr.. Grays part is
generally referred TO as "grandstand
play" and the prediction is made that
It will react against Mr.. Gray in
MANNER he did not anticipate. It has
been held up to ridicule by newspa-
pers all over the country
81 always have supported Mr.. Gray
but the spectacle he made of himself
on the floor OF the house, ranting
about Jeffersonian simplicity as rea-
son for forbidding congressional gift
to Miss Wilson is too much for me to
swallow. The Democratic party will
make a mistake if it enters him in the
congressional race again." remarked a
prominent Democrat connected with
one Of Richmond's largest manufacture
ing firms, and who was urged to enter
the recent race for the Democratic
mayoralty nomination.
This man, moreover, is not the only
prominent Democrat in this city to
openly declare that Mr.. Gray's grand
stand" play was the straw which broke
the camels back for them.