South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-23
BULL MOOSE CAMPAIGN
GETTING EARLY START
Despite State Leaders County
Organizations Are Venting
Enthusiasm Already.

INDIANAPOLIS. June %. - With
out any prearrangement on the part
OF the state committee the progressive
campaign has been opened several
weeks earlier than expected. In many
counties there is almost as much ac-
tivity now as there is usually a short
time prior 20 the election.
Party leaders say that the deter
mination of the progressives TO push
the fight at this time is an indication
that the party is growing stronger.
The demand made upon the state
committee for speakers is regarded as
unprecedented. The committee is at
tempting to provide speakers for all
the county conventions, but il is not
encouraging the party workers in the
various counties to open the campaign
at this time.
The action Of the i01a,; organization
is being taken Of their own volition.
In BlackfOru county, for example.
nearly a dozen meetings have been
held recently. Senator 3. b. Shively
Of Marion the eleventh district con-
gressiOnal nominee, has made six
speeches in Blackford county alone.
He has appeared more Than once in
nearly every county in the district.
Similar reports are coming from
other parts Of the state. The progress
sives are so active that they almost
have put a stop TO the foolish talk Of
the republican leaders that nearly all
Of the prOgreSsives have gone back to
the G.. Q. p. ranks. The reports are
so conclusive that the progressives are
more than holding their own with the
republicans that the latter are being
compelled 10 change their lire of
dope in order 10 keep from appear
ing ridiculous before their own fol-
lowers.
Organization Conferences.
The organization conferences held
last week were more than Chairman
Edward Toner and Albert J. Rever-
idge. nominee for the United States
senate. expected The conferences
we're planned originally merely for the
members of the local organizations.
but they have grown in interest until
they have become large public meet
ings
Plans are being made for state con-
ferences here the second week in
July. The state committee, nominees
on the state ticket. congressional can
didates. members of the advisory, exc
Cutive and financial committees will
hold an all-day conference here July
Z. There will be a conference here
July of all the speakers who ex-
pect TO take part in the campaign
in Indiana this year.
An optimistic report has been re-
ceiVed at the state committee head
quarters from Grant county. where
George B. Lockwood has been pound
ing away at the progressive party. a
convention was held in Liberty town
ship, Grant county, last week. II was
attended by more than $50 farmers.
who pledged themselves to vote for
the progressive tickets. This town
ship. according to stories published by
Lockwood, has had two prOgressives.
According to the reports received at
the progressive headquarters the re-
publican meetings in Grant county TO
elect delegates to their convention
were so small that delegates had to
be appointed.
The reports from the eleventh dis
trict indicate that the republicans and
democrats are in bad shape. The
nomination of Samuel Stricken, a
member of the old crowd AT Marion.
as the congressional candidate. has not
aroused any enthusiasm III the dis
tricts. Senator Shively, the progress
sive nominee. is speaking to large and
enthusiastic crowd and IL is pre-
diCted that he will carry nearly every
county in the district
The eighth district progressives will
hold their congressional convention
about the middle of July. Harry
kitselman, who made an excellent race
for mayor of Muncie, more than likely
Will be the congressional nominee in
the eighth The eighth and the first
are the only districts that have not
named their congressional candidates
AS far as organization is concerned
the prOgreSsiveS are so per cent
strong than they were two years ago
in Indiana.