South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-16
WATSON DENIES
OISLOYALTY CRY
Interest in State Divided Be-
tween Senator's Claims and
Condition of Governor.
News Times Special service

News Times Special Service
INDIANAPOLIS. sept 15.-IE-
terest in Indiana was divided this
week between the watching OF the
development OF the serious illness
OF Gov James =. Goodrich. and tire
controversy that has arisen over re-
cent statements made In a speech
by CDIted states Sen. James +.
Watson. at Roanoke, Va. Sen. Wa
son arrived in Indianapolis Friday
and Immediately told friends that
ne had been seriously misquoted b.
newspapers In regard to his ROa-
coke speech in which. so dispatches
have said. he made dislOyal state
ments concerning the government
and its attitude towards the war.
Sen. Watson, In tie statements he
gave out here. discIaime any in
tention OF d!sloyalty to the govern
snent and said he had not made the
statements attributed 10 him by the
newspapers. which reported the
speech at Roanoke. He further
said that his record as q senator in
the congress. AID his vote on every
question OF public interest. particu-
larly those relating to patriotism,
were sufficient answers to the
charges concerning the Roanoke
speech that he'd been carried in
some newspapers.
Who's Wrong?
Democrats here. of course, are
unable 20 fudge clearly between the
varying versions OF the Watson
speech and the newspapers which
reported it. They hope that Mr..
Watson has toned down his we'll
known anti-wilson attitude that
was so we'll exemplifed by the In
diana senator in numerous speech
IS in all parts Of Indiana and else
where tust prior 20 the recent cleo
ton IN these speeches Mr.. Wat
son would have had IL appear that
the country as a whole had gone TO
the dogs through the personal eff
forts of Mr. Wilson and the men
he had placed around him. The
Mexican situation was laid directly
at the door of the president by Mr..
Watson in these earlier speeches
and ne criticized sharply the for
ei,n relations Of the country prior
10 that election Such statements
at that time. however. were, of
course, 70 be expected from a SEN
atOrial candidate opposing the DEM
ocrats. but the vim and vigOr with
which Mr. Watson characterizes all
his orotorical efforts were not lack
ing in these prediction attacks on
Mr. Wilson and his administration.
Thus q is hard for some men here
10 realize that he suddenly has be
come the soft-voiced uphOlder OF
the presidents hands that the re-
Iublicans Of Indiana would have
the public believe, since the Roa-
noke speech.
Sen. Watson also brought the
nc~s 10 Indiana that the congress
viii adjourn either oct. 6 or oct. 10.
according 10 the best information
oStanable among leaders there
This. of course. viii release all the
indiana congressman and senator's
FOR the municipal campaiSTs in In
dianar-and will have the same
effect for other states, where cant
paigns are in progress.
Governors Condition Critical.
The condition Of Gov. James p.
Goodrich has oeen 50 critical
throughout thAs week that no one
will venture TO say whether he will
got we'll Necessarily, under such
conditions tle politicians have
been discussing eventualities that
might occur IL the governor did not
win his fight for life. Edgar d.
Bush Of salem would become gov
ernor. to face all the tremendous
war problems that now confront the
state
What sort Of changes Mr.. Bush
might see tit 10 make in the state
administration are, Of course, m
known. but il Is known that he