The Jasper weekly courier., 1917-07-13
State Conference Decides to
Give Voters Chance to Select
Best Men In State.
WANT A G0c0 CONSTITUTION
Goodrich PussYfooting to Pack the
Convention and fUi Over Some of
His Peculiar Notions of State
Government.
BY Willis S. Thompson.

of democrats from all parts of the
state, have decided to place a ticket
in the field for delegates to the con-
stitutional convention.
The meeting of democrats was
called by State Chairman Charles A.
Greathouse and National Committee
man +. o. Hoffman for the purpose
OF securing an expression of opinion.
MIR. Greathouse, who presided, said
that conditions were such that it ap-
peared necessary that some such body
as the democratic organization must
take up the matter In order to arouse
proper interest, among the people In
the Importance of the convention and
at the same time to see to it that the
voters were given an opportunity to
select the ablest men of the state to
compose the convention and write the
new constitution.
The people were paying too little
attention to'the subject, the fact that
the country is at war and the mind
of the average man and woman is en-
crossed IN the great problems created
by this condition, made it necessary
that unusual efforts be made to stir
an interest. That the democratic
party was in the position of being
able to do real service to the people
at a time when no one is seeking
Office. That while in the convention
the delegates should not sit as politi-
clans or with any regard to political
lines, only as they serve the public
good, unless some responsible organi-
zation assumes the task there is 60
ing tC be no agency to nominate such
men as the occasion demands
That the men most desired are not
seeking the chance to go as delegates,
and that it devolves upon some body.
strong enough for the task, to induce
them to allow the use of their names
and to convince the best class of our
citizens that it is their duty to make
the patriotic sa ,rifice of time and eff
fort insuring the best results. That
| this work he thought the democratic
party owed it to the people to under
take.
Mr. Hoffman pointed out that while
there is no "open" movement at pres
ent looking to the selection of lis of
the sort of men the people want, or
ganiZations interested in securing the
adoption of their own pet one-idea no
tions into a new basic law are very
Governor Goodrich is conducting
gum shoe campaign looking to the
control of the delegates in order that
he may ingraft into the constitution
his ideas of government which the leg
islature refused to recognize. That
the governor is calling men into his
Office and asking them to become can
didates, guaranteeing that he will
( hov %1o+
their election sure. Mr.. Hoffman die
not believe that the people of Indiana
care to have a Goodrich constitution
and he thought the democratic party
was in the position to serve the peo-
PIE in patriotic and broad way ir
securing q peoples constitution, ano
fairness and equity
The mass meeting agreed unani-
| mOusly that the proper thing was tc
put q straight ticket in the field. Il
was thought best TO find some way
of naming the delegates other thar
tLs holding of township, county, dis
5Tlct and state conventions The chief
| thing is to secure men above reproach
and of the highest ability The method
IS secondary thing and was left to
CCHllIIlSt
decided to leave it to the party in the
districts to name in their own way
the delegates at large and the dele
gates accredited to each of the legis-
lative districts.
The persons who spoke a. the con-
ference of democrats preceding the
meeting of the state committee, all
indorsing the proposal OF putting a
I ell IL l-O4 G-1l
Chairman Greathouse, Mayor Bell,
Thomas Taggart, Bernard Korbly,
Evans Woollen. John w. Hoffman,
Judge Joseph c. Ibach, Judge Moses
B. Larry, Frank Hawley, Charles
/ Remster, Miss Julia Landers, and ].
L. Keach, of indianapolis; Edward G..
Hoffman and Lew Ellingham, of Ft.
Wayne: ]. J. Nolan, of Evansville;
John ". Cravens, of Bloomington;
Ralph w. Moss, of Center Point; E.
B. Stotsenburg, of New Albany; W.
II. O'Brien, of Lawrenceburg, and
Riley Dunham, of Kempton
Tie delegates at large, fifteen of
them, viii be democrats. the districts
being instructed to exercise their own
judgment as to whether they viii
name democrats Or others as the local
! delegates. MS was In accord with
the views EXPRESSED at the general
! confe1enee. The republican state
committee hai 2 eyiously refused -
/ join the democrats in naming non
| partisan tickets
Plans were also made at the meet
ing of the state committee to proceed
with the work of organization in the
most effective manner. Mr. Great
house will establish his headquarters
and remain at headquarters wsh
competent force of assistants TO in
sure efficient organization in the 1916
campaign.
One of the first things done will be
I 70 complete the naming Of the
wonan's executive committee TO Co
| operate with the state committee in
all the work. Such assistance as is
asked or required will also be given
in the important municipal elections
over the state. Dick Miller is making
a good fight in Indianapolis for the
mayoralty, with Lew Shank in second
place.