The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1918-07-03
DEMOCRATS CALL
WAR PARAMOUNT
ISSUE OF PARTY
But State Issues Must Not be
Overlooked, Leaders Warn
Party Workers.

lowing STATE executive COuuIuIttco dI
the Sixth district conference Of the
party leaders held In Richmond Tues
day afternoon and night:
oils, chairman.
Thomas Taggert-French Lick.
Samuel l.. Trabue-Rushville.
J. A. NJ. Adair-Portland.
Evans Woollen-IndtanapOl
william A. McInerny-South Bend.
James J. McGill-valpariso.
Samuel NJ Ralston--Indianapolis
Joseph Combs-Frankfort.
John Russell-Greensbur
Michael Fansler-Logansport.
George w. Purcell-Vincennes.
Bomar Traylor-Jasper.
More than 200 democrats, among
them many OF the prominent leaders
of the state, attended the first or
ganization meeting of the state COM
mittee that has been held outside OF
Indianapolis at the Westcott hotel in
Richmond Tuesday afternoon and eve
ming. An informal war dinner" fol.
lowed the business sessions, with a
speech-fest in which Dick Miller OF
Indianapolis was the headliner, and
Fred VanNuys the toastmaster.
Every District Represented.
All OF the democratic nominees on
the state ticket were here except Evan
Stotsenberg, New Albany, candidate
for attorney general, and John c. Nc
Mutt, Martinsville, candidate for
Judge of the supreme court Every
congressional district in the state was
represented, and all OF the chairmen
of the county central committees in
the Sixth district were here except
Charles Hack OF Shelby. The follow
ing chairmen were in attendance at
the afternoon and evening confer
ence:
Horace Yergin, Henry county; Jes-
se Stevens, Union county; F. M. Ed
wards, Fayette county; Plutarch Mont
rose, Hancock county; Sherman
O'Neill, Rush county; Frank x. Sci
bert, Franklin county; Joshua Allen,
Wayne county.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon
Mr.. Van Nuys said that the war was
the paramount issue with the demo
cratic party and that they would go
the limit In backing President Wilson
and the administration. 1t was the
concensus Of opinion among commit
teemen and candidates, however, he
said. that state issues should not be
overlooked.
CONTRARY to Principles"
He said that II was the opinion OF
the conference at the session Tuesday
afternoon that the GENERALIZATION OF
authority in the hands of Governor
Goodrich for appointing officers who
are now elected, Is contrary to the
principles for which the government Is
now fighting. He said that 1t would
be vigorously opposed by the demo-
Gratis.
Reports made by the various COM
mittees indicated that the people are
pleased with the stand taken at the
democratic state convention for the
repeal Of the law for the compulsory
teaching of German in the public
schols, Mr.. Van Nuys said. The re-
publicans were criticized for not hav-
ing taken the same stand.
At the dinner following the confer
ence the state chairman said that the
plan Of the committee is to demo
cratize" the state organization by
holding "get together" meetings In
every congressional district, similar to
the conference in Richmond Tuesday.
Dick Miller Speaks.
Dick Miller of Indianapolis, demo
cratic candidate for mayor Of that
city at the last election. was the first
speaker at the evening session.
He spoke vigorously in support Of
President Wilson. He emphasized the
importance Of the enactment OF the
federal reserve banking act, claiming
that 1t enabled America to stand the
severe financial strain occasioned by
the war. Without 1t he maintained
that a tremendous financial disaster
might have attended the war.
He insisted that If the democrats
had done no more than enact the fed
eral reserve act this would be suffi-
cient warrant for the election Of an
other democratic congress.
Mr.. Miller referred with sarcasm to
the claims he said have been made by
the republican party to the effect that
the democrats are without sufficient
brains to run the government. He
said that the democratic party was
the party Of the people.
"The republicans do not have the
courage to put through a law like the
federal reserve act because 1t would
have distributed the money powers
that they regard as so important to
their party"
VdnNuyS ldIkS.
Chairman VanNuys made the prin-
cipal speech Of the evening from the
standpoint OF political Importance He
was presented by Joshua Allen, chair
man Of the Wayne county democratic
central committee.
He predicted that If the same spirit
Is shown by democrats in other dis
trict meetings as that displayed in
Richmond, that the state will go DEM
ocratic by $4,000. He explained that
the meetings will be arranged in the
varioNs districts so that they will not
interfere with war activities.
VanNuys dealt vigorously with the
republican leaders In Indiana, con-
trasting the recent republican state
convention unfavorably with the dem
ocratic convention.
He condemned Senators Watson
and New and Governor Goodrich for
their criticism OF President Wilson
and the administration.
He asserted that the democrats will
be able to show that the records Of
some of the Indiana congressman and