South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-26
FDth Candidate Likely
to Join Scramble for
Republican Nomination

rs q power in republican politics
in the county
To Look Into Contracts.
II IS understood now that the
state accounts board viii look into
an contracts that are let By the
state highway commission and thus
again win b. keep check over a
body that is the child of TIE ropub-
lean administration. II is said there
nothir- specific i'm the law that
provides for direct supervision or
the ~iate highway commission con
tracts but the law provides never
the'ess that the accounts board may
at any time look into the records Of
Tho highway commission
The feeling between the state tax
board and the state highway COM
mission mas been stirred up recent
ly by the attitude Of l.. Fl. Wright.
head OF the highway commission
-u REGARD 10 the tax levy Mr.
Wright az first gave the inference
that The highway commission would
lose q great amount OF federal funds
" The highway levy was not set az
20 cents. But after giving such in
lerences and stirring up much feel
ing among good roads advocates in
fav5- of the high levy ne came out
after the levy was fixed at 80 cents
and s4duitted that no federal funds
would he lost 10 the state.
Those who are on the inside on
The matter say that Mr. Wright and
some others. including representa-
er
ISOLATION. either willingly or unwit-
tingly tried TO put one over" on the
state TO is also pointed out that in
spite Of the statements made by Mr.
Wright II. X. Bishop. the state
highway engineer. the state at
tempted TO give no such impress
sion ass that given by Mr.. WRIGHT
Some republicans are saying that
the state tax board with the admin
istration Of the new and complex
law Is having enough trouble and
that Mr.. Wright was in poor bust
ness politically when he was trying
90 pile mp more trouble for it.
Word that has drifted back from
Washington I'm regard to the con-
ference of republican state Chair
man Edwin Wasmuth and Sen. New
and Watson and others is that the
conference was not as harmonious
as it might have been. The only
public announcement made was to
the effect that all concerned had
agreed that Mr. Wasmuth was the
best man for state chairman and
that he should continue i'm the place. /
But il is said now on good auth
GRITTY that Sen. Watson did not agree
to the plan until after Mr.. Wasmuth
had given assurances that the In
diana state committee would not bc
used ass machine for any one man
and that i'm particular it would keep
It's hands off the question of the in
structin- of delegates to the repub-
lcau convention.
Too Close to Goodrich
Watson and his friends. it is said. |
did not base their objections 10
Wasmuth ON any feeling that he
would not be successful as a state
chairman. but they felt that he had |
been 20 close to Gov. Goodrich. The
whole subject was gone over i'm a
three-hour conference at which
plain words were spoken and once
more was emphasized the contest
that is on between the governor and
Sen Watson for the presidential
nomination. Sen. New is under
stood to have occupied a strictly
neutral position
More Watson dope" was given
out at Greensburg the other day b.
of :he republican state committee. !
and who seems to be one o. the !
chief Watson boosters. Ayres. ii is /
said told Greensburg republicans /
that the republicans of Kentucky /
We're sOlidly behind Watson for he !
presidential nomination and that il !
was the desire of Kentucky rcpub- !
Leans that the Indiana republicans |
line mp for Watson. The words he /
used, it is said, were that Kentucky |
republicans were anxious that In |
diana republicans get behind Wat
son lin way that means husi- /
ness"
Ayres said that he had just made |
am automobile tour of the state of /
Kentucky and that ne found a very
strong sentiment for Watson and !
that the republicans liked the Wat !
son brand OF oratory.
1t is no secret that the Goodrich I
forces are hard at work with the |
presidential nomination for the gov
cruor i'm view. 1t is known that
much organization work is beirg I
done both in Indiana and outside.