The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1919-04-02
WATSON MEETING.
DRAWING THRONC
into RICHMOND
Republicans From All Over
State Here for Rally and
Coliseum Address.

Everything Is in readiness for the
monster mass meeting to be held at
the Coliseum Wednesday evening, at
which Senator James e. Watson will
speak on the League of Nations and
other national and international prob
lens.
All possible seating space has been
utilized, to accommodate the thous-
ands who are expected to come to hear
Indiana's senior senator. The doors
will be opened at 7:1O.
Ed o. Paul, of Cambridge City, will
have the honor Of introducing Watson.
and will be chairman of the meeting.
Richard N. Elliott, congressman for
the Sixth district, will also be pres
ent. Three hundred seats have been
prepared on the stage which will be oc-
|cupied by vice presidents Of the meet
ing and other prominent citizens.
Flags for Decoration.
Hundreds of flags were used to give
the Coliseum, fitting atmosphere for
the patriotic phase OF the meeting,
and spaces have been reserved for
veterans of three wars, the Civil war,
Spanish-American and the World war.
Two hundred seats will also be re-
served for the delegation of 200 from
Rushville. Newcastle will also have
200 present, and Shelbyville at least
twenty-five. Other towns throughout
this section of Indiana will send large
delegations.
Copies of the league of nations COW
enant will be distributed throughout
the crowd, and the senator will speak
directly from one Of these. so that ev-
erything he quotes can be followed
easily in the document.
Meeting Non-Partisan
The mass meeting will be a strictly
non-partisan meeting, and is part of
the educational series which Senators
New and Watson, with other members
country.
Long before the Republican Rally at
the courthouse was called to order at
med with enthusiastic Republicans
who came from all ever the district
and state 1t was necessary to open
the doors into the Railways, the jury
rooms, and the superior courtroom
to accommodate the crowd, and even
then those at the back were almost
fore I'd out
The meeting was called at 2:30
C,r1ook nv WoJfor Doc ~ ;borfv
Sixth District chairman, who intro
duced speakers, including Congress-
man Richard N. Elliott Of ConnersvilIe
and Secretary Henley OF the Repub-
lican state committee. The speakers
outlined the purpose of the rally as
a movement toward an effective or
eanization In this district. Prominent
Republicans attending said that Mr..
Watson's speech later in the after
noon would be "red hot" Republican
Charles Watson. of Perry, Okla,
the senator's younger brother, who is
in Indiana visiting relatives, was an
interested spectator. ut seems
strange to come back after fifteen
years and find your elder brother so
much talked about" he said.
Mckinley and Watson.
The courtroom was decorated with
American flags, hung in solid row
around the room. Hundreds of them
hung from overhead. Pictures of Nc
Kinley, Taft, New and Watson hung
behind the rostrum.
Richmond streets became populous
during the day with persons from
other cities in the district, and it was
clear that the only difficulty during
the evening meeting would be in find
ing enough space for the crowd
Ed o. Paul Of Cambridge City, who
will be the chairman of the
mass meeting, and Mr. Campfield
were in conference this morning, dis
cussing various aspects Of the situa-
ton. Among others prominent in Re-
publican circles of the state who are
in attendance at the court house meet
ing are George Elliott, mayor Of New
castle, Elmer Bassett, Shelby county,
A. l.. Riggs of Rushville, Senator Wat
sons home; and E. M. Wasmuth, Re-
publican state chairman.