South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-31
HARMONY MEET
PROVES FIZZLE'
Indiana G. o. p. Leaders All
Split Up Over Goodrich
and Watson RiValrieS.

Especial % The News Times:
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. Dec. 90
-hings have come to such a pass
mong the republicans OF Indiana
Il IA, Chairman VIII Hays. the "l!t-
D. Napoleon" OF politics was com
elled to leave his mahogany roll
ID desk at New York and come all
: the way 10 indianapolis 10 tell them
y. hat they have 20 do.
That was the reason why he in
cd Sens Watson and New. Chair
man Wasmuth. JON" Hemenway.
GOV. Goodrich and others 10 meet ]
h.m a. the SEVERN hotel hsre Non
fav Hays has been hearing about 1
the conditions OF the party IN In
liana for some time. The situation /
VAS put before him IN no uncertain 4
terms at washington recently by /
t1e members OF tho congress IonaI /
delegation who demanded that he /
do something 20 get his patron, Gov. F
Goodrich. out OF the way as can ,
aidate for president.
a rev complication since then /
was ts:g announcement OF Sen.
Watson that he proposes to reor- |
.anize the state committee so Meth |
or Gov Goodrich nor Chairman I
Ilays will have any control over IT, /
The Watson men insist that Chair /
man Wasmuth sneezes whenever |
Gov. Goodrich or Chairman Hays
takes n pinch OF snuff and that he /
IS subservient TO their will in all /
matters.
Hays Is Determined
Chairman Hays IL said 10 have
declared ar "A meeting of the Indi-
ana congressman at Washington two
or three weeits ago that Chairman
Wasmuth would be reelected even
If he had to come back 20 Indiana
md spend $4,000 carrying out the
Job All these matters sound strange
in view of the claims Of Hays. Good
rich 81 al that all is harmony
among the Indiana republicans and
that there is no chance whatever OF
democratic success
The truth OF the matter is that
There never were as many bitter fac
-Asus among the Indiana republicans
as there are today and that more
harm onizing is necessary than ever
before. The republican leaders are
admitting that If the drift is not
with their party nationally in 1920
heir ticket will be swamped In In
diana Hays has been forced TO a
tealization OF these ahalrs-and
that is why he issued invitations for
his luncheon Monday. While rosy
statements were issued regarding
the conclusion reached at the Hays
PARTY IL Is no secret that Il has not
settled the differences existing
among the factions and that each is
as much determined as ever TO go
ahead with its schemes 20 control
|. the party for selfish purposes.
Public Kept In Dark.
AS much or the situation as pos
bible is being concealed from the
Rpeople by the republican editors
who have been urged 10 say Moth
ing about it. The fact IS that there is
bitter strife between a large num-
Der OF republicans led by Sen Wat
sen on one hand and another ele-
ment under the leadership OF Chair
man Hays and Gov. Goodrich.
Chairman Hays finds himself slip
ping in Indiana on account OF the
announced program OF Sen. Watson
10 control the organization He
ropes for the reelection OF Chair
an Wasmuth so IL may be pointed
as evidence OF a continuation OF
supremacy. Gov. Goodrich stands
Hays and is for Wasmuth. Sen.
is for Sen. Watson although he
bid 10 be counseling harmony.
w,1F a a
|sted among Indiana republicans
many years. yet all the time their
iers are trying 10 convince the
mocrats that the latter have no
ance IN Indiana and that the re-
2licans are serenely harmonious.
" Tax Law Is joiner.
At the Hays luncheon II was ad-
United that the party faces a crisis
ON account Of the odious tax law.
which IS denounced By Lieut.. Gov
Edgar D. Bush and Warren T Nc
cray. candidates for the nomination
for governor. The republicans find
themselves confronted with dozens
Of suits 10 test the tax law and an
ppeal is pending now TO determine
whether the state tax board can in
crease valuations by horizontal in
,reases after the property has been
assessed at its true value
Nothing approaching the chaotic
condition over the tax law has exist
"a in Indiana. How 10 deal with IL
was one OF the problems discussed
al the Hays harmany meeting but
no solution was reached further
than IL was thought best 10 have all
of the republicans say that the law
= correct IN theory and that the at
t-cks are coming only from the
democrats
Il is being said that the repub,i-
can leaders were alarmed so much
cveT tho sight on the tax law that
W Fes.er OF INDIANAPOLIS was
rrged 10 come out for governor In
the hope that he may be nominated
ad that he can ran on platform
similar 20 the platform Of 1918
hiCh declared for Capitalization OF
-.fr authority f- f-.. F.rFr 81 +l,a