Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-30
CANDIDATE
EXPLAINS ACTION
Withdraws From Senate Race
to Defeat Watson.

An explanation OF the controversy over
the resignation of Francis Dillon as
state chairman OF the Farmer-Labor
party is contained In a statement issued
today by Dillon.
Mr.. Dillon declares IN his statement
that he intended to resign as the party s
candidate for United States Senator in
favor of Thomas Taggart but the State
committee of his party was mislnformed
as to his attitude in wishing to resign
and opposed it.
He said he then resigned as State
chairman and that he is devoting his
energies to "eleeting Jim Watson to stay
at home"
His statement follows:
Ny attention has been called to state
neEts in the public press, issued by in
dividuals who have no authority to speak
for me whatever, concerning my action
in resigning as State chairman of the
Farmer Labor party on sunday, Oct. "A.
These statements would go unanswered
By zIe were it not that IN each there
appears the insinuation that ! have be-
trayed my former associates. Each state
ment thus far issued concerning my re-
ccnsorm TO the 7litical ambitions of the
individual Issuing IL.
Nobody has been authorized 20 speak
for me- and all statements issued by any
body other than myself are issued Tor
tie very apparent purpose of suiting
some professional politicians particular
need. No organization, either political or
otherwise, has : mortgage upon what
few brains / may have, and ] intend 10
stand four square Cor what | conceive
to be right in the future Just as ] have
In the past, regardless of the soul n
Situations now being hurled ut ne by
men whose entire life has been con
sumod IN the profession Of SANDER
When 7 Was nominated by the Farmer
Labor party as its candidate for the
United States Senate, l firmly belieVed
that the entire labor movement OF orr
State would declare In no unmistakahte
terms for our program with tnts con-
viction / entered the campaign, and, have
worked with all the power possessed
10 procure rot only my election hut what
Is Of even more Importance, the establish
ment Of 4 thorough organization. Now
there are districts IN our STATE where the
Farmer Labor ticket VIII be elected, and
especially Is this true in the Firth Cos
.-rassional district. / firmly believe VIII
lam Hitch win be elected TO Congress
and that with his election will likewise
come the election Of the county ticket Ia
yizo and VcrmiliOn counties. In the
IEnEn AoN-EESEAbnal ulSAAttb lhGAG - a
fair chance to elect James McGi1 TO Con
gress and, there is absolutely no doubt,
but that the entire Farmer Labor ticket
Will be elected In Lake County. Every
body at all familiar with the situation
knows that these two districts are our
two best bets.
Now the question of the United States
Senator proposition is altogether diHer-
ent. Nobody believes that l can be
elected who is fair with himself. To
1FfY
feet upon no mans character, but rather
IL should be regarded as evidence Of
some intelligence. Representatives OF the
organized labor movement came to me
and asked If 1t would not be possible
to enlist my help in defeating James E.
Watson for reelection to the Senate.
informed them that II they would make
their proposal in concrete form that
should then be only too glad TO sum-
mon our state committee together and
lay the entire matter before 1t. Before
it was possible to get our committee to
the city for meeting they were advised
by individuals whose knowledge OF what
was transpiring amounted to nothing but
that Dillon had sold out, that something
was wrong, etc, with the result that
when the members of the committee did
get here IN most cases they had already
made up their mind.
The proposition which I had TO offer
was laid before them and promptly re-
tected when l as promptly resigned as
their chairman. Men who know me Know
that / am not a Democrat, they also
know that I am not a Republican, but
they do know that ! am for the labor
movement. With me the labor movement
comes lrst and they have decided TO
exert every effort In seeing that James
T. Watson is retired to private life and
I do not propose to permit myself, on
my own ideas and ambitions, to stand
in the way Of their sincere efforts. AS
q union man. as a representative Of or
ganized labor movement, I want my voice
and effort united with the forces which
progress in this State. What action /
have taken was taken with the firm
conviction that it wss for the best, so
let US altogether elect Jim Watson TO
stay at home.