Indiana daily times., 1920-08-07
GRANTCOUNTY
COP. HENCHMEN
PUT INTO DAZE
Democrats Glow as Soldiers
Home Vote Spread Over
Country.
staff Correspondent of The Times.

STAFF Correspondent of The Times.
MARION, Ind, Aug. Members OF
the old guard machine in~this repub-
lican stronghold today are wondering
''where they are at"
And along with the wonderings and
musings of the G. o. P. democratic
workers and candidates are finding a
new raw of hope in the disdainful at
titude of the republican candidates, and
are looking toward grand success az
the polls next November.
In the last several days an incident
took place here, on orders from the war
department at Washington. that has
changed the whole political aspect or
Grant county.
For years this county has been listed
among the few in the state that can be
counted on to return a substantial ma
jority at each election for the republican
party.
In the last several elections. with
exception of 1912, when the split in the
ranks of the republican party opened
wide q gap which permitted a few demo
Gratis to slip in and cop few offices
in the courthouse, none but republicans
have dared hope ever TO cast their eyes
on. the coveted county ulllttS.
One of the most important factors in
holding this county in the republican
lists Of the state was the vote returned
from the Marion branch of the National
military homes.
ALWAYS WORKED
PENCIL PROPERLY.
Housing about 1,5O0 veterans of the
Civil and Spanish american wars, in
eluded among whom were many colOred
voters, whose blue penciled cross always
went above the spread eagle" the Sol
diers' home always has been a valuable
asset TO the republican party in Grant
county.
Every candidate for county Office, and
not a few for state offices, considers it
a fatal mistake to fail 10 include an
active canvass Of the home before the
election.
But the thing that is causing all the
worry and uncertainty to the politicians
Of the republican party and which IL
bringing joy 10 the democratic rank and
file is the fact that a recent order of
the war department has caused the
old soldiers housed in the Marion home
to be removed snd scattered about TO
other branches in the country, with or
ders to I'LL their places with woundeo
soldiers Of the world war.
The plan of the war department Is
20 convert the soldiers home into
vocational training school for crippled
world war soldiers of the United States.
All the work of years, all the steady
confidence Of the republican party in
Grant county suddenly has come to
naught, like the toy balloon explOdes
when the small boy sticks pin into it,
with the action OF the government In
transferring these votes to other parts
Of the country.
SPRING EFFORTS
OF No AVAIL NOW.
The recent act of the county commls-
sioners, JOHN a. Frazier, John D. WI.
liams and John ". Heavilin, all repub-
licans, and the latter two candidates for
reelection. in gerrymandering the pre-
cinct boundaries Of the county last spring
for political purposes, will be OF NJ
avail now
Expressions of the republican workers,
such as Nothing to it, the entire ticket
viii go through" have changed now,
with the change Of the soldiers home
vote, to sayings like, Wonder what ef-
feet this Will have on our chancesf" and
Wonder how the new members of the
home will line up?"
In each election q decided air of GER
JalHty always prevails among republican
candidates and about republican head
quarters, to the effect that "all we have
to do is to hold our own, and the voters
do the rest"
; Now they are up against the PROPOSE
ton Of going out and conducting a cam
paign In can effort to line up enough
votes to cancel the effects which is
brought by the removal Of about coo
good republican votes, and replacing
them with several hundred votes Of "un-
known intent"
And all the while the democrats Of
Grant county are gently rubbing their
chins and looking forward to Novem-