The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1920-12-29
REVIVE BOOM
FOR MCCLURE
AT CAPITAL
Something has Happened in
Legislative Speakership
Race-Mysterious Change
Boosts Anderson Man.
CAUSES ARE SOUGHT
Especial Correspondence of the
Richmond Palladium

Something has happened in regard to
the legislative speakership contest. 1t
was in the air around the hotel lob
bies yesterday and today with the
meeting of the Republican state COM
mittee it was even more in evidence
although of course tho committee had
nothing to do with it.
The mysterious change amounts to
a revival of the boom Of John F. Nc
Clure of Anderson. Word was being
passed out in certain quarters today
that the candidacy of Mcclure, al
though it has appeared to be sleeping,
is by no means dead and that there
is a good chance that he will be
elected.
There were indications that the Nc
Clure recrudescence was the result OF
an organized effort and naturally its
source was looked for among the cor
poration interests because it has been
understood all along that the traction
interests and allied interests were sup
porting him.
1t is known that following the legis-
lative conference in Indianapolis a
few weeks ago those who had been
hacking the Mcclure candidacy were
looking for a new candidate and in
quiries were made by some of the cor
poration men as to who would be the
best man to bring into the race. How
ever, both Jacob D. Miltenberger of
Muncie and Clinton Givan had been
long in the race and the plan of bring
ing out new candidate was given up,
But it is said now that those most in
terested in the selection of Mcclure
believe there is chance to elect him.
Not Alarmed.
Supporters of ]. d. Miltenberger
said today they were not alarmed
about the new development but nat
urally they were interested in it..
Friends of Givan were hoping for some
sort of turn that would throw the
speakership to him when the caucus is
held on the evening of January s.
There was no indication today that
Governor-elect McCray would be act
i've for any speakership candidate but
there was considerable discussion as
to whether he holds the balance of
power and whether he could throw the
speakership to Mcclure if he desired
to do so. Some of the close political
friends Of McCray early in the game
let it be known that they were for
Mcclure and it has been said at diff
ferent times that McCray favored Nc
Clure but it has not been revealed that
the governor-elect has up to this time
taken any active part one way or the
other.
Discuss Agriculture.
The future of the state board of ag-
riculture is subject of discussion
among those who are observing legis-
lative developments. There are indi-
cations that the plan to place the
agricultural board directly under state
control and to enlarge it's powers will
meet with opposition of decided kind.
1t is gossip that Purdue University
will fight any proposal that the powers
of the board be greatly enlarged 1t
is seen how an enlargement of the
agricultural boards powers might take
away from the Purdue Agricultural ex-
pertinent station some of the power
and authority that it now has. Linked
up with this talk was the report that
the educational institutions of the
state will have possibly the largest
lobby at the session and that Purdue
would be particularly we'll represented
The opposition of Purdue together
with the opposition of the members of
the agricultural board who it is said,
Will favor retaining the present status
for the board will be sufficient to in
sure good fight at least.
McCray Favors.
Governor-elect McCray it is under
stood Is in favor of changing the
status of the board, placing it under
control of the state and giving it en-
larged powers. 1t is understood that
1t was largely to work out this plan
that he sent a committee to other
states to study out the systems used in
tot hDt ;,,
tural affairs and state budgets. 1t is
said that this committee which was
headed by Senaor Oscar Rats of
Paoli has reported against creating a
bureau of marketing to be under the
direction OF the agricultural board.
1t is realized that those who favor
enlarsing the powers of the board and
placing 1t under the control of the
state M SHIT not wish to enlarge the
powers without the state control 1t
is not known therefore whether the re-
port of the committee as to a market
ing bureau meets with the favor of
those who favor the general changes
ii those who favor general change in
the status of the board feel that they
are up against losing fight they are
probably ready to let the central mark
citing plan go by the boards.
Expect Report.
1t is said that a special committee
appointed some time ago by Governor
elect McCray to study the tax law is
about ready to report. While repeat
ed attacks have been made on the tax
law 1t is general opinion that few if
any radical changes will be made in
the law at the special session. Gov
ernor-elect McCray himself in his cam
paign for nomination spoke against
the lax law but since he spoke some
of the things he objected to have been
remedies.
The home rule feature of taxation
has been restored in the Johnson home
rule law which was enacted at the
special session. The matter of hori-
zontal increases also caused many
complaints and much litigation but
when the legislature changed this
part of the law most of the horizontal
increases were subsequently validated