The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-04-15
NO INTEREST
Being SHOWN
IN PRIMARIES
Even in Indiana, Where Acute
Interest Might Be Expected,
Voters Are Indifferent to
Politics.
Think ABOUT BUSINESS
nv MARK SULLIVAN

essary to admit, even with some sur
throughout the country in the pending
primaries and elections, nor in politics
generally.
II there were any acute interest, the
place to find it would De Indiana. In
that state one of the most vital political
figures of his time, ex-senator Bever-
idge. is trying to win his way back
into public life by defeating one of the
most substantial of the Republican
leaders, Senator Harry S. New.
The primary election which will e.
eide this fight is only seventeen days
\yhead of u.s. Normally it would be ex-
pccted that Indiana would be blazing
10 grass roots What is more nearly
the actual fact, however, is stated in
a letter from one of the most depend
able observers in that state, who says:
There is not as much interest in
Indiana in this candidacy as your let
tcrs to the papers would Indicate
have not heard of single straw vote,
and there is little or nothing said about
The streets save among the politicians,
and yet | think that everybody knows
there is a contest on, and | think the
mass OF the people know who Bever-
idge is and who New is, and in a
large way have made up their minds"
Voters Not Interested
This view is borne out by an equally
competent observer from one of the
considerable cities of Indiana, which
is normally boiling pot of activity
whenever there is any occasion for po-
litical interest. This observer says:
But with all this. the voters do
not know at this minute that there
Is a primary election scheduled for
the second of May, at which time a
great and momentous question will be
settled by the electorate. There is
no excitement in Indiana, and appar-
emily no one cares a tinker's male
diction who is who. or what is what"
A third letter from a different sec
tion of Indiana begins:
In this, the Industrial section of
the state, interest in politics is dead
as a door-nail People are too much
interested in whether prosperity is
coming back"
Think About Business
II is undeniable that what is here
pictured of Indiana is true of the coun-
party headquarters the national man
Ssgers and organizers are at work
fheir scouts are going about the coun-
Try, and the local leaders from dis
tant sections turn up frequently for
consultation. The practically univer
sal report is that no vivid personality
and no vital issue has gripped the
imagination of the people. They are
iptept upop nrnh1ap,c off
business.
In this general picture. there is one
state which can accurately be de
scribed as an exception, partially al
least. In Pennsylvania the effort o.
Clifford Pinchot to win the Republican
nomination for governor has been &C
companied by some circumstance
that have caused it in a degree to be
come subject of popular interest.
Local Interest
The interest is, however, chiefly 10
cal, and has regard to the governor
ship wholly. Two senators are to b,
elected from Pennsylvania this year
and in this election for national offices
there is not as yet the kind of interes
that can be called burning
And yet the two senators who ar,
TO be chosen will be the successors o
two men who, in different ways, wer,
the strongest members of the United
States senate. namely, Knox and Per
lose. Because this is so. and becaus,
The personnel of the senate has be
come markedly lacking in strong pei
sonalties, this Pennsylvania situation
ought to have national interes
which would eclipse what appears +
be its local interest within the state.
The two new senators will be Re
publicans. There can hardly be an
doubt of that Even the local Demo
<Srats in Pennsylvania concede thai
kThe Pennsylvania Democrats regar
it as possible that out of the compile,
tiles attending Pinchot's effort to wi
the Republican nomination. and be
cause the Democratic candidate 70
governor, McSparran, is an exception
ally strong man, situation may aris
which would give the Democrats
chance TO elect a governor in Pennsy
vania for the first time in 80 wear,
Democrats Concede.
AS 10 the two senator's, howeve
the Democrats have no hope. The
concede that whatever two RepubI
cans win the nomination at the prin
aries on May l6 will be elected in NJ
vember. For the succession to Sci
ator Knox, who was credited to tn
western end of the state, there is onl
one candidate. He is a relativel
young man named Reed, who has bee
junior member of the late Senate
Knox's law firm in Pittsburg. NJ
Reed is in his early forties, but Dem
Gratis and Republicans alike conced
that he is man of high ability an
Democratic leaders say generally thu
Reed with experience will make fC
Pennsylvania and for the country a
entirely worthy senator
For the succession to Senator Pc
rose, there are two candidates: Or
is George Wharton Pepper, who W.
appointed by the governor as a su
stitute for Penrose to the end of Il
present session. Mr. Peppers stan
ing is such that the Democratic lea
ers in Pennsylvania make much Il
same admission as to hi mthat the
Olake as to Reed. Pepper has one O
ponent for this Republican nomin
ton. labor man named William
Burke, who is now serving as one
the congressman at large from Il
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