The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-29
UNDER WHICH FLAG9

ship of Clyde Walb and casting ballot for Senator
James E Watson and Arthur Robinson?
The one appeal that has been made is that they
bear the name of Republicans, a revered and hon
ored name a party with magnificent history.
But what right have those who now manage
its destinies to call themselves the heirs to Lincoln
and to Roosevelt, or even claim kinship with the
party of Calyin Coolidge?
On every major issue, Watson and Robinson
voted against Coolidge in the last Congress. Not
member of his official family has come to the State
to plead for their reelection. They have boosted of
their break with his policies relied upon that defiance
to his program means Of popular support
The Indiana member of the cabinet has cam
paigned in other States He has not come back to
his old home to plead for these Senators.
In the past turbulent month. neither Watson
Robinson have uttered word which would lift
Indiana from its bad and its national disrepute
When Stephenson, the political ear who
was the friend Robinson, his client and his
ctae in politics. and undisputedly terms Of poiti
cal friendship with Watson, charged that he could
prove corruption and graft huge scale, neither
Watson Robinson as much as chirped demand
that the charges be proved disproved.
Their silence meant something The people can
decide exactly what it did mean.
When Walb, their chairman and manager, made
his charges that the State filed with corrupt
money, sent here to defeat them, neither of these
Senators had the courage the boldness back his
charges.
And then came Senator Reed probing into the
truth behind that charge of Walb, and he learned
from Watson that he had never heard of the charge
made b. his manager, and Robinson hurriedly dis
claimed any part in that charge
Then came the most terrific rebuke ever given
to the head Of political machine in any State the
cold calm verdict of Senator Reed that Walb had
tempted to impose deliberate lie upon the people
OF the State and had been thoroughly dscredited by
his own evidence.
What claim Can these have to being Re-
publicans when they rely upon such statements and
such to lead their candidates. and bolster up
their pleas to the people?
How long would Clyde Walb be left at the head
Of campaign had he attempted such thing in be-
half Of a Roosevelt Coolidge?
Day after day there accumulates evidence of the
bargain made months ago that the Khan organization
would pay its debt to Watson and the Coffin machine
in this city and would link its forces with that or
ganization so that both Robinson and Watson would
be elected
The denals Of Senator Watson that he never
saw Stephenson but once is driving away from him
even his own supporters who know better
Outside the record, ask any one who knows OF
that episode in South Bend when the senior Senator
sat in the dining of the Oliver Hotel surrounded
by his friends among whom was a man who is now
Federal judge.
Ask what happened when the staggering Ste
phenson then in the zenith Of his power salked to
his table to the evident embarrassment of the Sena
tor. Ask what hurried precautions were taken to
prevent public scandal on that occasion, as Steph-
enson and his Kokomo friend appeared and could
not be denied
The statement of Senator Watson is that he
never Stephenson but once. The men who sat
at that table in South Bend will find it difficult to
accept his other statements when they remember
this occasion
If there be those who have any difficulty in de-
Gliding what flag they will adopt on Tuesday they
need but look about them in this city and gauge
the character of support.
Is there any doubt as to what ticket every boot
logger, every law vioator every man who wants pro-
lection of the reigning political machine will vote?
Does any one believe that the solid vote of the
underworld and it's allies will not be with the Coffin
machine?
Is it not common knowledge that the one hope
In this county is in the fraudulent count of votes
which in the past has .swayed elections?
Is there not general and universal acceptance
of the fact that to be elected in this county one must
hurdle the election jugglery which has been com
mon?
Last spring men went, humbly and supplicat-
ngy to the boss Of this county and asked that the
votes cast for them be counted. That was the low
level to which representative government had sunk
in this city
Is there any one who believes that there will be
vote cast by those who want protection in crime
in liquor violations in other forms of protected vice.
for the opponents of Arthur Robinson and Senator
Watson?
And now the appeal is going out to honest men
and women, who want decency who abhor corrup-
ton and graft, who detest the misgovernment that
from bossism, to link their votes to those
which will be cast in wards where Of law is held
over men and women and where ballots are cast as
hope of being able to continue in vice crime for
profit,
1t is not fight between the Republican party
because that party has been stolen outright by those
who have betrayed its policies and purposes and
its fine ideals and the Democratic party.
The battle is between a redeemed Indiana and
a continuation of the sodden conditions which have
made the name of Indiana byword in the Nation
The choice is easy and plain