The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-22
THE REAL ISSUE

Save for the moment when the echo of Senator
James Watson hurled his indictment against Presi
dent Coolidge the speeches of the two Senators from
this State at their campaign debut declared that the
tariff and only the tariff is the issue this fall
Watson left to his younger colleague the task
of calling attention to their fight against the Ad-
ministration on the World Court. And Robinson de-
cared that he spoke for Watson as well as himself
when he announced his enduring hostility to what
is claimed by the Coolidge Administration to be its
outstanding accomplishment. E
The tariff is an issue, one on which the opten-
ents Of Watson and Robinson might easily rest their
case were they in mind to make that the deciding
issue.
But the gentlemen are mistaken when they say
that this is the sole issue IN Indiana.
The voters make the issues and fervid pleas to
the farmer on tariff ISSUE the pitiful attempt to
tell him that he buys in free market Sc per cent
Of all his purchases, likely to be overshadowed
by an interest in some other things.
The people of Indiana are quite likely to show
some curiosity in that machine which now makes
these its spokesman.
They are likely to be interested in the thing
which might be. called wisconsin a comprehen-
sve term to include all the ills of government.
They are quite certain to ask what sort of a
political combination tits that takes dry organiza-
tion in the farm districts and blends to the corrupt
machines of cities where the bootlegger, the ballot
box suffer, the dive keeper protected in return
for their votes.
They are likely to ask what combinations of vi.
cious influences have been made, what protection
and privileges have been given. what the ofice-hod-
ing supporters of these Senator's have done with
their power.
That the voters will be grateful for getting them
out OF the huge debt into which the same machine
had plunged them is not likely. =
Long before November they may ask who got
them into debt and discover that the payment Of
that debt came from, additional taxes, frem inner
itances placed upon the egacies to widows and chill.
dren from that cents paid on every gallon of gas
oline, and not by any economy of administration or
saving in expense.
The voters will wish, and will have the oppor-
tunity to scrutinize the machine which controls the
name of the political party under whose banners they
falsely pretend to fight for by their votes and by
their acts they have divorced themselves completely
from the Coolidge, Administration.
On every important vote in the Senate Watson
and Robinson voted against Coolidge when they did
not dodge.
On matters of corruption of politics their rec
ords will not escape being issue. Honesty in the
conduct of elections and primaries may probably
will quite as much Importance as the tariff
The records Of Watson for his thirty years az
Office holder And lobbyist, and the few months. of
appointive Office of Robinson, in which he has done
no more than to second every vote Of his senior,
win be the. issue.
4 And on that issue the argument is clear and
2 plain. The lines are laid.
The real issue is decency Honesty and the peo-
pies welfare as opposed to wisconsin.