The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-30

TOml1nSOn Hall Tor RepuDucanS
final rally Friday night.
Candidates to Speak
Albert Stump and Evans Woollen,
senatorial candidates, and William
Headrick, Congressional nominee
from the Seventh district, will speak.
Meredith Nicholson, famous Hoosier
novelist, will preside.
The story of the State campaign
reads like the plot of great book
of fiction. so startling have been de
velopments.
Both parties had cast about for
months, before and after the pri-
mary, to find issues with which they
might rouse the voters. They finally
settled upon the tariff and the World
Court.
Then came one of the great
dramas OF American politics.
The Democrats had accepted the
tariff issue and the argument had
just gotten politely warmed up when
America was treated to the startling
spectacle Of a totally discredited
politician .upsetting the plans of the
keenest Hoosier politicians and that
means some OF the best political
brains in the country and debating
what the real issue showed me.
Then the Reed Issue
From out of the depths of the In
diana State Prison, from a man con
victed of murder, was hurled the
bomb that set Hoosier voters think
ing about the one big question which
has overshadowed every other in the
campaign and would not be downed
"ShaIl the men lifted to power by
d. G. Stephenson remain In Of
fice?"
But before this there was a bit OF
important by-play, a sub-plot which
has run through the whole drama,
the appearance of Mrs. Vivian
Tracey Wheatcraft in the picture.
A Crop of BOOmerangs
The Wheatcraft incident was an
illustration of the great popularity
one of the rain of thunderbolts which
have dropped into the Republican
camp has come as boomerangs from
Republicans.
An influential group of Republican
women served notice last summer
that they would not be active work.
ers If Mrs Wheatcraft. Watson
woman manager, We're to remain at
the head of the State women's or
ganiZation.
A large group of Republican edi'
tors, equally determined in their op'
position, served notice that the Re
publicans could not expect much
from thier newspapers If she re-
manned.
Republican leaders thought they
had eliminated Mrs. Wheatcraft by
having her promoted to a $500
month Job with the National Con
gressional committee, which would
keep her occupied elsewhere until
after Nov. 2.
That Interview!
But Mrs. Wheatcraft was ire
pressible. She bobbed up again in
the famous interview in which the
Baltimore Sun and the group OF
Hoosier Republican newspapers
quoted her as attributing much OF
the success Of Watson's primary
campaign TO her ''poison squads" OF
Ave women in each county. who
could be depended upon to butter
the State within twelve hours with
any story she desired spread. Mrs
Wheatcraft denied the interview
Two correspondents who got the in
terview insisted that she had tolc
them the story without even prompt
ing on their part
Ignorant Is the Hoosier who
doesn't know what is implied when
ever he hears the words. poison
squads"
Still 1t Rained
Republican women over the State
again protested Their indignation
had not cooled when d. G. Stephen.
son. once the mightiest Republican
chief of them all, the man whose
friends boosted he controlled a Leg.
islature, made man Governor and
compelled a Governor to make a man
United States Senator, struck his
first blow
Here entered Thomas II. Adams
Vincennes Republican editor. who
says he and his brother Republican
editors were so shocked when they
saw inside what went on in Stephen.
sons reign that they determined to
tear aside the curtain II it took years
and cost the temporary defeat OF
their party.
The First Bomb
In the midst of the first game OF
the worlds series, Adams gave ,to
the Indianapolis newspapers and the
national press associations the first
letter which Stephenson had SNUG
gled out Of prison. the first of the
three communications in which Ste
phenson declared he could give the
public the most startling story OF
corruption in government it ever had
heard-provided he could tell the
story without fear of reprisal.
Adams and The Indianapolis Times
Immediately sought to give Stephen
son his opportunity. only to be
blocked by Governor Ed Jackson
the prison board of trustees and
Warden Walter DAILY.
Within a day correspondents for
practically all great newspapers
east of the Rocky Mountains arrived
in Indiana, and joined in the clamor
for word with Stephenson.
The Silent Organs!
For five days, while the telegraph
wires sizzled with thousands Of words
which the national correspondents
were broadcasting to the nation,
q hoIt q Governor refusing even to