The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-09
Watson AS Cassandra

Through his new State chairman, Senator
Watson sends out word to the Republican ma
tional convention that if Herbert Hoover is
nominated for President the Indiana result will
be greatly in doubt.
That is a part Of his crusade to prevent the
nomination of Mr.. Hoover At home it will
be easily understood.
The people understand that there is more
than a strong probability that there will be
Governor Of Indiana elected on Democratic
ticket by the combined votes of honest Repub-
LEANS solid Democratic citizenship and prac-
tically every Independent man and woman.
The prediction of Watson, for it is really
Watson's prediction, Of defeat in Indiana in
the fallfs in the nature of an advance alb.
The election of Frank Daley, more than
probability, is possible not because the people
of this State have changed their political con-
victionS' but because the Republican ticket and
the Republican organization no longer repre-
sent the Republican ideals or policies.
Since the days Of Stephenson, when Wat.
son was hobnobbing with the grand dragon,
who is now secluded for life, the Republican or
Republicans who vote that ticket from princi-
pie and choice.
The efforts of Watson to prevent any dis.
closures the appeal of Governor Ed jackson to
the statute of limitations to prevent his con-
viction on charge Of conSpiring to bride War
rem T. McCray the send of Chairman Clyde
Walb to Federal penitentiary the control Of
the last convention by the same forces which
ruled it when Stephenson was at liberty, the
conviction of John Duvall, the mayor who was
sent into power under that same old regime,
are too fresh in the people S minds to even
imagine an election Of an heir to all these evils
to the Governors chair.
The announcement that Hoover's nomina-
ton would mean defeat for the national ticket
is hardly borne out by the primary results.
AS matter Of fact there is strong evidence
that Hoover would be~a very strong candidate
in the fall, much stronger, for instance, than
Watson himself if he still insists on that pleas
ing fiction that he is real candidate.
The lead of Watson over Hoover in the pri-
mary was about 1000 votes.
Hoover had nothing behind him but public
sentiment He was handicapped by the
maloder of former Governor Goodrich. who at
tached himself to the Hoover campaign. He
was managed whose who had had no expert
ence in politics. His appeal was directly to the
electorate and was unorganized to very
large degree
Against him was the organization which
Watson testified had $4,000 workers in the pre-
cincts who would rally and did rally to any
thing he wanted to put over.
The Watson organization had the support
of the Infamous Coffin group in this city,
record Of whose peculiar handling of ballots is
now being investigated. He had the support
Of the dry political car and of the COLLINS and
the DRAGONS He had the professionals and the
Federal appointees He had the regular Or
ganization.
More than this Hoover had the misguided
opposition Of farmers, who were unwise
enough to believe that Hoover is their foe and
the professional agitation which the organized
farm leaders carried on. Hoover also fought
the big money bags collected from sources
fighting the farmers, from the benefciaries Of
all sorts of special privileges.
Yet against this combined opposition,
against the tradition of a "favorite son" in
Watson, Hoover lost by very few votes.
The delegates should have the evidence of
the Indiana primary if they are picking a can
didate on no higher motive than one who can
win no matter what the issue or the record of
the candidate
On the record of Cassandra Watson will
hardly be able to show that Hoover would be
drag on the national tocket. Unfortunately,
his nomination might make the election Of
Frank Daley little more difficult.