The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-14
Picking Presidents

Just how much will you have to say about
your next President?
Before you answer that you are sovereign
citizen who rules himself, you had better take
look at the situation
The law provides that every citizen In this
State shall have chance to register his prefer
ence for the highest office.
That law, part of the primary, was de-
signed to put power into the hands of the
citizen. 1t was enacted because politicians had
defed public opinion in the selection OF dele
gates who went upon the auction block at ma
tional conventions and either sold out or were
sold out to the highest bidders.
The presidential preference primary was a
weapon of defense against political betrayal.
Theoretically the various candidates for
President are placed before the people and the
vote of the people binds the delegates to the
national convention.
But the matter ends in theory as far as the
voter having a real chance to pick his Presi-
dent is concerned.
What the voter will have is the choice be-
by politicians as the Republican candidate and
the man picked at Houston by politicians as
the Democratic candidate.
The candidacy of Evans Woollen for the
Democratic nomination will give him unan-
imous delegation. He could, if he desired, in
vite all other candidates to come into the State
and compete with him and still have unan-
Il
that as far as the Democratic voter is con-
cerned, the presidential preference is not so
important And it is probable that Mr..
Woollen with his democratic views would not
feel offended if any of the other candidates for
that nomination should present themselves to
the voters of this State. He could stand COM
parison.
But on the Republican end of things the
candidacy of Senator James Eli Watson is
nothing but a trick to take away from Re-
publican voters chance to have any share in
the selection of President.
No.one, and probably the Senator least of
all, believes that any condition would permit
him to become candidate.
The Republican party is not, nationally in
that state Of moral bankruptcy such as exists
in Indiana and which called for receivership.
By becoming the "favorite son, which in
this case calls for great imagination, Watson
knows that the custom of political courtesy de-
mands that the real candidates forego MAX
ing any contests.
He expects to name his friends as delegates
and then to vote them, not for himself but for
some candidate that he believes the voters Of
his own party in this State do not want.
If the people are to have any voice in the
picking of a President, the candidates for that
office should have enough faith in the people
to throw aside this cloak of courtesy" and
give the people chance to register their will.
In this State does any one suppose that Wat
son, in competition with those who are real
candidates, would obtain majority of the
votes?
Does any friend of his believe that he
would have as many votes as would be cast for
Lowden2
Does any one believe that Watson would
have as many votes as Secretary Hoover?
Does any one believe that he would have as
many sincere votes as would Vice President
Dawes?
The candidacy of Watson, ephemeral and
ghostly at best and in reality fraudulent, has
but one purpose.
1t is intended to take away from the Re-
puhlicans of his State any chance to have
part in the selection of presidential candidate.
Favorite sons who are real favorites should
invite all other candidates to come to their
home States and take chance.
Those who have any doubts of their divine
destiny or the frmness Of their grip on their
neighbors' esteem will, of course, resent any
competition.