from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, October 13, 1910--page 1, column 4:
In James A. Downard, Republican candidate for commissioner in the second district, the Republicans have a candidate who measures up ideally to the requirements of the office. In a business way, as a man of affairs, careful in detail, far seeing, practical and industrious, he brings to the office that ripe experience so valuable in public work.
Mr. Downard was born in Hendricks county, in Marion township, in 1855. He lived on the farm until 1877, when he came to Danville to read law, and in 1878 he was admitted to the bar. In 1879, he became interested in the abstract business and he has become an authority on titles and real estate law. Until eight years ago he was also actively interested in farming.
Since 1880, he has been the financial correspondent of the Union Central Life Insurance company, and has handled multiplied tens of thousands of dollars for that institution, covering Hendricks and many other counties in the state. For twenty years he was active in the contracting and building business, and many structures in Danville were put up under his contracts. He has been a staunch friend and officer of the Citizens' Building and Loan Association, by means of which dozens of homes are owned in Danville by people who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to possess their own homes.
His only public office was that of trustee for Danville, having served on the board for fourteen years—from 1892 to 1906—a period when Danville made its most marked progress in public improvements, Mr. Downard being a leader in the various movements. He was in the trying position of one who takes the first steps in any forward movement, but to-day, Danville, with its water plant, its brick streets and its miles of cement walks, cheerfully acknowledges its indebtedness to Mr. Downard.
All these phases of his activity have contributed to form that ripe judgment and to give that experience necessary for the successful performance of the duties of a commissioner. That he will be one of the leaders on the county ticket is proved by the number of Democrats who are voluntarily promising him their support because of his rare qualifications for the office.