The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-05

Smith or Brown, or Jones or Robinson in
their candidacy for the respective Offices.
In the first place the Republican convention
should be the fairest possible reflex of
the Republican vote of the city.
There will never be the best possible
representation of the party until the basig
of representation can be amicably and right
fully adjusted so as to give the Republican
vote its proper potentiality in the determin-
alton of all preliminary questions. But one
thing can be done, and that is, all prear-
ranged States can be smashed by the
voters. if they are not withdrawn or aban-
doned by the slate-makers. And it can be of no
possible consequence who or of what special
class these slate-makers are. A slate ar
ranged by a coterie of the most reputable
citizens, by South Meridan-street merchants
or by solid taxpayers, is just as reprehensible
as slate arranged under less reputable au-
spices and for less honorable purposes The
reason there is no larger representation of
the party vote in the various primary meet
ings is because it has come to be understood
that a ticket of delegates has already been
prepared, the ward canvassed, the written
or printed tickets given into the hands
of a large majority of the people
who are in attendance, and the meeting is
simply made to register the wishes of a self
constit uted ring who have met in back
room and fixed things to suit themselves
in some favorite's interest. The same objec-
tions lie to the plan of sending out COM
mittee to report delegates. The states ar
ranged, either by tickets prepared in advance
or by committees the composition of which
is predetermined, should be and must be
smashed, if the resulting convention is to be
in any sense fair representative of the party
and its work at all acceptable to the Repub-
| licans generally. There are many ways in
which a fair and impartial representation
may be secured. As rule, any number of
delegates picked baphazard from fifty or one
hundred names suggested at full primary
meeting will be satisfactory, and will upset
all cut-and-dred arrangements. Nobody
constituted convention. Nominations secured
through any other will not be
equivalent to an election, by any means, and
an aspirant for place who cannot and
will not submit his claims to a convention of
| Republicans entirely impartial, unhampered
and uninstructed, is not the man to be NOM
mated, and should for no reason be placed
upon the ticket. The candidate, or the
friends of the candidate who may be en-
gagged in fixing up ''slates' on the evening of
the primaries is precisely the candidate to be
avoided. His nomination, whoever he may
be- will be a weak one and will leopard the
success of the ticket in October.
| We have said so much, because the consti-
tuition of the convention is the point of
prime importance. 1t is here the diffic ulties
are all encountered, and where the dangerous
disaffections are engendered. Given a
fair convention, and its work is accepted
without question, and the party is united
and vigorous during the canvass. This will
be the first city election under the new law
1t will also be the first election held
since the metropolitan police system has
been inaugurated. 1t will also be the only
fore the presidential contest next year, and
its results will be looked for with interest
and become more or less of a factor in larger
political calculations. From all these con-
IL - Il.
should be paramount-a wise and economic
administration OF the city government-the
candidates of the Republican party for
the several positions should be men above
reproacb men competent for the duties of
the places for which they are named, and
men of such character and repute in the
city as not only to compel the full support
of their party, but to challenge the con-
fidence, if not the votes of the entire
community. There are many party reasons
why it will be important for indianapolis to
return its full accustomed Republican ma
jority. The charge has been that hitherto
the city was Republican because the police
power was unscrupulousy used to make it
so. That charge cannot now lie and if the
Republicans poll majority vote under the
present police system, we shall hear no more
of the miserable cry OF fraud and police in
timidaton that has been the refuge of the
defeated Democracy for quarter of a centu-
ry. But the strength of the Republican
party is in good administration, and in Of
fering to the public ticket of candidates
which promises this beyond peradventure.
The ticket will not be elected simply because
it is headed Republican" Every honest, I'M
eel Geh hnnnrnlln hlinn,, shnnld urish Cor