The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-29
INDIANA POLITICS.
The Situation from Democratic Point Of
Yiew-Candidates and Chances.

indianapolis Letter in Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Republican State convention having been
called for June 49, there is hustling among can
didates for the State offices to secure as many
friends as possible in each county delegation
Indiana isregarded as good fighting ground for
both parties, and all candidates are confident of
election if they can only secure the nomination
There has been no boom" worked for any of
the caudidates-they have seen too many booms
wrecked in other campaign years Indiana is
to-day without political boss in either party
Last fall Major Calllins said that he woulk like
to have the nomination for Governor if the
venton saw proper to give it TO him. but beyond
that he has done nothing to secure it, which,
after all, was probably doing the most effective
work in that direction. General Streight was
waited upon by party Of his friends
who urged him to go into the canvass for
the nomination. The only answer they
received was that he had done that
once and had failed, and he thought he had bet
ter attend to his business, and if the people
wanted him they would hunt for him. Colonel
Dudley was solicited to become candidate, but
he has absolutely refused, and would not accept
the nomination | am speaking by his authority.
He has reasons which, if made public, would he
entirely satisfactory to his friends. General
Gresham is in the Cabinet, and doessnot want to
be Governor. He will stand by the President in
his candidacy. Hon. Dick Thompsons address
at the unwilling of the Morton monument brought
him prominently into public notice that day, and
hundreds of his party friends waited upon him
with the request that he allow them to announce
him a candidate. His answer was that so high
an Office ought TO seek the man, and that he
could not allow himself announced can
didate for Office which any man ought to
be proud to fill. Elk Lieutenant governor Cum
back has been actively nominated by the Proh-
bitiOn element, which takes him entirely out of
the race. Lieutenant governor Hanna is preg-
nant with his own little boom, but it seems to
want more time for incubation. There is no
wrangle or contest among the gentlemen men
toned for the nomination, and the friends of
each would support the other cordially
A new and powerful element has sprung up
during the last two years, which will make itself
felt in the next campaign in Indiana, and that is
the Grand Army of the Republic. The organi-
cation is non partisan, but it has become so gen
eral throughout the State and there is unity
among the old soldiers, such as has never existed
since the war; that they will demand pretty
sc neral soldier representation on both tickets.
If either party ignores the Grand Army people,
they will find that that vote will go
where the element receives the
most recognition. Heretofore they have
been divided between the parties-in the
coming campaign they will remain so if treated
equally well by both parties Standing alone,
representing One-fourth of the voting population
of the State, they overshadow the German,
Irish or Prohibition element, and the party
which gets the bulk of their support is abso-
lutey certain of success. The Democratic Au-
ditor and Secretary of state were both soldiers,
and are candidates for denomination again. The
Attorney general State Treasurer and Superin
tendent of Public Instruction were not soldiers.
but if the two-term rule is applied to the Au
ditor and Secretary, it will also have to apply to
them
The Republicans, seeing the writing on the
wall, are preparing to meet the new conditions
They have but one programme, and that is TO
combine all the elements for success. The
head of their ticket will be a soldier Rhody
Shiel, of indianapolis, an Irish-American,
good soldier, and always a
Republican, is ON their slate for State Treas
urer Bruce Carr. ex-sOl{lier from Orange cOun-
ty, for Auditor; Bob Evans, of Vincennes, for
Attorney general: a German eX-soldier from the
northeast for Secretary of State; and with sol
der for Governor and Lieutenant governor they
feel confident of success Whether they win or
not their slate is the strongest that can be made,
because it will be very nearly as given above.
Shiel and Carr We're both private soldiers the
former enlisting at the age of seventeen and the
latter at fourteen Among the possibilities for
Governor with the Republicans all were soldiers
as Hon Dick Thompson was "A captain in active
service. If the Democrats head their ticket
with soldier they will offset the Republican
gain among that class. Should they nominate
Mr. Holman, to the exclusion of Manson or Gray
they will reap no harvest in November next.
If they are wise they have more than equal
chances t..