The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-12
IN SUPPORT OF BUTLER.
How Vigorous Campaign on His Behalf Was
Decided on, and by Whom.

HOW q vigorous Campaign on His Behalf Was
Decided on, and by Whom.
Albany IN. r. Special.
To-day | again met the gentleman who yester-
day showed me the letter from Butler in which
the latter SO specifically stated his plans of the
campaign.
II have only one objection, he said to me, ITO
make about the way you quoted me in the Mail
and Express last night"
ssAnd thatlu
t rs where You write me down as saying that
the New York Star will be neutral as between
Cleveland and Butler. The contrary is the fact.
If John Kelly holds the whip hand in Tammany
Hall, and think he does, the Star will be for
Butler
/ Have you any positive proof to show me2p
Il cannot place ocular proof before you, but /
can state beyond the remotest possibility of sue
cessful contradiction information that will salts
fly ninety mine out of one hundred persons. What
state is capable Of indubtable proof. On a
certain date not month back, or three weeks
back; and even within less time-I do not care
to be more specifc--a conference was held the
results of which are now beginning to appear
"That conference affected Kellys action,
then2"
''Not only his, but when the results of it bear
| fruit and the 81 isni6cance of it becomes known,
| it will be recognized as the most famous con
/ ference of our time, ard one with far-reaching
consequences that will surely affect and may
1 eventually change, the fabric of our government
The conference was held at the Fifth-ayenue
Hotel,in New FORK city, and the persons present
were Charles A, Dana, Benjamin F. Butler,
John Kelly and John F. Henry. Some of the
memoranda of that meeting / have had in my
possession One result of it was that Kelly
promised to lend the aid of the Star to Buffers
] candidacy, and this after Dana had promised
that the Sun would shine for Butler"
WAS Kellys promise unequivocalP
$50 far as he was concerned it was But he
frankly stated he did not own the Star, that the
| stockholders were members of Tammany Hall;
that he was not by any means the largest stock
holder, but that he believed the plans of the con-
ference would meet the views of certain Tam
many men, and that the support of the Star was
a surety if not certainty. 1t was then that
Butler decided to run. 1t was then that Kelly
decided to cast his lot with him unless overruled
by his political lieutenants and it was then that
| Dana decided to cut the weak strings that bound
him to the support Of Cleveland and to take the
Sun to the side Of Butler. John F. Henry
| pledged the anti-monopoly Organization and a
pile of money"
"Will the support of the Sun be unqualifedYp
II can answer best by saying it will be strate-
gic. 1t will endeaYor by its virile voice to show
all the defects in the management of the Demo
cratic campaign and the essential weakness of
Cleveland; it will castigate the Democratic man
ayers for every political misstep made, and will
attempt to show that the masses of the party of
jefferson have lost confidence in their leaders
But that is not ALL With the specious logic
and sometimes sophistry for which the Sun is
noted, it will throw verbal cloud over the alb
solute chance of success of either Blaine or
Cleveland prick the public pulse by ingenious if
vague assertions of Buffers strength in Michi-
gan, Iowa and. other Republican States, bring
forward the strong points Of Buffers candidacy
and try TO show that the struggle is in doubt as
between Blaine and Butler, with Cleveland third
in the race twill tell its readers that if Butler
were elected tho country would be safe; but in
so many words precise and plain. it may not
ask the voters to cast their ballots for Butler
"Wel, all this action must be based upon a
settled plan agreed upon by that conference
What is that planF
asFurther than to tell you that it means a new
will, so Dana, Butler, Kelly and Henry believe
once this presidential contest is over, draw from
the ranks of the other organizations and CEN
tralize all the disaffected elements into party
that will meet the popular favor. They do
not expect nor do they mean success in the pres
ent conflict no matter what they say. They are
only tapping the spring to see how fierce and
steady the flow may be. They have deliberately
made up their minds that the Democratic par
ty, as at present constituted does not deserve OF
command the confidence of majority of voters:
that there are certain elements in it that win
always provoke and maintain lack Of conf
dence, and they arc certain that when the cleo
cation the sort of Democrats they want among
them men who are tired Of always voting for 4
candidate who never wins.
HsBut cannot say more now. Every effort
will be made to get out astupendous Butler vote,
{ and, who knows, perhaps they are building bet