The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-20
TALK OF THE POLITICIANS.
Green Smiths Pretended Claim To BE
Maintained Regardless of the Courts.
Speculation on the Fight for the Senatorship
-ADemocratic Papers Opposition to
the Scheme i'm Smiths Favor.

The Democrats have belief that in the event
Supreme Court decision is adverse to their eff
forts to get possession of the presiding officers
chair, something will occur to give them some
show for an assumed legal claim to the position.
it is by no means certain that they will rest
peaceably even under a decision fatty against
them on all points. 1T does not matter" said
one last night who knows what the leaders of
his party talk about, eff it is held an injunction
does not lie against the Secretary of State. The
purpose of his waiver was to introduce the very
issue upon which we want the court to pass, and
that is the validity of the election. The court
can express its views other features of the
case without giving them the full force of a de-
cision. It may hold that no Lieutenant gov
ernor was to be elected, and in that case we have
no need of an injunction, for Green Smith viii
come into the succession legally as if his
rights had never been questioned"
"But suppose the election is held to be valdr'
"All we want is some decisive legal expression
on the question l do not think, though, that
the court will go against Smith on every point
raised II it does, the Democratic party cannot
aHord TO lnaugurate any revolutionary methods,
but do not mean by this that Smith will back
down completely. IL there is the least legal
show. oven through an extra judicial opinion, he
will take the seat. The Senate will then refuse
to go into any joint convent ton for the canvass
ing OF the vote, and Colonel Robertson will be
compelled to come at Smith with quo warranto
proceedings That is the plan now, and will be
carried out to the letter, contingent on nothing
except decision that will give us no legal stand
ing whatever"
What about the senatorial fghtf'
There is but little mention of It. This suit
mas absorbed all the interest. not allowing even
any talk in regard to the organization of the
Senate But that was arranged some time ago.
Governor Gray is working quietly, while Mr.
McDonald's frier DIS either rely confidently on
his nomination timately, or believe it is better
to keep out of the struggle for the present Gov
ernor Gray is looked upon by us as having all
the elements Of leadership, but the Mcdonald
party is managed by men who will not stop at
anything to defeat him. tits rather amusing to
John Kern expressing favor for Bynum. Those
who know kern's true opinion OF the Congress
man, laughed hear THY at the interview he gave
a Cincinnati paper No one who opposed
Bynum last summer has forgotten the bitter
ness of that strife The same men-and Kern
is one of them-are ready to make the fight
against his senatorial aspirations AS strongly
personal they did their efforts to defeat him
for Congress. Ii Bynum comes into the contest
with anything like chance of securing the
caucus nomination, there will be a renewal of
the old factional strife in worse form than ever.
1t has been decided to defeat him at any COST and
feated for Congress in 1888. There is no dis
position to raise Bynum to leadership
Under a quarter or a column of headlines.
the Saturday People, which is recognized as a
Democratic paper, says in relation to Smiths
fight for the lieutenant governorship: 1T does
seem that the Democracy is placed in bad
light in sustaining Senator Smith in his contest.
In the first place, Attorney general Hord de-
cided that an election for Leutenant-governo
was essentlal-that vacancy had occurred in
the Office. This decision was accepted by both
parties So far as the People knows, there was
no objection raised thereto. and both parties
selected canddates-indeed we do not know but
that candidates nominated by other
than the two dominant parties. 1t is said
that Senator Smith was a delegate in
the convention that nominated the Democratic
candidate for Lieutenant governor, and instead
of making any objections to anomlnaton, prom
ised his support to the nominee. If he thought
that he was de facto LeuteDant-gove and
the mantle of the venerable Manson had fallen
upon his shoulders, there and then was the time
to have proclaimed it. But we hear of never a
word that he uttered" The Peoples article
concludes with the statement that the lawyers
"have got the thing all into a muddle until the
common mind is distressed when it endeavors to
wrestie with it. We guess the proper way to
settle it is to let Mr.. Robertson take his seat as
long as he was elected thereto, and then let Gov
Gray be elected United States Sanator to fill the
seat of Senator Harrison. 1t is only in this way
that any of the fruits of the late election can
be saved to the Democracy"