The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-04
THE DEMOCRATIC TROUBLES.
Division of Opinion on the Election of a
Successor to General Manson.
Mr.. Bailey Declines Congressman Bynum's
Proposition, but Is Willing to Allow Dis
interested Tribunal to Settle the Case.
EFFECT OF A POLITICAL MOVE.
A Successor to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Manson
Must BE Elected This Fall.

| A Successor to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Manson
| Must BE Elected This Fall.
| The political effect of General Manson's vaca
| ton of the Office of Lieutenant-governor is q
| matter that is receiving much profound atten-
ton from the astute politicians. It is quite ap-
ra-eat that the appointment of General Manson
to the Terre Haute dictatorship was
shrewd move on the part Of
Senator Voorhees, for the purpose of
Gripping Governor Gray in his candidacy for
the United States senatorship, but whether or
not the scheme will work just as it was in
| tended that 1t should, is yet matter of some
| uncertainty. The purpose of the move, as was
generally supposed at first, was to tie to Gov
Gray dead weight in the form of Green Smith.
tho possibility of whose succession to the execu-
tive Office would make the elevation of the Gov
ernor to the United States senatorship a thing
not to be thought of. In this view, it was sup
posed that Smith, who was elected President
pro tempore Of the Senate before
the adjournment of the last session,
would succeed to the position vacated
| by General Manson. The scheme in this par
ticular will, it now seems, fail to be carried out,
as Governor Gray has already found that he can
Il SocAiy Aich 0Aitu out Va Alo "dJ. AAic C1
were opened to this discovery by the editorial in
the journal yesterday morning. showing that
the law requires that the vacancy in the Lieu
| tenant-governors Office must be filled at the
| election in November. This information
was the subject of much talk
in political circles during the day.
Attorney general Hord when asked about the
matter yesterday, said he had not examined the
law bearing upon the question, and could not,
therefore express positive opinion, but he was
disposed to think, from the law cited by the
Journal that Lieutenant-governor would
have to be chosen at the coming election. 'As
have not investigated the matter" he added,
II may change my opinion after looking up the
law However, am quite sure that the vacancy
could only be filed for the remainder of the term
for which Lieutenant-governor Manson was
elected"
Governor Gray, when asked his view of the
matter, said: II have just been looking up the
question, and am of the opinion that it will be
necessary to elect Lieutenant governor to fill
the vacancy. ! am not positive about the matter,
however. have just requested the Attorney
general to look mp the law, and will know diff
nitely within day or two"
SIN time for the State convention to make
nomination next tuesday, was asked.
Eyes; but il the State convention does not
nominate candidate the State committee can
name one However, if it is necessary for
nomination to be made, it ought to be under
stood at once, SO that the State convention can
take action"
AS the reporter was about to leave the Gov
ernor remarked. There is doubt whatever
about the President pro tempore of the Senate
not holding over, and I do not understand why
any one ever thought of raising such a question.
The president pro tempore is simply elected to
preside over the Senate temporarily. presi-
| dent may be elected every day during the SEES
sion."
| A State officer, who objects to the use of his
name in connection with his opinion says that
| he has no doubt that the election of Lieuten-
ant-governor this fall will be necessary. He has
of his opinion, Section 4670, providing that all
existing vacancies in Office shall be filed;
Section 4679, requiring the clerks of the
Circuit Courts to give notice of the
| filling of such vacancies twenty days before the
election Section 1877 of the Constitution provid-
| ing that the President pro tenn. of the Senate
acts the presiding officer of that body only for
the occasion. and Section 135, fixing the term of
| the Lieutenant governor.
State Auditor Rice, who is member of the
| State executive committee, was asked If can
/ ddate for Lieutenant governor would be NOM
| mated by the Democratic convention next
| Tuesday.
mo-" was the prompt and emphatic response.
81 am. That matter has been thoroughly can
| yasscd by the executive committee here will
/ De no nomination"
| Eb Henderson, chairman of the central com
mittee, was asked last .sisht as to the probable
shape the matter would take he -aao tnere nad
been some discussion of the question, but IL ~
| TO a diversity of opinion without any well-de-
| fined conviction on the part of any whether
the election of Lieutenant governor should &C.
| cur this November or not. MY own view" he
continued, lis that there is no such vacancy as
would necessitats an election"
'' e., AZ. ..s -es:ae.. p1o .om Of the Senate
should succeedl'
Eyes. whoever he may be. If the Republicans
| should happen to get majority OF the Senate
| this fall the President pro tern would be OF that
party. On the other hand, ! believe If the ma
| iority remains as it is the Democrats can elect
| to that office any one tkey may see tit. The
| same rule prevails in the State Senate as in the
United States Senate where President f>ro
| tenn. of the latter body.is elected on the assem-
/ bling of each new Congress In the mean time,
| the present President pro tenn. of the State SEN
ate is to all intents and purposes entitled to the
/ ientenant-governorship.
"Will the central committee consider the
| question to-dayp
| 1.-THE central committee will not be in session
only the executive committee 1t will doubt
| less pay some attention to the matter. Govern
| or GRAY said he examined the law SINCE but
| not sufficiently to give an opinion. de has
| asked Attorney general Hord for an opinion"
John w. Kern, when asked his opinion,
/ thought an election of Lieutenant-governort this
| fall would set aside all precedent. He referred
to the fact in 1861 when Lieutenant-governor
! Morton succeeded the Hon. Henry S. Lane as
/ Governor, there was no Lieutenant governor in
| fact throughout that term When Governor
Morton was elected to the United States
! Senate and the Hon. Conrad Baker
| succeeded to the governorship The Lieuteu-
| ant governorship again remained vacant, unless
the President pro tenn. of the Senate could be
considered as such officer. Mr.. Kern recited an
other instance of the kind as 70 succession of
Lieuten an t-governor Hammond to the vacancy
caused by tie death of Governor Willard.
William Wesley Woollen says that the ques-
ton now raised was decided in 1926, when Rat
lift Boom while Acknowledgements, was elected
| a member of Congress, and succeeded by
James Brown Ray, the President pro tenn Of