The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-05
GATHERING OF GREENBAoKERs.
Diversity of Opinion to What the Part
Should Favor.

| Diversity of Opinion to What the Party
| Should Favor.
| The Greenback or National party, as its mem
bers prefer to call it. will hold State conven-
tion at Masonic Hall, beginning at 10 o'clock this
morning. Delegates from various parts of
the State were at the Grand Hotel last night
with the expectation of having all the districts
represented to-day. AS it was. there were Ma
tionalists from the Third, Fourth. Fifth. Sixth
Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth and
i Thirteenth to discuss what should be done in
convention.
| To facilitate to-.ays business the delegates
met for consultation in room No. 5, just across
the narrow hall from Eb Henderson's room
| Over the transom in that quarter of stiff necked
Democracy came brilliant light, but it did not
otherwise appear that the chairman of the DEM
ocratic State central committee was waiting for
az chance to take quiet part in the proceedings
The Nationalist were not deferred by this no.
ticeable proximity from holding fast to their col
ors. Several committees were appointed to at
| tend to the order of business, permanent
| organization and frame platform,
but none were completed because several
districts had no one to speak for them. But the
thing in good shape this morning. Among the
gentlemen to whom the platform is intrusted are
Richard Gregg, OF Ohio county; Hugh Martin,
of johnson; w. H. Maxwell, Ed. Hutchins, of
Marion; A. ]. johnson. of Vermillion and ]. D.
| Tucker, of Porter.
| AS there was not much other business to trans
| act, suggestion to that effect caused the COM
mittee on platform to take up the subject at
once 1t did not retire to secret chamber. but
| invited all present to take part In the
consultation, as any ideas as to what should go
! into the platform would be entertained from
| any member of the party. This opened free
discussion. Mr.. Gregg, as chairman of the COM
mittee leading off with his views. He said the
expressions should be strong on labor. State tax,
I finance and temperance. More attention was
| given to the latter subject, and diversity of
| opinion arose to whether it were better to
| favor merely submission of the constitutional
| prohibitory amendments again to the people or
| to come out with might and main for prohibition.
The gentlemen favoring the second course were IN
| the majority. although the amendment plan did
/ not suffer for adherents. The straight out Pro
| hibitionists took the ground that the National
| lists the first in the Indiana field that
| question, Mr.. Gregg characteriZing the action of
the ProhibisiOnists in setting up party OF their
| own unfair to the Nationalist. He briefly
reviewed what had been done for the cause of
the latter, particularly in espousng the cause of
| submitting the amendments The Prohibition
! ists said they would act with the party that
adopted their views. Instead they offered
| themselves to the Democrats and Republicans
/ on this ground, and meeting with refusal,
began business On their own account
In fulfllment OF their promise they should have
| supported the national party. He said: I'VE are
the highest, purest and best prohibition party"
| Mr. Johnson of Vermillion, wanted to know,
if that was true why they did not say So He
| preferred submission of the amendments again
| to the people. Mr.. Patterson. of Marion, did
not think it advisable to adopt the straight-out
! expression as q matter of expediency. as there
/ were many laboring men who liked their beer or
drank whenever they could get it. Dr. Taylor
| was against the idea Of expedency. He said
| the liquor men and drinkers supported the
| Democratic party when the amendments were
| voted upon and would do it again They be-
/ long to the Democratic party. 4 gentleman
conceded with this view by saying, Let them
| stay there" DIR. Taylor wanted the Nationalist
! to favor revision of the tariff and support an
/ income and internal revenue tax. The ideas on
/ the other topics have undergone no change since
| the Nationalist became party
| Mr.. Gregg, in an interview, said the party had
/ good deal to encourage it, the knights of
| Labor and Prohibitionists were favoring their
ideas. They would nominate ticket in every
county of the State, of all kinds, except perhaps
| legislative tickets. It was the purpose to have
| National legislative tickets where they were
strong, and where they were weak they would
ask the Democrats and Republicans to nominate
/ Nationalist. If this not done, and no Ma
tonal candidates for the Legislature appeared
the members Of the party could vote for whom
| they pleased
/ national convention of .Greenbackers, to be
| held in this city early in September has been
| called. The purpose of the meeting, it is said,
| will be to form new party, the cornerstone of
which Will be the advocacy of labor reform.