The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-10
COMPARISONS ARE oprous.


COMPARISONS ARE 0DI0US.
With ceaseless iteration the Chicago Trib-
une and one or two other papers of like kid
ney now fill the air with two stock assertions.
One is, in the words of the Tribune. "Gresh-
am has following outside of Indiana; Harrison
has none;r and the other is. Mr. Harrison is
even now the only Indianian who is directing e
personal campaign. the candidacy Of Judge
Gresham being creation of the people of va
rious States and not even now directed by
himself, not now organized" II is to be
remarked, first, that these patent salsehoods
are coined and uttered, not for the purpose Of
aiding Judge Gresham, but solely and
afowedly 10 injure General Harrison. Were
it not for this conspicuous motive and ten
dency the friends Of General Harrison,
who are, without exception worth speaking of,
the Republicans of Indiana, could well afford
to let them pass as part and parcel of the
scheme so long and so industriously worked.
by a few malicious marplots, aided by the
entire Democratic party, to embroil the Re-
publicans of this State in party and personal
quarrel. There could be no more baseless
insult than to contrast the movement in favor
of General Harrison and that in favor of
Judge Gresham in the manner INDUCED in by
the Chicago papers. If there is man in pub
IT, e. l. III al a. -
.'bossism," entirely free from any relation to
the machine" a man of moro political un-
selfshness and modesty than another, it is
Benjamin Harrison. We hazard nothing in
saying that his friends have found this ele-
ment of his character the most formidable OBJ
stacle to the natural and proper development
of the latent strength he has, not only in In
diana, but throughout the country. OF
course, his friends, who, as we have said, are
the Republicans of Indiana, have organized
to put before the Republicans of the United
States their belief in his exceptional strength
for the presidency; but it has been done volun-
tarily, and without other machinery" than
volunteer action. There has been no "bu-
reau;" the country has not been deluged with
literature In his interest; but, thus far, the
expressions in his favor have been the free
and untrammeled expression Of those who
believe him to possess special and controlling
this has been done for and on behalf of Judge
Gresham by his friends is pure and simple
nonsense. The Chicago Tribune has been
running "a bureau in his interest for months;
that paper is regularly mailed, gratis, to
everybody who might be influenced in his
favor, especially to the persons elected as dele
gates to Chicago; committees have been regu-
larly organized or self-constituted, who
have visited .all sorts of conventions, and
pushed his candidacy upon their attention.
The State Of Illinois has been systematically
worked" so with Missouri and other States,
while in Indiana not a township convention
could be held without an effort to antagonize
General Harrison's candidacy with the name
of Judge Gresham. It is somewhat remarka-
BILE, that in a number of district conventions
an elaborate and systematic effort was made
to defeat expressedpfriends of General Harri-
son, for the sole purpose of claiming that
such result was q victory for Judge Gresham.
That was also done in the State convention,
and it became essential to defeat so good a man
as General Shackelford, in order to let the
country know that Indiana Republicans were
earnestly and really in favor of General Har-
rison. But for the fact that General Sbackel-
ford's election would have been taken as evil
dence that Judge Gresham's organized"
forces had defeated General Harrison, he
would, doubtless, have been sent to Chicago
without dissent. But the logic of the situa-
ton, brought about by the organized and
systematic efforts of the friends of
Judge Gresham, made it absolutely
necessary to beat him. These are perfectly
notorious facts; they are not recited in any
spirit of hostility to Judge Gresham, or of OPP
position to his candidacy, but simply to repel
the untrutntul anu ungonerous comparison
sought to be instituted by the Chicago
bureau" The Republicans of Indiana, in
advocating the nomination of General Har-
rison. have not opposed Judge Gresham's can
didacy, except when it has been pushed as an
Indiana movement in expressed opposition to
their own choice. When Illinois adopted
Judge Gresham, the Republicans Of Indiana
had no word of disapproval. No friend Of
General Harrison went into Illinois and at
tempted to influence any convention,
district or State, against the ex-
preston of its preference or the send
| ing Of delegates to the national convention
earnestly and personally in favor of its choice
but no convention has been held in Indiana,
district or State. without the presence and
work of an organized" committee of Judge
Gresham's friends. who tried to break the
II E. r o. ~.