The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-27
FEATURES OF rnE CONVENTIONS
How the Old Machine Care of New Lead
ers Did Its Work.

GOg0bDeE
1t depended upon the slightest chance turning
either way, whether the Democrats under the
control of man who was once a violent Re-
publican, would have riot or a convention. The
results would impress the tyro in politics that
harmony was never absent from the party, or
that the amiabiity of candidates had never been
disturbed. ITO the veteran in scheming and
trading the developments as they appeared. lit
tie by little, in the proceedings, carried but one
fact, and that was that the old machine handed
over by Senator Voorhees, and DIR. Nc
Donald to Governor Gray worked
admirably. What amount of person
al humiliation it cost to submit
will perhaps never be known, but comparing
yesterday with the day before the sacrifice APP
pears to be great and the secret disgust immeas-
urable. Gray, once q proscriptive Republican,
had fought his enemies, Democrats who were
old in political wickedness when he but
novitiate. until they were driven to the wall and
cried for mercy in surrendering to him the only
thing he craved. an Endorsement for his vice.
presidential candidacy. He used the factional
strife to the best advantage, brought apparent
order out of chaos. and gave to the Democrats
nominees for Governor and Lieutenant-governor
who. IKE himself. were as vicious in their Re-
publicanism as they are now in their Democracy.
The Democrats for once held State conven-
ton without Senators Voorhees, and Turpe and
ex-senator Mcdonald. They managed to do
without them and submitted to the direction of
Mr. Jewett, whose fealty TO Gray has never been
questioned. He represents the young Democ.
racy. and it was that element that pushed itself
to the front and took charge of everything that
was DONE while tne moss backs sat aud voted as
they were told to do Except David S. Gooding,
. man power crush, not one who had
anything to say could have been over fifty years
OF age The young fellows did all the talking,
all the shouting, and will furnish
all the money for the party.
But VIM. q. English saved the conventien
from getting away entirely from the personality
of old time Democracy. He haG been honcrk3
with the charmanship OF the committee on RESI-
olutions, and submitted the time honored cate
CORY of Democratic complaints. promises, boast
fulness and sounding terms, which read we'll.
but amount to nothing The youngsters cared
very little for them. They came after chance
to get Offices, platform or no platform, but out
of Difference Co Mr. EEvlish's position and ex-
cheer. But before Mr.. English appeared with
the doctrines of old Democracy
vamped to suit the emergency. Mr..
Jewets had. his opportunity in delivering
one Of his characteristic speeches, in which he
detailed the excellence, he saw it, of Demo
cratic administration and the virtues of Demo-
cratic leaders no one believes them to be-
Just before this the committee organization
read its weary account of what no one was
yearning to hear. 1t contained those little tri-
hes that some times lead to better understand
ing of situations than pages of description. AS
an instance when Voorhees, and Turpie were
announced delegates at-large. that
would at one time have thrown a Democratic
convention into ecstacles, scarcely
ripple of applause rewarded the reader,
who paused long enough for enthusiasm to show
itself. The names of Cobb and Lamb pleased
the delegates as much did those
of Voorhees, and Turpie Throughout
the convention, from the beginning
to the end, prevailed desire TO get through with
the business soon as possible, there was
nothing to hurrah over. Jewett xpecred when
he referred to Hendricks in the touching phrase
BETTING precious memory, burst of applause
that would throw some life into the proceedings
which had been dragging along in perfunctory
order 1t did not come. A few veterans,
or two of youngsters, applauded, and that ended
it. It if the Indiana Democrats are
getting weary of being reminded of what Hem
dricks had done for them. But when the speaker
referred to the proba bility of the ticket being
Cleveland GRAY this year the delegates began to
recover. and evidenced some signs of interest.
The effect of the applause, however was oblit-
Grated by the grim silence with which refer
ence to what Jewett called fair trial of a Dem
ocratic administration was received. Nor could
civil service revenue reform arouse them.
They nursed their thoughts and allowed the
speaker TO proceed undisturbed, except when he
mentioned Gfay's name.
Those things IN resolutions that have always
fired the Democratic heart were allowed to
pass without manifestations OF approval Mr..
English exerted himself to give the cue for
demonstrations in the proper emphasis until his
voice became husky and his reading wearisome.
Cleveland was rewarded with a little applause,
but all the severity which the phrases bore
against the surplus in the treasury could get
only the clappng OF hands here and there from
some who applauded after the manner of pro-
fessional claquers. Tariff Jared no better. and
while every was open to catch the slightest
wording of the expression on civil-seryice re-
FORM the delegates at first turned away from it
in disgust. but some one in OBJ
scure corner applauded meekly. His
neighbor took it up. and in an instant there was
something like enthusiasm. 1t quickly died
away The labor paragraph and old sumptuary
were almost wholly ignored by the delegates
The license plank meant more than that of
1886. and the hearers recognized old friend
which they acknowledged by weak clapping of
hands What the resolutions styled the revo-
lutionary tactics in the last LEGISLATURE was
slightly acknowledged, as was the usual mean
ingless Democratic reference to fair election
and honest count. The pension plank
had the power TO draw ont q little more enthu-
siasm. Voorhees, and Turpie's names were ac-
corded scant recognition. bur Gray's caught the
crowd the cheering of which seemed TO come
under the direction of q drill master. No series
of resolutions could have had little effect in
squirting enthusiasm and making the Democ-
raey think il had set of principles to hold it
gether.
The platform adopted. the beauty of machine
work as arranged by Gray, Matson, Munson and
Supreme Court Judge from the First judicial
district This put Niblack out of the way as .
gubernatorial quantity very speedily. and there
being nothing 10 fear from Bynum, as his boom
wandered purposelessly about the stage and floor
of the convention. in the person of E. Gould, the
labor agitator. and Leon o. Bailey. the as
sistant United States district attorney, the quad
rilateral alliance started in to crush W. r. Myers
The result was anticipated, for long before the
convention came together the Myers and
Douxherty men had warning of what ar
raugement the MAtson and Munson leaders had
reached at an early hour yesterday morning.
Everybody seemed TO know that Matson would
be nominated. and it only needed the develop
msnt OF the vote as il came from the several
counties 70 show where Myers and
Doueherty lost their opportunities
The trading was so apparent that = novice in
politics could have seen il and traced it's inesp-
tion to Gray. When the Washington contingent