The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-04
Sherman Has the Votes, However, and Will
Certainly Be Nominated by the Caucus
Unless Corrupt Bargain Is Made.
Report that the Ex-Governor Has Ar
ranged Deal with the Democrats.
Scheme to Deprive a Sherman Man of His
VOte-Bellamy Storer Predicts Disaster
to the Party If Foraker Is Successful.
SITUATION AT COLUMBUS.

Foraker's Friends Still Confident of Success
but the Odds Are Against Them.
COLUMBUS, o.. Jan. 3.-The Sabbath day
has been reverently respected by the sena-
torial contestants, and o temporary ar
mistice has been declared in the great po-
lItical battle which has waged SO vigor-
ously for the past few weeks. Both Senator
Sherman and Ex-Governor Foraker have
renamed on the ground, but the day has
been one of inactivity so far as their lieu
tenants are concerned. This sudden mac
tiOn, the Foraker men say, is but the calm
which procedes the storm, the lull which
precedes the fury of the battle. The Sher-
man men say il Is the rigor mOrtis of an
expiring cause; the dead silence which pre-
cedes the last convulsive gasp of dying
ambition. To the friends of the dis
tinguished Senator the battle is fought and
won; to the adherents of the eloquent
Foraker the political atmosphere is laden
with hopeful augury, aed in the woof of
the future are still to be woven strange
results.
Thus the situation tonight is one of
of eternal hope on the other. The Amer
lean public. whose interest in this contest
is probably without parallel in the great
senatorial battles of years gone by, quite
naturally asks. why is the result long
In doubt Why, with every member of the
General Assembly on the field or available.
cannot the positive declarations of the men
who are to decide the question take the
place of the blatant prophecy of political
managers and tell how this battle is goingi"
The answer to this question 10 that of the
ninety-three Republican assemblymen no
less than eight have refrained from public
declaration of preference, and of these
three-quarters have unquestIonably given
pledges to both sides and are now at home
seeking petitions or "public sentiment" to
break the pledge which they find most
irksome and respect the one which meets
their personal desires. The diplomatic
battle which has been waged so unremit-
ingly for months past has resulted In many
entanglIng alliances Men, in order to win
the favor of the factions in which the
party was divided before the elections.
found il expedient to pronounce pledges Of
fealty to the psrtisens "A beth candidates,
and these promises are now most embar-
RAISING. They have postponed the evil
day to the utmost limit, bu. the hour of
still to wear the shifting masks of DR..
Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, they are now suggest-
ing that the senatorial question should be
decided by secret ballot In the coming
caucus. Should this plan be carried out,
they hope to escape the volumes of oppro-
brium. which otherwise will certainly be
heaped upon them from the faction they
disappoint.
CLAIMS OF BOTH SIDES.
While the impression is certainly general
among impartial lookers-on at Columbus
that the speakership contest was fought
upon senatorial lines, and that its result
must be accepted az indicating Senator
Sherman's denomination. the friends of ex
Governor Foraker still MAINTAIN that
several Foraker men voted for Layln. and
that these. together with the votes Foraker
will get in the Senate. viii be sufficient to
give him the nomination. When asked
for names and figures, however. the an
swers are by no means satisfactory. In
substantIation of their claims they say
that two men-Representatives Dicks and
Welch-wbo are absolutely and irrevoca-
They also say that four of Forsker's
warmest supporters. whose names they
fail to give, voted for Laylin, under
pledges made to him long before the sena-
torial and speakership fight fell into the
same groove. Further, they claim that not
a single Sherman pan voted for McGrew;
that all Of them who had made pledges to
McGrew asked to be relieved. and were re-
lieved from them in advance of the caucus.
Assuming these allegations to be facts,
Sherman's strength IN the House is SIX
votes less than the vote for Laylln, or but
thirty-two. Sherman's strength in the
Senate may be set down as thirteen. II
Iden. q contestant, 10 not admitted, and
fourteen If he 10. Forakers managers:
have not less than eight votes in the Sen
however. in The Senate. and .ad-
mItting the Foraker claims IN the
the House. thlrty-two;l in the Senate. four
teen. q total of forty-six. This would leave
Senator Sherman one short of nomina-
tion, Foraker three short. and Dicks and
Welsh holding the balance of power, but
unable to do more than create tie between
Sherman and Foraker should they vote for
the latter. According to other Foraker
claims. the Ex-Governor will have thirty
eight in the House and seven in the Senate.
total Of forty-tive; Foster one, Mckinley
one. IL Will be thus seen that the admis-
sion of Iden to the caucus might have an
important effect on the result. But che
Foraker people claim Of at least eight in
the Senate. If verified along with their
Cldim VI -ClSub III tuc IlOuoCs WOutQ
reverse things and give Foraker forty eix
and Sherman forty-tve. Then, If Iden be
not admitted. Sherman's vote would fall to
forty -four. Welsh voting for Foraker. or
one of Shermans men going to him, would
give him the required f0rty-seyen.
ASKED TO SIGN PLEDGE.
These are the views at the Foraker head
quarters. but their claims are derided by
the Sherman people and treated as mIrth-
provoking pretensiona The Senator's
friends are loudly claiming tonight that
he will have q majority of not less than
fourteen votes in the caucus and profess q
willingness to have either an open or secret
ballot, as Foraker may desire. They say
that the loud claims of the Foraker man
ayers are made with the hope Of keeping
his followers loyal to him. in order that
he may 60 down In the caucus with at
least respectable following. They state
that o pledge has been drawn that is IRON
clad in it's nature. and that those devoted
to the cause of the Ex-Governor are being
asked to sign it. By it's terms the sup.
porters Of the Ex-Governor agree to remain
true TO his candidacy until he wins or
loses and that none of them will weaken
or waver in the slightest degree. The For
aker managers deny that such document
Ia In existence. or that it is demanded to
insure continued loyalty Of the ex-Gov-
ernors supporters.
The Sherman men assert that Represent
ative kiss!nger of Athens 10 with them.
while Representative Byron Lutz of Ross
has been put down in the Foraker column.