The Indianapolis journal., 1894-04-25
r.. w. THOMPSON FOR CHAIRMAN.
Committee on Organization Meets
Order of Business Unchanged.

Committee on organization Meets
Order of business Unchanged.
The committee on permanent organiza-
ton, rules and order of business organized
by electing Brainerd Rorison, of Fort
Wayne. chairman, and U. q. Wiley, Of
Fowler. secretary. Colonel Richard w.
Thompson, of Terre Haute, was selected
to preside over to-day's convention, the
committee being almost unanimous in the
choice. James n. Huston, of Connersville,
was placed in the field against "Uncle
Dick" but it was generally agreed that
the latter's selection was not only in ex-
celent taste and acceptable to all Repub-
ncans. but it also did away with any
chance of bad feeling on the part of the
adherents of the various candidates who
would enter the lists were Col. Thompson
considered out Of the race.
Charles l.. Wilson, of Lebanon, editor Of
the Lafayette Courier, was the choice of
the committee for secretary of the con-
vention. Frank Blackledge, of this city,
was pitted against him. but the contest
was a brief one, AIr. wilson being selected
on the first roll call. 1t was urged by S. z.
Kercheval, who nominated him. that he
was reading clerk in the famous Greene
Smith Legislature and could make himself
heard in all sorts of confusion, being the
possessor of a good convention voice"
The secretary was authorized TO select two
assistants. or reading clerks, and such
other assistants as may be necessary to
repeat the calls from half way back in the
aisles of the big hall.
The rules of the Fifty-first Congress were
adopted to govern the convention. The
committee considered an amendment that
the lowest candidate be dropped after the
second ballot, but nearly every member
expressed himself in opposition to this be-
lievinG it to be most unpopular and in
judicious thing TO do, whereupon the amend
ment was withdrawn. 1t was very aptly
said during this discussion that the lowest
man on the second ballot was occasionally
the one who captured the nomination.
The matter of changing the order of NOM
nations from that of the call was broached
by Mr.. Kercheval in the form of an amend
ment to Mr.. Aiken's motion that the call
be followed in the convention work. Mr..
Kercheval wanted the Supreme Judges
nominated after the executive offices had
been disposed of, namely, Secretary, Audi
tor and Treasurer. He urged that as the
call stood the Judges would be LETT until
the last, and the convention seemed
likely TO run two days not half the dele
gates would remain to dispose or what ne
orable part of the ticket It was of the high
est Importance, he said, that the Judges
should be chosen by a representative body
of delegates, and not by scattering few,
who would be all that would be found able
to remain over Thursday for the conven-
ton. A precedent for the change had been
established in the Republican State con-
vention of 1888. when the Supreme Judges
were nominated Immediately after Lieu
tenant Governor.
Judge Nebeker was decidedly opposed to
changing the order of business from that
set in the CALL and warned the committee
that such a move would be adversely crit
icised and would be sure to cause dissatis-
faction among the candidates. who had
come to regard the call as fixing the Off
cial order of nominations. He wanted to go
on record as against the proposition, and
would take the trouble to explain his po-
sltl0n TO the candidates II the change was
made, as he did not feel like taking the
responsibility for what he considered bad
move. Major Doxey, Mr.. Aiken and others
took the same ground, while Mr.. LaFollette
supported Mr.. Kerchevars amendment.
strongly urging that Ii was part of the
committees duty to make any change in
best, and that II the members thought
such change right they should not
hesitate because of a fear of taking
some responsibility. Besides. he knew that
many delegates expected a change. Judge
Wiley and others also spoke in the same
strain tn sentiment me m seeming to be about
the vote by which the proposition 10 deviate
from the call and n9mlnate ate the Supreme
question was settled, was defeated by one
vote. Messrs Kercheval, Schrieder Robin
son, Durnan, Wiley and IaFOllette voted
for il and Messrs. Newhouse, Aiken,
DoXey, Nebeker, Ade, Rorison and Hess
against it, Mr. Aikens motion was then
agreed to unanimously, and the order OF
nominations stands. therefore, just as IL
did in the call. There was the best of
feeling throughout and subsequent TO the
discussion and vote.
1t was decided by the committee that all
resolutions and amendments 10 resolutions
offered in the convention must be referred
to the committee resolutions without
reading or debate
The order of receiving committee reports
was fixed as follows: Permanent organiza-
tion, rules and order of business, creden-
tials, resolutions.
y motion was made and agreed to that
the secretary OF the convention shall an
nounce the names Of all candidates TO be
voted for in the order of nominations as
fixed in the committees cal
without the call of districts
ana that no nominating speeches shall be
made and all counties shall vote as called.
BY this means il is hoped TO facilitate busi-
ness to such a degree that the convention
can get through to-day.
The committee, upon adjourning, waited
upon Colonel Thompson and informed him
of its choice of him for presiding officer OF
the convention.