The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-19

Republicans of Indiana Enthused
as They Never Before Have Been.
Temperance Question Being Considered
by the Leaders-Dates and Places
for Congressional Conventions.

People in Indiana usually take their poll
tics pretty hard, and they are taking po-
litlcal affairs more to heart this year than
they have at any time since the period just
before the war. Never in the memory OF
the present generation has there been any
thing like the Republican activity displayed
this year. In every county of the State, not
excepting such Democratic Gibraltars as
Allen and Sullivan counties, the Repub-
leans find numbers of men who are not
only willing but anxious to accept Repub-
lican nominations, and the general feeling
pervades the party that Indiana's Novem-
Der election will be simply a repetition Of
the landslides In Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Chairman Gowdy of the Republican State
committee, has just completed a tour of the
State by districts, meeting in turn the coun-
ty chairmen and secretaries of each con-
gressional district and talking over with
them the question Of organization. The
party is now very completely organized
throughout the State upon what is proba-
bly, the best system ever devised. 1t is so
complete and compact that the voters of
the State are divided up into very small
neighborhoods in the country and half
squares In the city, with a reliable man
whose business it is to look after each Of
these. The reports gathered from these
district meetings are of the most encourag-
ing character. Two thorough trouncings
have had the effect Of uniting and harmon
izing the Republicans Of Indiana, while one
year of the Cleveland ADMINISTRATION has
brought to the Republican accessions that
may be fairly estimated at an average Of
five to the voting precinct
- II-.-sA ~ ILL., -
places of the congressional conventions
were fixed as follows:
First district, Evansville, April 10; Sec
ond district, Mitchell, April II; Third, New
Albany, June Z; Fourth, Greensburg, date
left open; Fifth Greencastie. May ~; sixth
April "a; Eighth, Terre Haute. date left
open; Ninth, Kokomo, June 6; Tenth, Ham
May 10; Twelfth, Fort Wayne. June IS;
Thirteenth, Warsaw, June G.
The Republicans feel certain of carrying
nine of these districts and believe they have
even chances of carrying the other four.
Even in the strongest Democratic districts,
like the Second, Third, Fourth and Twelfth.
there are anywhere from two to six can
didates hustling for the Republican nominal
ton. The most hotly contested fights for
n n9Ff5 T9nfi; h9 gs e Elave be IN a 1ne F TbIr,,
teenth districts. In all of these, except the
Tenth. there are no less than half a dozen
strong candidates, and the fact that the
Tenth has but three is by no means 10 be
taken as an indication that the contest
there is a light one. On the contrary, the
| sharpest ante-convention fight in the whole
| State Is in that district between Hon. Chas.
3. Lands and Judge William Johnston, of
Valparaiso. The lines have to some extent
been drawn there between the young and
the older men, and the way the young men
of the district are rallying TO MIR. LandiS'S
support is something remarkable. Leading
politicians from Logansport, Winamac and
other points in the district interviewed here
express the opinion that the younger ele-
-.A-N 10 ,.--I Tho Hnef ~ ff 20 rrnl
county, at its convention last week, in
structed for Mr.. Lands, and il is said that
he has Newton and Jasper solid.
The contest for places on the State ticket
is right now at fever heat, as the county
convention period is on, and scarcely a day
passes that some county doeS not convene
for the purpose of electing delegates. There
are thirty-nine candidates for the offices at
the disposal Of the convention, and nearly
half of them turn up at most every county
| convention. Never in the history of the
party has such an array OF strong men
come before a convention IN Indiana as
will. be proposed for nominations In TINS
city on April %. 1t is a matter OF current
comment that the convention might. go
through the whole list, select the weakest
men running for each nomination and still
make up a strong ticket. The peregrina-
lions of these candidates for State oilce
and the activity of those who are hustling
| for county nominations keep politics In the
| Republican party at fever heat just now,
tage of this general activity not only. to
put together an invincible party organiza-
ton. but as well TO push the organization
of Republican clubs. This latter work is
we'll under way, and by the time the State
| convention rolls around IL will be a mighty
small hamlet in Indiana that does not boast
of at least one Republican club.
About the only difficulty that the party
will have to deal with in this State Will be
the question of what shad be sara IN Jus
| withstanding the long record of the party
| as opposed to any sort of domination by the
| LIQUOR interests, there are still some within
| ITS ranks who are anxious to see a strong
| temperance declaration in the platform.
There are others both within and without
the party who are strong believers in tenn
perance, who do not believe that this queS-
ton of temperance should be dragged into
R Tays Of prohibition laws enacted through
| out the country by a large number OF
| States in 1852 and 1853 We're brought about
by general agitation and pressure upon
| Legislatures. while the subject never be-
| came a political question at all, ana that
| as soon as prohibition began to be a po-
| litical football its strength began TO Wane,
until every State in the Union, except
| Maine. Iowa and Kansas, repealed its pro.
sentiments or this subject have rs their
| opponents organizations known as the
| Christian Alliance and the. Anti-liquor
League. Men representing the Chrlstldh
Alliance and claiming that their organiza-
ton in turn represents the ChrlStah Ell
deavor Society, Epworth League, anu
honor League. Baptist Union and about all
| other church societies, have rented Iohlllh-
SON Hall for a week before the state con-
VentiOn of the kepuDlCdH pay ~ -
noge to hold daily mass meetings in order
to impress upon the party the NECESSITY OF
| adopting a strong temperance planh. ~
bcvI nnany of these various societies TINS
"aaa1iiance" represents. or how muct, senti-
ment there is behind it, it is difficult ito TO
sav Evidently it does not represent the
Xpti-Ii11or League, as is claimed, for that
organiaation is the exponent Of an en-
tireIy different idea, namely. that the tenn
rerance question should be taken out OF
pp]olitics and a nonpartlsan propaganda be
pushed. Its State ORGANIZER Rev: NJ. he l.,
Neus i'm all his speeches, expresses lhe
49, mat the subject will not be mentioned
IN h0p the platforms of either of the great
narties. 1t is likely that the Repuoilcan
narafnI Investigation of this subject and