The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-11
GEN. APATHY is HERE
HE is IN CHARGE OF THE HANDFUL.
OF GATHERING DEMOCRATS.
The silver Crowd VIII BE Forced to
the BackErOund-IndOr
Os Matthews.

At II o'clock last night there were fifty
one Democrats at the Grand Hotel who
had come in to attend the meeting to-day.
OF this number there seemed to be few
who really knew the object Of the meet
ing. Chairman Taggart has evidently been
successful in his efforts to get enough of
the stalwarts in to forestali any talk on
silver. Frank d. Alder, OF Greencastle, said
last night that he was silver man and
when asked what he thought the silver
men would do, replied that he thought
nothing would be done to-day.
This is not meeting that can in any
way bind the party he said, land II is
not representative, so / do not see that
any good could come Of raising the ques-
ton of silver and probably causing dis
sension In the pafty by n; when. 1t could
profit us nothing"
This seems to be the sentiment Of the
silver wing of the party, induced to
large extent by the fact that in numbers
the other faction Of the party is able to
control the sentiment of this meeting.
There seemed to be no one at the Grand
last night who could tell anything about
the coming meeting. The great lack of
interest was shown by the fact that at
8 o'clock, although forty-fve men had
registered at the hotel, not a half dozen
could be found; the others were out at
the theaters according to the information
CLEANED at the hotel Office. One OF the
party, in a confidential mood, explained
this lack Of interest by the remark that
more could not be expected when there
is no pie in sight. The gathering did
not at all resemble the similar affair at
the Denison House a few short weeks
ago when the Republicans came here for
a State conference. The night before that
meeting the house was crowded and the
main lobby was SO packed the entire
evening that person could scarcely walk
through it. The gathering last night did
who did not know the Democrats were In
town could not have detected anything
unusual in the appearance Of the lobby
OF the hotel.
The extreme lack of interest in the gath
ering was most noticeable when any OF
those present were approached In regard to
They all seemed much more willing 20 talk
on any other subject. and politics. seemed
to have no fascination for them. A discus
sion Of Colonel lngersolPs lecture was
much more to the taste of those who
Governor Matthews was talked of by
many In such way as to indicate that
question Of the Endorsement Of his candi-
dacy for the presidential nomination should
be brought before ,or the meeting Il Amy psf
person 1t was kept well hidden. But this
was in direct line with the apathy Of the
entire proceeding. Antagonfsm could not
weel creep out where there Is nothing to
Jerome Herff, Of Peru, the man who
wanted something and was not particular
whqt Re got Is IN 5as His
had not arrived last night, but will be
here to-day. Among the other prominent
brewer, Of Terre Haute; Frank D. Alder.
Greencastle; Jason Brown. Seymour; Judge
Frank e. Gavin. Greensburg; T. b. Bus
rotary of the Democratic national commit
F. Lauthain. editor of the Logansport
Pharos; Judge John 9. Nelson, OF Logans.
Governor I'm 1885 by Robertson; F. A. Barn
hart, of Rochester; w. II. OBrien, Law
renceburg. member OF the state com nnn e
Clark, Greensburg. leader Of the silver
wing of the party; 0. NJ. Packard. Ply
mouth. recently appointed state bank ex-
aminer by Governor Matthews, and II. NJ
Smith, of Hartford City.
The key to q political situation is usually
the number of candidates party can mus
for the good of the party. 1t was a Pc
culiar fact that last night there was no
buttonholing OF men In the interest or any ny
for State office was not mentioned in the
lobby A careful scrutiny of the talk failed
to discover single man who had any de-
sire for political honor at the hands of the
Democracy The subject was disposed of
i'm most cases by the remark that it was
likely that the ticket that went down In
defeat last year will be renominated for
the purpose of showing the party faith in
the men as individuals. With this gener-
alization the subject was relegated to the
BACKGROUND and the more interesting topic
of Colonel Ingersoll's latest lecture was
taken up.
There is no strife for membership on the
State committee. The matter is left to
adjust itself in the hope that people will be
found willing to accept the positions. As
to chairman no one has been mentioned,
except the present incumbent, and he is
only occasionally heard Of. 1t seems to be
the general feeling that those liz attend
ance are surprised that even ffty-one of
the stalwarts could be found who were
willing TO give the time and money neces-
sary to attend this meeting.
The Jackson League will hold its annual
meeting this morning, and will elect off,
GERS. This afternoon the State committee
will meet. and the general meeting will be
held Immediately afterward The only
work before the committee IL to arrange
for the election OF new committeeman.