The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-28
TURPIE AND MATTHEW'S
Working Together to Retire VOOr-
hees from Political Life.

There is the best of reason to believe that
the Bryan managers have given up hope of
carrying Indiana for their national or State
ticket and are devoting their energies to the
effort to carry the Legislature and save
two or three Congressman out of the
wreck. The ultimate object in the
fight to capture the Legislature is
the elevation of Governor Claude
Matthews to the seat occupied by voorhees,
in the United States Senate Since Mat
thews forced Sterling r. Holt out of
the State Craftsmanship he has held absolute
control of that organization. The chairman
who succeeded Mr.. Holt, Parks NJ Martin,
takes most of his orders direct from the
Governors Office and spends a large por>
ton of his time there when Matthews is in
the city. Senator Turpie is frequently pres
ent at these conferences and has much to
say in directing the course of the cam
paign.
The friends of Voorhees, are thrown at
disadvantage by the physical disability of
their chief. They do not know whether
or not he will be d candidate for reelection
and thus they are not In position to make
very forceful opposition to the ambition of
Matthews. The attitude of Senator Turpie
in actively pushing the claims of Matthews
has excited much comment among the par
ty leaders. 1t is generally accounted for by
the fact that Turpie's influence in the Sem
ate has been squelched largely by the nflu-
ence of Voorhees,, and that this same cause
has made him thus far a comparatively
small quantity in the politics of the State.
Matthews and Turpie base their hopes of
carrying the Legislature upon two points
"a strong Democratic gerrymander and fu-
sion with the Populists. The Republicans
tor tn he hrIl
over Senators. Twenty-Five members of the
Senate elected two years ago hold over,
and of these nineteen are Republicans and
six Democrats. One of the Republicans has
resigned to accept the nomination of his
party for Lieutenant Governor, but his dis
trict is so heavily Republican that his sue
cessor is sure to be of that faith. The last
Legislature was heavily Republican ana
passed an apportionment act which
overthrow in the court The apportion-
ment litigation resulted in a decree decar-
ing that this election should be held under
the act of 1885. and intimating that the
hold-over Senators should remain undis>
turbed
Under this act it requires a plurality of
over 10000 to give the Republicans a ma
jority in the House of Representatives. Tn,
der directions from headquarters the silver
Democrats have fused with the Populists in
twenty-seven districts that are either Re-
publican or close. Where they have been
unable to persuade the Populists to agree
upon a Democratic nominee they have
either nominated a Populist or Endorsed a
Populist nominee upon condition that he
will vote for a Democrat for the Senate.
In many of these districts the combined
Democratic and Populist vote is sufficient
to wipe out the Republican. plurality, and if
they should succeed in holding it together
they would undoubtedly succeed in most of
them. But they are finding vast amount
of trouble in getting old-line Democrats to
support Populist nominees and the Popu>
lists themselves Directing strongly to
the agreement to send Matthews to the
Senate.
It has been frequently reported. and there
seems to be some ground for the report,
that the Matthews-Turpie combination is
preparing to contest the seats of the hold
over Senators, On the ground that they were
elected under an apportionment law since
declared invalid. The plan is to wait until
the day before the expiration of the time
in which nominate may be certified and
then hold conventions in all the hold-over
senatorial districts. In those where the
hold-over Senators are Democrats they
would be renominated, but where they are
Republicans new nominations VIII be made.
Having no opposition these nominees will
claim their seats, and, If necessary to make
a majority on joint ballot, they would fight
for them. When interviewed upon this
point Senator Turpie declared that the
Democrats of the various districts would
probably do as they pleased about making
nominations. and in reference TO the dictum
of the Supreme Court that the hold-overs
should not be disturbed he said that the
Senate was the only judge IF the .qualifica~
ton of its members. The Senate is usually
organized by the hold-over Senators, but if
the claim should be set up that they have
no right to their seats serious condition
of affairs might arise In case of trouble
Matthews is III the Governors chair and
commander of the military forces of the
State and he is very fond or using the mill.
tGry forces.