Evening star., 1896-10-06
FOR THE ENATE
The Contest Now Going on Among
1ndiana's Favorite Sons.
ABOUT TEE REPUBLICAN LEADERS
VOORHEES, and Matthews Are Promi-
nent as Democratic Aspirants.
A N A B S RBING ISSUE
ABOUT TEE REPUBLICAN LEADERS
A n A B S OR RBING ISSUE
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
INDIANAPOLIS, October 3. 1900.
Mixed In with the great fight between
free silver and gold in this state a very
lively contest is going on for a place in
the United States Senate. Four candidates
are already in the field, and several more
are casting longing eyes in the direction cf
the goal. 1t reminds one of 1850. when
General Harrison was a candidate for the
first time Up to the election he and the
ate Godlove S. Orth were the only two
open and avowed candidates on the repub-
llcan side while Joseph Z. Mcdonald was
playing lone hand for the democrats At
that time Isaac p. Gray was acting gov
ernor, filling out the time of Blue Jeans
Williams While Mr.. Harrison and Mr,
Orth were avowed candidates they devoted
most of their time to securing the election
OF a republican legislature, leaving their
claims to be settled afterward. On :he
democratic side no one supposed for a
moment that any one would contest the
prize with Mr.. Mcdonald.
AT the polls the republicans were sue
cessful. and within four and twenty hours
the woods We're full of gentlemen who had
an ambition to serve themselves and the
country in the Senate Of the United States
None OF them were considered, however,
put ortn and Harrison, and before the leg
| islature met Harrison was going il alone
all the others having withdrawn. When
| the democratic caucus met, to the surprise
OF everybody, Governor Gray captured the
nomination of his party, Mr. Mcdonald
| being left out in the cold.
Sketch of Mr.. Fairbanks.
More than a year ago two of lndiana's
| distinguished republicans entered the field.
and since then lively contest has been
going on. In fact, one OF them has been
| in the field. on the ouier .pUo or -braa
years, and has been shaping matters in
| that direction. The contest has been So
| liVeiy that ii has endangered party success
| in the legislature.
The. politically, most prominent OF the
| two men is Charles w. Fairbanks of his
| city. Mr.. Fairbanks is a native of Ohio
| having been born on a farm his parents
| still residing on the farm on which he first
| saw the light While not wealthy, mis-
parents were fairly well-to-do. and as
Charles was anxious to be a lawyer. they
| gave him a good education, and at the
| close OF his collegiate course he started out
| into the world for himself.
He devoted himself TO his profession and
| rose rapidly, and now, although a Young
| man, is the possessor of a very comfortable
| fortune, all made by his own efforts.
| He has always been republican, but up
| to 1854 did not take much active interest
| in politics, and IL was not until four years
later that he showed his aptitude for a
| political leader. Personally he was very
warm friend of the late Walter O.
| Gresham. He was also the friend of Gen
| eral Harrison, and when IL became likeIy
| that those two distinguished gentlemen
might contest for the presidential nominal
| ton, Mr.. Fairbanks wrote a manly letter
| TO General Harrison, recounting the terms
| on which he stood with Judge Gresham
and saying that if the judge should be
| candidate he would feel bound TO support
| him. He took the leadership of the
| Gresham movement, and, by skillful manip-
uiation, gathered all the anti-Harrison men
| of the state into solid Gresham phalanx.
No one disputed his leadership, hence there
| We're no wrangiings in the Gresham camp.
| His skill as leader was a surprise to The
Harrison men, but when the contest WAS
| over at Chicago he came Loyalty to the
| support of General Harrison.
Mr.. Fairbanks stepped into the front rank
| of the republican leaders at once, and since
| 1883 has been one of the ablest councillors
| of his party. Six years age he was given
the complimentary nomination of his party
| for the Senate, and eve~ since that time has
| Eeen looked upon likely 20 succeed Mr..
Noorhees, in case the republicans should he
able to elect his successor. AS a public
speaker he is forcible and pleasant: he tries
to win by convincing and not by driving.
Career of Mr.. Mckeen.
| w. r. Mckeen, the other open candidate,
| is native Hoosier, having been born in
Nigo county, where he still lives He was
educated at Asbury College, now Depauw
University. Soon after leaving college he
| entered the old State Bank of Indiana as
| hookkceper and afterwari became cashier
| Eefore the var he entered the private bank
| lcg buSiresS, and is stIl engaged in that
line. About the close of the war he became
| interested in railroads, ard for thirty years
| was the president and principal owner of
| the indianapolis and Tcrre Haute railroad.
better known as the Vandala All his life
he has been an active business man. and
has been uniformly successful. accumu-
latirg fortune OF several millions. Big
he arted, TO one eny.es him his good fortune
He is one of the few railroad managers of
the country for whom his mer would work
and die, if necessary. He has been iheir
| friend. and no workman has ever been Sc
| POOR that he could not approach Mr.. Me-
Keen with his grievances sure of a pleas
ant and patient hearing, and absolute JUS
| tice.
thousand stories are told of his un-
| swerviEg honesty and justice in dealing
with the people. Ee was one of Gov. Nor
| tons steadfast friends during the dark days
| of the war, and in every camia aiGn of his
party has been one Of its most trusted
councillors. He was one of Gen. Harrison's
| warmest advocates In 'SSS, and is still one
of his stanchest supporters. He has never
sought Office. On the other hand. several
times he has refused to accept the nomina-
tion for governor when tendered him. He
is member of the Loyal Legion, and, il is
, said. is the only civilian who WAS ever
| | elected member of that order. This honor
was devolved upon him for the aid he gave
SO freely to the soldiers during the war
| and to the efficient help he rendered Gov
| Morton on so many occasions.
Democratic Candidates.
| The democrats also have two candidates
Mr.. Voorhees, and Gov. Matthews. The
latter gentleman has been trying to hids
his candidacy under a bushel, after the
manner of Gov. Gray; but that he is aftei
the prize IN all ear1estness has of late beer
SO evident that he no longer attempts tc
| disguise it, Gov Matthews delights in be.
Ing called a farmer and he is a farmer ovel
I The o1g-distance telephone. He is a poll
ticjan. He entered politics several years
| ago, and was elected to the state senate.
In 1880 his party was hunting for the
| farmer vote, and Mr.. Matthews was select
| ed to lead the ticket 1t was a disastrous
| year for the republicans, and the democrats
| rode into power. Ii was the food tide fol
| MIR. Matthews, for during his TWO years
| term of office he made himself SO solid will
| Ii I. h.