The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-20
WILL CHANGE THE DATE.
Democratic State Convention to BE
POstnOne d-SiIyerites Protest.

Three members of the Democratic State
committee had arrived at the Grand Hotel
last night to attend the meeting of the
committee called for to-day. The ostensibie
purpose Of the meeting is to fix the date
of the State convention. When the commit
tee organized it was agreed that the State
convention should precede the national
convention three weeks. The date of the
national convention had not at that time
been fixed, and when it was appointed a
few days later the date selected was three
weeks after the Republican national con-
~vention, which is June 16. This would have
brought the State convention on the same
date as the Republican national convention,
and this meant a total eclipse for the State
convention. Chairman Holt therefore an
nounced that the State convention would be
held June %, a week after the st. Louis
convention and two weeks before the DEM
ocratic national convention. At the special
meeting of the Democratic State commit
tee, called to consider the conditions pre-
cipitated by the Supreme Courts decision
in the a-pportionment case, it was shown
that the silver element, whose Quantita-
tive force is an enigma, but about whose
aggressiveneSs and activity there is no
question, was laying its plans to capture
the State convention and adopt a plank
that would commit the party to free silver.
Upon this showing the former action relat-
ing to the date for the State convention
was reconsidered, and the matter went
over until tO-mOrrow'S meeting.
TIL probabilities now are that the date
for the making of a State ticket will be
fixed two or three weeks after the Demo
cratic national convention. TIC hold the
State convention first and have the silver
ties capture it would work to totally smash
the presidential boom OF Governor Mat
thews, and 1t was primarily in the interest
Of the Governors candidacy that the date
was reconsidered. 1t is taken for granted
that the Democratic national convention
will adopt a sound-money plank, and 1t is
taken that a declaration for sound money
in the national platform and the desirable
ity for harmony would have a deterring in
fuence On the silver element. In any event
the national convention will have come
and gone, and the Matthews boom viii
it's epitaph been chiseled. The free-silver
advocates are making a loud protest
againSt any postponement, and the threat
is even made that IL the convention is post
poned they viii hold a convention of their
own on the date already selected, June %.
Business of almost equal Importance that
will come before the committee will relate
to the apportionment suit. 1t was at the
meeting at which the date for to-day's
meeting was fixed that the committee is
sued its pronunciamento to the people Of
the state, announcing its position that IL
the Republicans would hold the election I'M
der the act Of 1885 the Democrats would
not attack the titles OF the hold-over Sen
ators. The Republicans rave declared their
intention to enter suit TO void the act OF
1885 unless the Governor calls a special ses-
sion. The probabilities therefore are that
the committee will decide to put I'm the
field candidates for the short as well as
for the long senatorial terms. The men,
bers of the committee who had arrived last
night were Joel Matlock of Brownstown.
Thomas Marshall of Columbia City and w.
II. Blackstock of Lafayette.