The Indianapolis journal., 1896-02-19
Chairman Gowdy Thinks 90 Per Cent.
dorse the Committees Action.
MR.. DARNALL IN OPPOSITION
INDIANA HAS HAD OTHER APPOR-
TIONMENT MUDDLEs.
How Gov. Wright Settled Vexed
Question He Did Not Doubt the
Rights of HOld-Over Senators.

Chairman Gowdy is confident that he will
secure the signatures of 80 per cent. of the
Republican members of the Legislature to
the petition which he will present to Gov
ernor Matthews asking him to call special
session of that body. Yesterday he heard
from the Thirteenth district. Committee
man Holman sent word that he had secured
the signatures of all but one member from
that district, and Mr.. Gowdy had already
received a letter from that one man au-
thorizing him to sign the petition for the
member.
Thus far three districts have reported di-
rectly, and in the three there have been no
refusals to sign, although three men have
not yet been seen. The reports, from the
other districts, which do not come direct
from the committeeman, indicate that
there are some refusals, but not many, ex-
cept in the Fifth district, where committee
man Filbeck is working against the petit
tion.
1t was expected that the subcommittee
appointed for the purpose would be able to
call on Governor Matthews to-day, but this
is now impossible On account of the slow
ness with which the petitions come in. The
committeeman who have not sent in their
petitions report by telegraph that they ex
pect to get them in to-day or tomorrow at
the latest, which will permit the call on
the Governor. to be made tomorrow or next
day.
There is not the same apparent salts
faction with the committees action now
that was expressed shortly after the de-
cisfon was reached to petition the Govern
or. Many who then thought it was the
proper course to pursue are now only luke
xxra, in heir ha
cedure entirely. The opposition has gained
many supporters in the last two days.
Fight Under the Act of 1855.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Arguing a case after the decision of the
jury is not generally productive of happy
results; nevertheless, it is often done. 1t
sometimes occurs that a sober second
thoHsht comes in to change-ap opinion that
seems to be fixed. The possibility, even the
probability, of the proposed action of the
Republican State committee in testing the
constitutionality of the apportionment act
of 1885 at this time is fraught with greater
evil than that which 1T proposes to correct.
believe the central committees action was
inspired by an honest and pure motive. At
the same time / believe the committee
made a mistake. If its action should in
any way lead to unfortunate condition
of affairs, the Republican party would not
be held guiltiess. There are many things
to be taken into consideration regarding
this question. We, as Republicans. have
usually felt that we could rely on the Dem
ocratic party to do the wrong thing; but
in this action of our central committee we
place ourselves in a perilous condition, if
the Democratic party fails to do the right
thing.
Let us for a moment look where we
stand, anyway Viewed from popular
standpoint, the Legislature of 1895 will
never pose before the people as a model
Legislature. Notwithstanding, it did many
good things, it did some things that had
better been left alone. The closing scenes
of that Legislature can never be held in
grateful remembrance.
Fighting the gerrymander has been for
years one of the stock arguments of the
Republican party. and rightly so, for no
political party can deserve or keep the
confidence Of the people long while asking
for itself that which it will not concede to
its competitor. The last Legislature made
an apportionment. The people had a right
to expect that our legislators would make
one that would stand all constitutional
tests. Before the Supreme Court it went
off like chaff before the wind. Will the
people believe that that Legislature should
have another chance, implying that the
legislators were not honest and capable
then, but are so now-that they were igno-
rant then, but wise now?
l do not regard any compromise made
between the two political parties as likely
to have much effect in reaching a solution
Of this question. The Supreme Court has,
/ think, merely intimated the course to be
pursued. No doubt the court considered
the threatening condition in which the peo-
pie were placed and from which they were
relieved by righteous and timely judicial
decision, knowing that no apportionnent
made in the past twenty-five years would
stand constitutional test.
The great unwritten proclamation has
come to the people. From henceforth ger
rymandering in the State of Indiana shall
cease" In what condition does this edict
find the two great political parties? Rela-
lively, after more than a quarter of GEN.
tury of juggling, it finds the Democratic
party with an advantage in the next elec-
ton for Senators and Representatives 1t
also finds the Republican party with an ad-
vantage in the matter of the hold-0ver
Senators. The situation renders it utterly
impossible for the Democratic party to con-
troll the next Senate, and the pres
ent prospect renders il almost equally
impossible for that party to con-
troll the House of Representatives, unless
the Republican party. by an unwise course
Of action, should ALLEVIATE the large inde-
pendent vote that is now surely on its side.
Should the apportionment OF 1885 be at
tackled. 1t would doubtless in the lower court
be declared Unconstitutional, and the deci-
sion in the higher court would be withheld.
If this likely thing should occur, 1 apprehend
Ii would require great deal of wisdom to
extricate ourselves from the serious dilem-
ma. The only answer / have heard to this
state of Things is that it would put Governor
Matthews in hole or force him TO call an
extra session of the Legislature / suggest
that we be careful about digging hole for
the Governor, lest we fall In il ourselves
The Democrats have little to lose: we have
much. 1 do not believe the Governor will
call extra session of the Legislature, for
the reason that the Democratic party has
no more confidence in us than we have in H.
Let turn this question over and place
the Republican party just where the Demo-
cratic party stands. In that case nearly
three-fourths of the Legislature would be
against The latest pet child of that
Legislature, a bastard. has been buried by
the Supreme Court before II was taken out
of the nursery. What would we do under
this supposition. having but little in the
present and no reasonable hope for the
future? do not think we should take coun-
sci of our fears. The world Is not going
backward. Green-Smithism will not be re-
as has been suggested. that the Popuiists or
Prohibitionists may steal a march on us
while we are giving our attention to the
ne p,os~raffe parfy The future Is ours The