The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-10
TOO MUCH FOR HOLT
CHAIRMAN RESIGNS.
In Stepping Down He Scores the Sill
yer Cranks, Who Tried to Run Him
and the Campaign on Wind.
MAGEE WILL ALSO RETIRE
INDIANA POPOCRATIC oRGANIZA-
TION GOING TO PIECES.
No One from "Matthews Down to Phil
Gapen," Says Mr.. Holt, Has Con-
tributed a Penny.
MEETING CALLED FOR TO-DAY
HOWARD COUNTY LEADER REPUDI-
ATES THE CHICAGO TICKET.
o. A. Click Takes Off His Bryan But
tom and Announces He VIII Sup
port Major Mckinley.

Sterling r. Holt will hand in his resgna-
ton as chairman of the Popocratic State
committee at meeting of the committee
which has been called for this morning
Rufus Magee, member of the committee
from the Eleventh district, has also de-
clared his intention of resigning, and it is
believed that five six other members
of the committee will follow with them.
These designations follow closely upon the
heels of those of James L. Reach and Will
| liam T. Piel members of the executive
committee. In fact, the Popocratic or
ganization in Indiana has gone to pieces
and the demoralizing influence of the smash
upon the Bryan forces in this State is like
ly to be very widespread.
While there has been a rumor for the last
three weeks that Mr.. Holt contemplated re-
signing, he has kept the matter well to
himself, and the first news of the commit
tee meeting to-day and his intention to
have it accept his resignation was conveyed
in telegram from Logansport yesterday
noon. The trouble was preciptated by the
quarrel with Governor Matthews over the
appointment of j. e. Mccullough as a
member of the State election board. The
ballot law provides that the board shall be
composed of the Governor and one repre-
sentative of each OF the dominant parties
who shall be appointed by the Governor
upon recommendation of the chairman of
the State committee. Two weeks ago Mr..
Holt recommended Mr.. Mccullough but
the Governor demurred. He and the lead
ers of the free-silver extremists had deter
mined to shut the National Democrats off
the ballot sheet, and in order to do this
they wanted the Popocratic member of the
board and its clerk to be men who would
act as their willing tools in constituting the
law. Mccullough had been a sound-money
man before the convention, but had since
dropped into line for the ticket; yet he is
not the kind of a man who would stoop
to political trickery and would probably
construe the law conscientiously.
On Tuesday afternoon the Governor and
Mr.. Holt had very salty interview on
this subject in which the Governor under
took to command, and Holt caught him up
short by declaring that bulldozing tactics
would be of no avail. After the conference
the Governor still declined to confirm the
appointment of Mccullough and thus has
tened Mr.. Holt's determination to resign
and he sent out kilograms to the members
of his committee asking them to meet at
the Grand Hotel at IL o'clock this morning
to consider his resignation. Ex-senator
Rufus Magee. of Logansport. wired back
that If the chairman retires his resignation
must also be accepted There are seven
sound-money members of the committee
who have been passively supporting the
Chicago ticket, and it is not impossible that
all will resign.
BREAKING OF THE FORCES.
This breaking up of the State organiza-
ton has been in a measure Anticipated
ever since the Chicago convention. Before
the Indiana State convention was held
Chairman Holt was an outspoken advocate
of sound money. though his official position
with the committee prevented him from
actively participating in the sound-money
campaign A couple of weeks before the
State convention a general conference Of
the Democratic silver leaders was held at
the Statehouse behind closed doors, and
in this conference Mr.. Holt came in for
some very severe censure. c. F. McNutt
one of the silver extremists, declared on the
floor of this meeting that Holt had been
heard to say that he would rather see the
State go fifty thousand Republican than to
see free silver win, and he demanded that
this story be investigated. A committee
was appointed, headed by d. f. Allen for
the purpose Of asking Holt the truth
of this. The committee did not find Holt
and never got AN answer. After the State
and national conventions declared for sill
Yer Holt declared his loyalty to the plat
form and ticket. At the time of the State
convention the silver crowd had formed a
committee composed of one from each dis
trict, headed by Allen W. Clark, with the
intention of usurping the powers of the
State committee, but the candidates
stepped in and prevailed upon these gentle
men to subside, and CIarks committee has
since been in a state of desuetude
After the Chicago convention Mr. Holt
went to work with zeal and energy in the
effort to organize the State for Bryan pu1
he has met with continued discoura cement
from the start. He found four-ffths of the
men who had been in the habit of bearing
the financial burdens of Democratic cam
paigns either declaring that they would
vote for Mckinley, acting with the Ma
tionai Democrats or. undecided as to their
position and not willing TO contribute. Men
sent out to canvass for funds in the strong
Democratic counties came back empty
handed.
On the other hand, instead of being helped
he has been persistently obstructed and
handicapped by the silver extremists, such
as d. f. Allen, Allen ", Clark. T. e. John
son and other leaders of the new aispensa-
ton. At the first meeting of the commit
tee after the Chicago convention these man
cndeavored to force the resignation of MIR
Holt but the State committee TO a man re-
auested him TO remain in charge, and in
deference it's wishes supplemented by
the expressed desire of every candidate on
the State ticket, he held on. The quarrel
with Governor Matthews over the appoint
ment of Mccullough came as the last straw
and he made up his mind to let go.
When told of the resignation last even-
Ing. Governor Matthews said he did not