The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-01
MIDSUMM FR
POLITICS
STATE COMMITTEE WILL KEEP orr
OF FOURTH DISTRICT CAMPAIGN.
comments Mt Meeting Yesterday ON
democratic Assumption of Power
over PODuIists-The Candidate.

The meeting of the Republican state corn
mittee, held yesterday. was called at the
meeting last April when George McCul-
ioch was elected chairman to succeed John
X. Gowdy. At that time no important BUSH
ness was foreseen but it was deemed ad-
Fisable to hold summer meeting to settle
UP some small financial matters and to
consider any questions which might arise
meantime.
There was but little for the committee to
90 yesterday. Barely a quorum was pres
ent' The committeeman present were: S.
Il. kercheval, of the First district; j. E.
Caskey of the Fourth; L. p Mitchell. of
the Sixth; j. W. Fesler, of the Seventh;
NJ. L. Case, of the Eighth; Fred A. Sims,
of the Ninth; George w. Holman. of the
Thirteenth Chairman McCulloch and Sec
rotary Mansfield. The campaign now
about to begin in the Fourth district was
not discussed formally though the mem
bers talked of it. The feeling seemed to
prevail that the state committee should
take no active part in the campaign. The
district committeeman has his own forces
we'll organized, and the committee felt that
II left 10 him the work would be well taken
care Of. This is no season for active cam
harvesting and other farm duties and if they
spare time to go to the polls on the day of
the election they will be doing all that can
be expected of them. They have no time to
attend meetings and listen to political ad-
dresses.
The attitude of the Democratic party
toward Populists was remarked upon.
Last fall there was complete fusion be-
tween those two parties in the Fourth dis
trict, and the Democrats seem infatuated
with the idea that on that account they
snail continue TO control the Populists of
the district The Populists, however, have
shown their intention of rebuilding their
party by the nomination of the Rev L.
NJ. Browder, of Greensburg, for Congress.
1t was denied yesterday morning by the
Sentinel that the right of the Populist
party to print the name of their candi-
date on the ballot had been questioned as
was stated in the Journal recently. The
oenlal seems strange, with the records in
the secretary Of states office to show that
secn question was raised by the editor
OF the Nonconformist, the state organ of
the POpullst party His question was
lodged with the secretary of state who in
return sought Attorney General Ketchams
opinion on the matter. 1t was his opinion
that was published in the Journal but
missed by the representative of the SEN
tinel who made a trip through the State
house the day the opinion was given out
According to the opinion of the attorney
general, the Populists have the right TO
put their ticket in the field and upon the
ballots without formality. and this the Pop
ulists intend to do. They have already
nominated candidate and Will make
hard hight for support throughout the dis
trict.
FOURTH DISTRICT CAMPAIGN
The Fourth congressional district is COM
posed of the counties of Bartholomew.
Brown, Decatur Dearborn, Jackson, JEFF
forson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley and Switzer-
land. 1t was thus formed by the Legisla-
ture OF 1885, The same counties in 1892 gave
a Democratic plurality of 2,455, and in 1894
a Republican plurality of. 1881. In 1896 Will
liam S. Holman was elected to Congress by
a plurality of 825 votes. This did not. how
ever, represent the normal vote. for Hol-
man was prime favorite and ran ahead of
MS ticket ShiVely received only 80 more
votes for Governor than Mount. The pres
ldentlal vote was probably more nearly nor
maj or the Democratic electors there We're
cast $3.50 votes while the Republican
ticket received $780, a Democratic plurality
OF 740 votes.
This normal vote has to be more than
overcome this year, for the reason that
fewer votes will be polled and the percent
age of gain has to be greater. 1t is be-
neVed by the Republicans of the district
that they can carry the district without
great effort, though, of course. this eff
fort will not be lacking. A great deal is
hoped on account of the great popularity
OF the Republican candidate. Maj. Charles
W Lee. He is now pretty well known
throughout the district and expects to
ever he goes. it is declared by those
who know him, he will make hosts of
friends. He is soldier, a farmer. a
preacher, Mason, an Odd Fellow, a
Knight of Pythias and Red Man. He is a
good taIker and splendid man in every re-
ing been pastor of Edwin Ray NJ. Z. Church
for several years. The following is a short
biographical sketch furnished by one of his
friends in this city:
SKETCH OF THE CANDIDATE
Major Charles Warren Lee, a descend
ant of the historical Lee family of Vir-
ginia, is native of Cotton township,
Switzerland county, Indiana. He was born
on a farm fifty-siX years ago. where he
spent his boyhood days At the age of
eighteen he entered the Moores Hill Col
lege, where he remained for two years
until the civil war broke out, wllen he en-
listed a private in Company a, Third
Indiana Cavalry. He was soon recognized
by comrades and officers as a young man
of courage and ability and was gradually
promoted until at the end of four years
and eight months active campaigning he
was commissioned br'eVet major for brave
a half of his military life was spent upon
the staff of that brave. fearless and dash
ing commander, General Custer. When he
could be of no further service to his coun-
try as a soldier, he returned to his farm
in Switzerland county, where he remained
for five years. In 1870 he entered the min
istry of the NJ. + Church, and for twenty
five years his time and strength were de-
voted TO this labor. He was stationed at
Versailles, Ripley county, four years; at
Hartford, Ohio county, three years at
HardentOWn, Dearborn county, three years
at Edinburg, Johnson county, three years F.:
at Lawrenceburg, Dearborn county three
years in Indianapolis five years and at
Franklin, Johnson county, three years. His
of his church, and not by his popularity.
for he never lived in a community which
would not have retained him longer or
welcomed his return. Several years ago
he retired from the ministry to his farm
in Switzerland county, and has now been
called from this retirement by the Repub-
ucanS of the Fourth district to bear their
standard in the coming special election. Mr.
Lees ntty-SIX years nave been we'll spent
in the service of his country and for the
good of his fellow-men, and the voters of
the Fourth district could not find a more
worthy or competent man to represent
them in the Congress of the United
States.
During all of Mr.. Lees career he has
been the friend of the poor as well as the
rich, the unfortunate as We'll as the lucky
Individual and as he has been the friend Of
all humanity in the past so Will he remain
the champion of the Individual interests Of
his constituents when he represents them
at the seat OF government. In short, TO
quote from one who has known him for
many years, 'Soctable. natural. frank. sin