The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-29
DEFENDS THE POLITICIAN.
Gen. Lew Wallace Declares He Is a
Necessity.

There were loud and persistent demands
for Cen Lew Wallace, and in response to a
call from the chair General Wallace made
his way forward from. the back of the room
and was received with warm enthusiasm.
He had listened to the speeches Of Senator
for the fact that he had caught cold the
night before, and his voice was not clear.
He had litened to the speeches Of Senator
Fairbanks and Governor Mount and said he
believed they covered the whole ground of
the political conditions of the time. He
spoke of the remarkable nature of this
gathering and said:
You are not delegates sent here to per-
form some special task, but you came here
each thinking that he might be of service.
This conference is composed OF men or ev-
tisan, the farmer, the soldier, the mechanic
the professional man, and even the pulpit
You are all politicians. And | mean to con-
vey no word of reproach in the word polti-
cian.' The politician is not 81 thing that
may be separated or segregated; The poll
tician is the whole people. And think, my
felow-citizens, that it is the safest protec-
ton to our government to know that each
man. whoever he may be, may become a
politician. The politician is the teacher
the business man. he runs our Swift-moving
engines. He is not creature to be deSplsed
or condemned. 1t is glorious that we have
politicians, and l respect them. The poll
tcian is a necessity.
"Of course, we take great pride in our
than I, and yet the youngest man in the
hall to-day may remember when Indiana
was a byWord and a token of reproach
There was not dirty or low story that
was not located in Indiana. But look what
the years have brought us; how we have
been lifted up, up. Where is the State to-
day that exercises more hearty influence on
the affairs of the Nation than Indiana?
THE worst thing that could happen to In
diana would be to take her from the list of
Republican States. Her advance in Repub-
licanism has been coordinate with her adj
recognition accorded to her by the people
of the country. We find our felloW-citizens
prominent in every direction of modern en-
deaVor and just now, when the American
people are demanding a conservative re-
form of the currency and are endeaVoring
this reform. we find one of our own fellow
citizens Mr.. Hugh H. Hanna, selected of
all the men in the country as the one most
fitted to lead this great movement, and we
know how thoroughly and how we'll he is
doing the work. His selection was a de-
teligence of Indiana and he is more than
Vindcating the confidence placed in him by
the business men of the country"
The last speaker before adjournment was
Will Cumback, who put the crowd into a
roaring humor with a good story at the
start In the course OF his talk he said:
Il am Il great admirer of our beloved
President, William Mckinley" he said. Il
was one of many candidates for Governor
last year. and ] was the only one who had
the courage to declare for William McKin-
ley. l talked with Mckinley on this ques-
system Yes, 1 replied, but what merit is
there in being a Democrat l am glad Mr.
Faris hadl the courage to declare himself
publicly aid emphatically."