The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-06
MAI. LEES %MAGNANIMITY
WILL NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
DEMOCRATS FATAL BLUNDERS.
No Doubt of Republican Victory in
Fourth District if thu Election
Law Is Enforced.

%~ NAAp~ &Ao III AAAS GOuAA 1
overlooked a point Of the election law and,
were it not for the magnanimity of Major
Lee, the Republican candidate for Con-
gress. their blunder would have left 10
doubt whatever of the outcome in the dis
trlct. The election law is mandatory in
declaring that nominations must De certi-
fled to not more than sixty nor less than
fifteen days before the election. The Dem
ocrats filed their certificates Of the nominal
ton of Marion Griffith in every county
right after their convention, sixty-five days
before the election. Their state committee
happened to notice this point of the law
and under its instruction the certificates
were, on July II. withdrawn and relied in
every county but Ohio. Here, through
carelessness or failure to receive the in
structions, the original fling was permitted
to stand.
The law is perfectly clear upon the point
and the officers Of the Republican county
committee Intended to enforce it. They
have a majority of the election board and
could have prevented the printing Of the
name of Griffith upon the official ballot.
However, Major Lee was consulted upon
the matter and expressed himself as very
strongly opposed to this method of pro-
cedure. He said he believed he would win
the fight and he did not want his victory
to be marred by any bad feeling. L. deed
he would ~ather lose than win upon a
technicality or take advantage of the neg
lect of his opponents party officers to do
their duty. Thus the name will be printed
upon the ballot, but d. S. Wilbur, the Re
publican county chairman, has declared his
intention of protesting the printing and the
counting Of the votes.
As the time approaches for the special
election Mr.. Griffith, the Democratic candi-
date, finds himself being deserted by the
voters in both elements of his party, and
the chances Of his election are becoming
more remote every day. The radical free
silver advocates charge him with being a
gold bug, while the sound-money Demo
Gratis refuse TO support him because he is
preaching the silver heresy and deprecated
dollars through the district. The Fevay
Reveille publishes the following, embodying
a statement from Martin Funk. a Demo-
cratic farmer of Switzerland county:
Marion Griffith, the Democratic candi-
date for Congress in this district, is a re-
cratic county mass convention held in Veyay
on Saturday, June 16, 1884, Mr.. Griffith pre-
sided and resolutions were passed indorsing
the administration of President Cleveland.
Mr.. Funk was one of the on
resolutions, was a Cleveland man and for
the gold standard, just where he stands to-
day. He says that he suggested to the
other members of the committee on resolu-
tions that Carlisle as well as Cleveland be
Endorsed and did SO more particularly on
account Of their sound-money views. No
one on the committee objected to this and
the resolution passed without opposition.
He says that Mr.. Griffith then stood on
the sound-money platform. Mr.. Funk de-
cIareS that he will not vote for Griffith on
account of his position on the money ques-
ton and that many other Democrats in
switzerland county will not vote for him."
Thn AM Fn IN 4hA . nArr %I@&
no mistake was made in the nomination of
their candidate, Major Charles W. Lee.
Major Lee has been going among the peo-
pie making a personal canvass and a hand
shaking but d~ignifed campaign. lie has
made friends for himself and the party
wherever he has gone, and after having
expresses himself as very confident of his
election.
An important factor in the Fourth district
election will be the soldier vote. Many OF
those who served their country so herOical-
ly during the trying times from 81 to '65
are now incapacitated by age and by dis
ease contracted on the march and in the
camp from active service, but these facts
tend to strengthen and unite more closely
the bonds Of comradeship and the love of
the veterans one for another. These facts
are demonstrated by the way the old SOL
diers in the Fourth congressional district
are %rallying to the support of Major Lee.
In recent years the late Judge Holman re-
CeiVed a large number of soldier votes in
his district because of his ~well-knOwn kind
ness to the soldiers in looking after their
interests in the pension department. The
Democrats have nominated a man who is
not a soldier and whose ~sympathies are not
with the old veteran. The Republicans
nominated a gallant soldier. who enlisted
in his country's service when but a boy
and served four Yeas and eight months.
Much of the credit for the excellent or
ganization of the Republican party in the
district is due to the soldiers, who are
making a special effort to elect one of their
number to Congress, as the district has
never been represented by a soldier.