The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-28
BAILEY ALSO A POPULIST
INDORsED BY THE RABID ELEMENT
AT GREENWOOD CONVENTION.
Agreed to Give the Popuiists Two
Places On Democratic Ticket
This Week.

Twenty-Five of the Populist leaders of this
congressional district held convention yes
terday al Greenwood. 1t had been an
Eounced. after a conference of the leaders
a few weeks ago. that the party would have
nothing TO do with the Democrats, and
would nominate candidate for Congress.
However, Leon o. Bailey, Democratic cam
didate for Congress. sent representative,
in the person of Frank Shepherd, to the
convention. and by promising that the Pop
ulists should have two places on the Demo-
cratic ticket succeeded in preventing the
nomination of Populist candidate for Con-
gress and in having the convention indorse
Bailey as the free silver candidate and
man worthy of Populists' votes. 1t was an
nounced that the two Populist leaders who
will be put on the Democratic ticket are
Frank Shepherd. for the Legislature, and
Harrison Ogborn. for justice of the peace.
Shepherd has shown many signs of being
Democrat at heart, but he poses as Popu-
list. Ogborn is a Populist to the core.
Therefore Bailey has affiliated himself both
with the "Demo-Pops' and the straight
Popuists
Some time ago Bailey told a prominent
Pcpulist that if the Populists would indorse
his candidacy he would see that they Sc
cured two places on the Democratic ticket.
He said that he did not want the fact that
he had made his promise advertised from
the housetops or talked of where his gold
Democratic friends would hear of it, He
backed up his promise by saying that if
the Democrats did not give the Populists
two places on the ticket, as he had prom
Used. there would be plenty of time for
them to hold convention afterward and
nominate a candidate for Congress. He
urged the Populists to hold no convention
until it was determined by the Democratic
convention whether or not the Populists
should have two places on the ticket Never
tEeless the Populists decided to hold a con-
vention. Several of them could not recon-
cile themselves to supporting Bailey. They
said he was gold Democrat and was hand
in hand with the Taggart ring. Therefore,
when Shepherd arose in the convention at
Greenwood and said he was the representa-
tive of Bailey and made the offer which
Bailey had instructed him to make, some
opposition to accepting it developed. AT
this critical time N. H. Motsinger, the nom
descript, arose and denounced the members
of the convention. He said that if he had
known it was to have been a Democratic
convention he would not have been present.
cradle to do with swinging the delegates
over to Shepherd. The Populists of this
district look with suspicion and disfavor
upon the Motsinger. At any rate, when
the resolutions providing that no candidate
should be nominated were presented there
was not a dissenting vote. The resolutions
adopted are as follows:
Resolved. That we indorse and adhere
10 the platform of the Peoples party, made
at Omaha and reaffirmed at st. Louis, and
also the state platform of 1898, made at In
dianapOliS.
THAT we condemn in the most unqualified
manner the bill prepared by the gold stand
ard monetary commission and introduced in
Congress by Representative Overstreet.
THAT we realize that while we have polit-
ical independence our financial and indus
trial independence is yet to be attained; and
with this spirit it is the sense of this con-
vention that no candidate for the office of
Congress be nominated by the Populists of
this district.
THAT the Populists of the Seventh dis
trict continue their work and effort to edu-
cate and instruct the people in true Popu-
Marion and Johnson counties are instructed
to pursue the usual work devolving upon
them to carry on such campaign work..
When the Populists of this city who at
tended the convention returned they said
that they had Endorsed Bailey because they
had hoped they would get the support of
the free-silver Democrats of the county for
the Populsts county ticket. They had been
assured by Bailey and his representatives
that Bailey was fiat-footed for free silver,
and therefore against the Taggart ring.
They were little dubious as to the truth
of the latter statement, and they had heard
the stories about Bailey being at heart
gold Democrat, but they had not sufficient
evidence of it to feel that it was a fact.
a convention in this city Oct. 3 and the
leaders assert positively that a full Popu-
list, free-silver ticket will be put in the
field. They will resist all overtures from
the Taggart people, they say. They also
tell the story that the free-silver Demo-
Gratis of the county, amounting to several
hundred, have assured the Populists.
through their representatives. that they will
support the Populist county ticket rather
than the Democratic, or Taggart, ticket al
ready nominated. The Populists know that
the Democratic county ticket, led by
"Dore' Johnson and w. w. Spencer, is
thoroughly under Taggart's control and
they are bitter against the candidates. 1t is
said that the free-Silver Democrats have ap-
pointed a committee to wait on the Demo-
cratic county candidates and get from them
positive statements as to where they stand
on the money question. The PopuliStS hope
lOr so!ne 1dNOr from the lree-SlVer LemO-
Gratis because of their having Endorsed
Bailey.
There is another side to the matter, ac-
cording to some politicians. These gossipers
relate that Bailey is playing on two strings.
The story goes that Bailey has been telling
his sound money Democratic friends that
he will not pay attention to the free-siver
people and their cause, and has at the same
time been assuring the free-slver Demo-
Gratis and the Populists that he is
thorough free-silver man. The fact that he
PODuliStS
promise to them to get them two places
on the Democratic ticket gives credence to
the politicians story.
1t is predicted that before the campaign
is over Bailey will have a troublesome time
riding two horses al once. Some of the Pop
ulist leaders frankly admit that they were
smoothly worked by Bailey and his friend
Shepherd. but they assert that their county
convention will be iron armored and proof
against assail by the Taggart ring.