The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-05
sUPT. OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
Frank l.. Jones Secures the Nominal
ton on the Second Ballot.

There was considerable confusion in the
convention hall as the balloting for nomi-
ness for superintendent of public instruction
began. There were four candidates.. w.
Davidson, of the First district, Frank L.
Jones, of the Ninth, E. G. Machan, of the
Twelfth. and P. P. Stultz, of the Second.
The Second district was passed in the call
by districts and the balloting was about to
proceed without Mr.. Stultzs name being
presented, but the situation was discovered
in time to prevent the error. There was
probably as stubborn a contest over this
nomination as over the more conspicuous
places, although it attracted less attention.
But that the delegates realized the mpor-
lance of the Office and recognized the ne
cessty for nominating a thoroughly compe-
tent man was demonstrated by the active
electioneering on the floor of the hall as the
voting proceeded. AS in other contests
there was some curiosity as to how Marion
county's 1877 votes would be divided. but
there was no cause for anxiety from the
candidates on this point, as the big delega-
ton maintained its policy of dividing up it's
vote. On this roll call Davidson received %.
Jones. a. Machan IA and Stultz H. The vote
given Jones was the largest that Marion
county cast for any candidate on the first
ballot. A good deal of work had been done
here among the Marion county delegates by
local schoolmen who favored Jones. He and
Machan seemed to be receiving the bulk of
the votes, with Jones considerably in the
lead, as the announcement of the vote
showed. 1t was as tolloWs:
Jones .72l12
Mdcndn .....'-.''............... 1862
Davidson NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 295b
Stultz ........-............... .1l212
No nomination having been made the sec
ond ballot proceeded The roll of counties
had scarcely begun before it was clear that
the real contest mad narrowed Gown to Jones
and Machan, with the former making gains
rapidly enough to soon gain the eighty
eight votes he had needed on the preceding
ballot. This time Marion county cast eighty
three votes for Jones, fifty-three for
Machan and one for Davidson. This was a
gain for Machan of thrty-nine votes but
made but little difference on the final result
Following was the result of the second bal.
lot as announced by the chair
Jones ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $751;
DAVIDSON ............. ........,...........-...O
Stultz ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 20
There seems to be an error of one vote, a.
the totals given above make 1,6l7 votes
while there should have been but 1,616. Mr.
Jones declared to be the nominee. 2
motion made by Mr.. Machan and seconded
by Mr.. Davidson to make the nomination
unanimous carried, and Mr.. Jones wa:
called out for a speech He was loudly an
plauded he thanked his friends for theil
efforts in his behalf and expressed his APP
probation of the conventions kindness to
him.
No ballot was taken for state statistcian
as but one name was before the convention
The name of Hyder Polling, of Needmore
Brown county, who had been mentioned 70
this nomination, was not submitted WheT
the roll call ended with only the name O.
John B. Conner, of this city. having been
submitted, Will Cumback gained recogni
ton, and his motion that the nomination o.
Mr.. Conner be made unanimous carried
John Il. Conner. a member from thi.
county of the Legislature of 1879. introduced
the bill which created the State Bureau OF
Statistics. and Governor Porter appointed
him the first chief of the bureau. He served
two years. After that the Office became
elective In April 1897. Governor Mount
appointed him to fill the vacancy which ha6
occurred in the statistician's Office. In tn,