The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-17
A DEMOCRATIC POWWOW
STATE CONVENTION WILL BE HELD
NEXT WEDNESDAY.
The HaIf-Breed SiIverites Needless of
the Demand of the Ultras for
POstponement.

Next week the remnants of the Demo-
cratic party of Indiana are going to hold
state convention. This momentous event
Will occur at Tomlinson Hall Wednesday,
June p. in spite of the judgment of the
sensible men of the party, who realize that
nothing is to be gained and everything is
to be lost by assembling at this time. The
wise men of the party, however, do not live
in Indianapolis, and only those who do live
here and are interested in, or absolutely be-
long TO, the Taggart gubernatorial boom
are going to have anything to say about
when the convention is to be held, or what
it is to do. Taggart himself, a long time
ago, imagined that it would be a mighty
fine thing to have the convention about this
time. thinking that a great deal Of political
capital might be made out of the war situa-
ton, and that the Democratic party could
do no better than to assemble, assail the
administration for delay" nominate it's
candidates and adjourn.
Now the Taggart regime realizes that the
only sensible course which might have been
pursued by the national administration has
been pursued-that the only wise course was
to wait until an army properly drilled, prop
erly equipped, properly ammuntioned, prop
erly armed, was ready to begin the assault
on the Dons. This fact has not only i'm
pressed itself on the Taggart ring but has
also appealed to the Democratic press of the
State at large, and every man who marches
under the banner of that party knows that
no political advantage is to be gained by
assaulting the administration on the con-
duct of the war up to date, and all of them
wish in their hearts that the convention
might have been called at later date, or
- s-1k I~A.
called at all.
why was the convention called for next
Wednesday," asked a Journal man of one
of the most prominent Marion county, Demo-
Gratis yesterday.
Il really don't know" said he, with an
attempt at pleasantly. Between you and
me it was about the most unwise thing that
any party ever did. When we are asked
why it was called at this time suppose
we can say we wanted to get it over before
wheat threshing begins. Then you know"
he added with a giggle, "the farmers down
in Ripley county want to begin pickin' their
blackberries next week"
The Marion county Democrats who want
to run things and boost the Taggart guber-
Material boom along are good deal like the
boy with a hot egg in his hand. If he let's
it drop the egg will break If he holds it It
will burn his hand. So there you are. They
have called the convention and dare not
postpone it.
What shall we put in our PLATFORM" is
the question over which Samuel e. Morss,
Thomas Taggart and others of the regime
are spending sleepless nights.
SILVER AND ANTI-SILVER FIGHT.
If anybody has any doubts as to why the
convention was to be held so early these
doubts have been entirely dispelled by the
events of the last few days. Thomas Tag
CART. Samuel E. Morss and others of The So
called half-breed silver men have done every
thing and are doing everything to heal over
the breaches between the half breed wing
and the ultra silver men without losing sight
of the fact that if they are to win they must
obtain control of the organization. 1t has
been their idea that the silver men would
be found sleeping on their oars thus early
In the campaign. and that by sudden and
vigorous action they might be turned down
and the gold men obtain control at the
primaries and thus dominate the convention.
The programme Of the half-hearted silver
men like Taggart is to allow the gold men
to so. dominate the convention that there
shail be no silver ring in the platform and
1t shall rather sound out the mellow tones
of gold If either of the precious metals is
allowed to sound forth its notes in the con-
Vention. To the onlooker the fact that the
gold Democrats who were so outspoken in
favor of a state convention and of nomi-
lldllIlS CONGRESSIONAL cdnGlQdt6S nave not
been heard from since early in the winter,
and that their men are taking an active
interest in the formation of the primaries
to select delegates to the convention, is a
significant fact. pointing to the desire for a
union of the gold and silver factions of the
party by such leaders as Thomas Taggart.
the push John Gilbert Shanklin and other
men of that caliber. Throughout the State
there is protest against the early conven-
ton, but the protests are of no avail
There is a well-grounded belief that Parks
Martin. chairman of the committee has a
desire to be brigadier, general in the army.
IF he has no better idea about conducting
a war" said one Democrat, than he had
of conducting state central committee of
Democrats. he had better stay at home and
pillow turnips.
Taggarts ring expects to and will control
the convention. There is a dearth of cam
didates for the state offices. and the Tag
any sort of a contest. One of the most
prominent Democrats of Indianapolis, and a
man who stands as close to Thomas Tag
CART as any man, last night made the fol-
lowing prediction as to the nominees:
Secretary of State-Samuel Ralston, Leb-
anon.
Treasurer-Hugh Doherty, Bluffton.
Auditor of State-Joseph T. Tanning, of
Indianapolis
Attorney General-John G.. McNutt, Terre
Haute.
Reporter of the Supreme Court-Alen w.
Clark, king of all the push" Greensburg.
SO insecure are the Democrats of the re-
suit that no one of any caliber has been
found willing to run for state statistician or
superintendent of public. instruction. There
Edgar A. Brown, of the Marion Circuit
Court, will be the Indianapolis nominee for
judge of the Appellate Court. The same in
tiuential Democrat who stands as close to
Taggart as any man. predicted that the
Supreme Judges McCabe, Hackney and
Howard would be nominated. There does
not seem to be much doubt that the ultra
silver men of the party will be turned down.
The local leaders OF the party claim that
to hos
to preside over the convention, which Tag
CART. Martin, Allen. Spencer and others say
will be held next Wednesday, in spite of the
outside protests.