The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-23
NO FUSION THIS YEAR
THE INDIANA POPULIsTS PUT OUT A
FULL STATE TICKET.
ROsenheImer. Backed by City officials
and other Democrats, Fails to
Capture the Convention.
THREE TURBULENT SESSIONS
MIDDLE-OF-T PLATFORM
FINALLY ADOPTED.
DIR. III. Ii. Morrison, of GreencastIe, for
Secretary of State--MOtzinger
Has His Day.

proceedings, the conduct OIL the DoQy cast
an unfavorabIe reflection on the knowledge
Possessed by the gentlemen regarding
Cushmans or any other manual There
was apparently not a man present who
knew any more about parliamentary pro-
eedure than he did about the fundamental
principles underlying the money question,
and this is saying d good deal. The result
was that more disorganized, helpless,
driveling convention could hardly be imag-
ined There were perhaps three hundred
men in the gathering, the most of whom
were ostensiole delegates, but whether they
were SO II fact no man can speak with as
surance. The convention literally did not
know who its members were nor what they
represented. Many Of them had not a
scratch of a pen that could pass for ere
dentials, and a great number came on their
own responsibility without having had the
formality of being chosen by any constit-
uents.
DEMOCRATIC WIRE PULLERS.
In the gathering there was quite no.
ticeable Democratic contingent, containing
such distinguished lights as the Hon. l.. c.
Buskirk the late cadi of Indianapolis; the
Hon. Myron King, late private secretary to
Mayor Taggart, and the Hon. Henry c.
Warrum- They were cheek by jowl with
Julius Rosenheimer and other of the lead
ing doctrinaires of Populism. Naturally
they were intently interested as to whether
the fusionists or the middle-of-the-roader
would carry the day, and when at last the
tail feathers of the fusionists were all
plucked out their visages dropped per-
ceptibly.
Motsinger, the -whiskered Svengali of
the party, as he is called, cast a shadow
over the whole convention. He came bent
on placing the Indianapolis Populists in the
Nashville organization of the middle-of-
the-roaders. He brought with him from the
southwest corner of the State the biggest
delegation to the convention and was en-
abled to completely dominate the
gathering in the end. The call for
the convention enabled him to do
this. Instead of basing the representa-
ton on the Populist vote cast in 1894 each
township and city ward of the State was
given the right to send a delegate. The
result was that places where Populists are
scareer than the teeth of fowls were well
represented, while districts such as Jasper
county were either poorly represented or
had no delegates at all.
The convention, by it's small size, it's lack
of representative qualities, it's aimless, UNI
certain course and its failure to accomplish
harmony in the ranks. was but an evidence
of the disrupted condition of the party and
its rapid disntegration. The fusionists are
getting ready to join the Democrats out
ana out, as they recognize in Bryan a true
blue Populist, while the middle-of- the-road-
ers will endeavor to make IL showing and
nominate a straight ticket against Bryan in
loo for the purpose of selling themselves
out TO the highest bidder.
ROSENHEIMER VS.. MOTSINGER.
When the convention assembled i'm the
morning State Chairman Rosenheimer at
tempted to call the body to order by virtue
of his office, but the Motsinger people i'm
mediately set the ball TO rolling by object
ing TO his right to act as temporary chair
man. Rosenheimer stoutly stood on his
rights, and the convention was involved in
Its tlrst chaotic struggle. In the midst of
the confusion many motions were made.
and when the votes were taken charges
were plentifully made that too many were
voting. Matters finally became so turbu-
lent that a strong will and an energetic
hand was the need of the hour and r. N
Lief, of Attica, volunteered himself to fiji
the bill. He deliberately constituted HIM
self the chairman, put motions, declared
their result and handled the gavel go mas
terly that the whole convention acquiesced
without a murmur against his usurpation.
Rosenheimer was the elected temporary
chairman and +. II. Craig. temporary Sec
rotary. After having established decorum,
Mr.. Lief apologiZed to the convention for
the favor he did it and retired amid APP
piause. After the announcement of the
members of the state committee and men,
berS OF the committees on resolutions, rules
and order and credentials, selected the
evening before by the district meetings, the
report of the committee on the rules and
order OF business was made and duly
adopted In accordance with this report,
Samuel Walker. of Hancock county be-
came permanent chairman; S. A. Stockwell,
OF Putnam county, permanent secretary,
and Silas Hilton, sergeant at arms. After
attempting to take a collection of S. from
each county, not very successful enter
prise, the convention adjourned at l o'clock.
The afternoon session of the convention
was one long continuous wrange over the
question of electing three members of the
national committee. The committeeman
elected by the degelates to the last national
convention were w s. Austin. of Floyd
county; w. II. Fernandes, of Madison
county, and Joshua Strange, of Grant
county. One of the main purposes sought
to be accomplished by Motsinger and the
middle-of-the-rOaders in the convention was
to GUST these men and put in their places
individuals of their own way of thinking,
who would assist in the reorganization of
the national committee against Butler and
Bryan. Motsinger also had a personal fight
to make on Fernandes, who recently
showed him up in an unfavorable light be-
fore the world AS TO the right OF the state
convention to elect national committeeman
there was much grounds for argument, but
the middle-of-the-roaders based their pro-
cedure on resolution adopted by the ma
tional convention permitting the state con-
ventions to elect the committeeman. The
report of the committee on rules contained
a provision calling for the electing of the
committeeman, and as the report had been
adopted the middle-of- the-roaders de-
manded that the provision be carried out.
As the terms of the incumbents had not
expired, motion was made to declare their
places vacant. but after much confusion
the several committeeman decided that it
devolved upon them as respectable gentle
men to resign. Fernandes said that he was
willing to be kicked out any time the party
wanted to try the feat, and the others
spoke in an equally pleasant strain. Dur
ing this interesting phase of the proceed
ings Motsinger denounced "A ruling of the
chair as gag law
NO YOKING TO AN Ass.
Take your seat. siri yelled the chair
man, and Mr.. Motslnger sat down. SUISSE
quentIy rising to question of personal
privilege Motsinger said there was a dis
position by some to trampe upon the feel
ings OF others IN the convention. and that
there were good reasons why there should
be a straight Populist ticket in 1900 and why