The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-19
AN EARLY CONVENTION
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES. WANT
STRAIN OFF THEIR MINDS.
State Committee REFLECTS Chairman
Martin-Mnrch IL Limit for
County Organization.

The Democratic state committee met yes
terday morning with but two members alb
sent, John w Spencer. of Evansville, and
Peter II. Kruger, of Plymouth. Parks NJ
Martin, of Spencer, was reelected chair
man by acclamation and given authority to
appoint the secretary and executive COM
mittee. The matter of fixing the date for
the state convention was left to the execu-
tive committee, but resolution was adopt
ed fixing the ratio of representation at that
convention at one delegate for every 20O
votes and major fraction thereof cast Tor
the first Bryan elector in 1896. the ratio
of representation at the congressional and
other conventions was left to the local COM
mittees The most important action, beyond
the reelection of the state chairman, was
the adoption of a resolution requiring coun-
ty organizations to be perfected not later
than March IL.
The reorganization of the committee was
made the occasion for quite a gathering OF
the silver clans from over the State and
particularly of those seeking nomination to
Office. The Grand Hotel lobby was crowd
ed most of the day, but as the lumbermen
and Gamers were in session at the hotel,
every man present was not a Democrat.
Among the candidates who were active were
Samuel Ralston, of Lebanon, who wants to
try for secretary of state again, Joseph
Tanning, who has the same aspiration in
regarding to the authorship, Henry Stock
f1eth, of Evansville, and Hugh Dougherty.
OF Button, for the treasureship; and Jo-
seph l.. Reilly, Henry Warrum and Myron
d. King for the position of clerk of the
Supreme Court. There are more candidates
for these positions than are here mentioned
and in fact, every other Democrat in the
lobby seemed anxious for something. Among
the other hungry aspirants may be men
toned Gil McNutt, of Terre Haute, VINO
seems to have a walk away for attorney
general. John Miner. of this city, who is
giving his attention to defeating Mr.. Fan
ming for the nomination for state auditor;
w. II. Houk, of Marion, and M. ID. YontZ,
of this city, who are in the tree-tor-all race
for clerk of the Supreme Court, anu Jonn
A. Dair, of Portland, who wants 10 be state
treasurer Beside this aggregation OF talent
there were present a dozen or more OF the
big guns of the party. such as 5. T.. MorsS,
John G. Shanklin and Judge wizard New
Beyond the business of booming each oth-
er for nomnation there was htt1 Eha IN dr rn9
of opinion seemed to be for an early con-
vention, and after Chairman Martin APP
points the executive committee, which he
will do in a short time, it is likely that a
call will be issued for the convention about
the middle of June The candidates VINO
We're on the TICKET TWO years d5O eiS tOiiHSN
in a strong coalition and seem to be in con-
troll of the situation. 1t is their influence
that dictates an early convention ana II
may be convened even as soon as the latter
part of May. Some talk was INDUCED in
during the day looking to contesting the ap-
portionment law of 1897, but 1t was only
talk. The Democrats are not going TO con-
test the law any more than the Republicans
are, for the very good reason that ther9
would be no other apportionment law to
fall back on if the present law were de-
clared unconstitutional. AS for the rest OF
the talk in the lobby, it was simply a re-
hash of Democratic sentiment about the
platform of 1886 and other threadbare
themes.
The committee held what it termed an
open meeting in the afternoon About TWEEN
ty-five men were crowded in one. little
room and speeches were made by such shin
ing lights as John G. Shanklin, David ).
Gooding, Judge Hackney, John Oyermyer,
Samuel Ralston, Thomas r. Marshall, John
Holtzman, Henry Warrum, Judge Buskirk.
f. j. Van Vorhis and Hugh Dougherty.
DIR. Van Vorhis, after webbing about for
several years, finally announced himself as
a Democrat and buried the hatchet which
he used against T. Taggart last fall. S. Il.
Wallace will continue as secretary OF the
committee.