The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-06
THIRTEEN IN POLITICS.

A member of the Indiana Republican state
committee has received the following com
munication: Il am not slperstitous in mat
tiers of everyday life, but let me advise you
as old. true and tried Republican to use
your every effort to have the number Of
our new state committee changed from
thirteen to either eleven or fifteen. There
is undoubtedly fatality connected with
thirteen that cannot be gainsaid; and much
as / would love to see Benjamin Harrison a
candidate for senator from our State, /
would fear results under the dictation of a
state committee composed of that unnucky
number IS which, in my humble opinion,
would jeopardize Republican success in the
State. Try and quietly have it changed. If
not-mark what have written"
This epistle, which comes from Washing
ton d. c., and bears the signature, IAN
Old Indiana Republican," is assurance that
the best interests of the party and State are
not forgotten by former residents. 1t has
been asserted by ill-natured and ill-informed
persons that the Indianian once established
in Washington under the civil service soon
ceases to care whether his old State goes
to the political bowwows or not, but this
is welcome proof to the contrary. To be
sure, the writer does not say that he is an
office holder, but the fact that he is an In
dianian in Washington may be accepted as
evidence that he is; and if he is an office
holder he is safely and securely ensconced
under the civil-service rules, and any
thought he may give to his old State is
purely unselfish and gratuitous. 1t has re-
NAMED for this friend away at the national
capital to first discover the peril threaten
ing the Republican party, the first to point
out the danger that interpretations people
at home might have seen but did not. The
circumstance that the division of the State
into thirteen districts was made years ago,
and that the State has since helped to elect
at least three Republican Presidents and
several Republican senators does not in the
least alter the ominous character of the
number 10; nor does the other circumstance
that the Democratic party of Indiana has
the same thirteen districts and a commit
tee of thirteen The fateful number may
choose this year of all others to wreak it's
evil spell upon the Republican instead of
the Democratic she, ana 1T DenOONeS IHS
Republican committee now that it has re-
ceived due warning, to look out for the pub
lie interests and avert the danger. The
committee, of course, has not the power to
consolidate two districts nor to subdivide
any of them, but there are other ways of
evading doom. 1t might follow the sugges-
ton of the letter and adopt the plan so we'll
known to hotel men of remembering the dis
tricts and ignoring Is, label the one follow
ing Il with the number IA" Or, if this be
not considered satisfactory, the member
from the thirteenth might consolidate, as
it were, with the number of another dis
trict; that is, he might vote alternately
with the representative of another district
and thus both be sufficiently represented
and the too significant figure never be men
toned. But, with the danger once pointed
out, there are numerous ways of escape.
And whatever may befall it is satisfaction
to know that gentleman not at all super
stitious has called attention to the matter.