The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-19
FIGHTING FOR CONTROL.
and the Opposition Marshal
Forces at Lexington.

~ eOhs
LEXINGTON, KY, July 1S.-The dele
gates are not all here to-day for the DEM
ocratic state convention tomorrow, but
the candidates and their workers are all
on hand. Quite a delegation of state Of
icials and others came with Governor
Beckham from Frankfort, while the friends
OF McCreary. Black. Tarvin. Lewis. Smith.
Garnett and Pryor are also here. Judge
Black has the most aggressive anti-Beck-
ham delegations here for him.. Frequent
references are made to another invasion
of the m~ountaineers' on account of those
here outside of the delegates in supper of
Black. 1t is thought that Beckham will
have less trouble with the contests before
the committee on credentials. and with
both the temporary and the permanent
organization of the convention than he will
have with the committee on resolutions.
The platform will be adopted before the
nomination for Governor is made, and If
the plank on the modification of the Goebel
law is not satisfactory there may be a
motion on the floor of the convention to
change 1t. If the minority report of the
committee on resolutions is adopted over
the majority report which the Beckham men
expect to submit, then the field of candi-
dates against Beckham will make a des-
perate fight. They admit that their hope
lies in the differences between the Beck
ham delegates on this plank of the plat
form and the Generalization of the Beck
ham forces that may follow the report on
resolutions.
The Beckham lines nave held out all
day and until late tonight unbroken, but
the opposition insists that it is gaining
ground and that it will contest every move
ment made in the convention tomorrow.
The state committee will not recommend
any one for temporary chairman of the
convention. The Beckham men will pre-
sent Judge Robbins and the opposition
will move at once to substitute
Judge Peake. While the opposition
is not as strong on the question of organ
izing the convention as on the issue for
the modification of the Goebel election
law, yet the field will make its first stand
for Peake for chairman, as that is the
first business in order. If beaten on the
first order of business the opposition in
Sists that il will measure strength with
the Beckham men on every other order
of business as IL is reached, until after
the platform is adopted. 1t beaten on all
these questions and in the reports of all
the committees it is not likely hat the OPP
position will present the names of any of
those in the field against Beckham. But it
is certainly making a hard fight on Beck
ham tonight.
Senator Blackburn Is working for Judge
Lewis FOR Governor and there is an army
of mountaineers here for Judge Black,
while Ex-Governor McCreary is a recep-
tive candidate of more thar the usual dark
horse class. As Governor Beckham is quite
a young man ii was called the contest be-
tween 1.-The kids and 1.-The mossbacks" at
first, but tonight the latter have shifted
the scenes so as to call IL q contest be-
tween ''Goebelism" and "a new de-
parture." They insist that Governor Beck
ham is not only committed to the Goebel
election law, but that he also represents
all that has been charged against the
party during the past eVentful year. Those
advocating "a new departure and a new
man" say that the party will be on the
defensive with Beckham, who could be
no stronger than Goebel under the same
election law and the same other conditions,
while with a new man and a plank for
the modification of the GOebel election law,
the party would be more united and ag-
gressive. Many other are used
by the field against the young Governor,
but the state committeeman, state officers,
attaches of state institutions and other or
ganizers are for Beckham, and they keep
their men well in line so that it will re-
quire a radical change in the situation to
defeat him.
Judge ]. E. Robbins. of Mayfeld, who
is the Beckham nan for temporary chair
man, was to have been here for a confer
cnce tonight, but he missed connection at
Louisville and will not arrive until to-
morrow noon.