The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-11
A DEMOCRATIC P0WWOW
THE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE MEETS
AT THE GRAND OTEL.
Time Of Holding the Convention Not
Fixed-TroubIe Over Selection
Of q Secretary.

The campaign committee Of the Demo-
cratic state central committee met last
night at the Grand Hotel, but the an
nouncement was made hat 1t had reached
no official conclusions, because of the alb
scnce of Edwin J. Forest, of Crown Point,
the rules of the committee providing that
no binding action may be taken unless all
members are present. 1t had been expected
that Mr.. Forest would be on hand and
therefore the meeting was not opened until
very late and 1t was nearly midnight when
the members separated. 1t was decided,
informally, however, to hold the state con-
vention before the Republican state con-
vention is held, and a poll of those present
showed everyone favoring this action.
The sentiment was that it ought to be
fixed at either April Is or Is, and the exact
GATE will be named at the e meeting.
Those present were Chairman Parks M.
Martin, Clinton L. Rose, Senator Frank A.
Horner, u. s.. Jackson. Mayor Taggart and
r. II. Campbell, while Senator Joseph H.
Shea, of Scottsburg, and J.. II. McNutt. of
Martinsville, were there as interested spec
tators.
The question of the s~ecretaryship of the
Democratic state committee is apparently
still unsettled, although the statement has
Teen made in what has been considered to
be authoritive terms that Joseph Reilly. of
this city, had been selected. Fred Loftin,
Of Indianapolis, and Charles Mccullough, of
Brazil, who, with Harry Gates, of Ander-
son, have been active candidates for the
place since before the organization Of the
committee, held an Indignation meeting at
the Grand Hotel last night and brought
pressure to bear on Chairman Martin to
consider their claims. They decided that
the selection of any of the above-named
candidates would be acceptable to the rest.
but they said they would not submit tamely
to the selection of IAN outsider"
For about the tenth time the statement
was made last night that Mr.. Reilly would
not accept the place. although Mayor Tag
inclined to force him into the place. Com
mitteemen Campbell and Horner had the
interest OF Messrs. Gates and Mccullough,
respectively, In hand before the committee,
but Senator Horner stated when he left the
meeting that Mr.. Martin had made no Sc
lection as yet and that when he was asked
when he intended to appoint his secretary,
he said: How in the world am 1 ever GO
ing to do it?" indicating that the claims of
the partisans of the various candidates
were embarrassing to him. The disgruntled
candidates set some powerful machinery to
work last night, however. when they
caused it to be known in the committed
meeting that if an outsider were appointed,
they would use the entire influence of their
friends to have the convention held in some
outside city, probably Terre Haute.
This Is felt on all sides to be powerful
/ leverage, inasmuch as Terre Haute has
offered TO give s1,400 to the funds Of the
committee besides furnishing a free con.
vention hall and free bands.
Consequently, although the absence OF
Mr.. Forest was given as the reason for no,
fixing the date and place for holding the
convention, the statement was made with.
out any disguise that, while the variou:
| committeeman were in favor of holding ar
early convention, they were not prepared
to vote as to the time and place unit
Chairman Martin made known his selection
of a secretary. 1t is also said III will no
commit themselves until this is done Il
| their satisfaction.