The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-15
CONVENTIONS SESSION.


The three addresses delivered at the OPEN
ing session Of the "third-ticket' convention
yesterday afternoon were by Louis r.
Philip Nash, professor of Latin at Hobart
College, Geneva, N. Y. 1t was Mr.. Chap
man who asserted that President Mckin-
ley would be reelected. I'VE are not very
many he said. but we have this in our
favor-we know precisely what we want to
do. The nominations of Bryan and Nc
Kinley make precisely that situation. on a
large scale, which we are all of us used to
on a small scale, and that is, of citizens
faced by two intolerable candidates, one
of whom represents the commercial clique
that is in power in a town.. and the other OF
whom represents a man on whom the bet
ter sentiment of a town cannot concen-
trate. We have had that situation year in
in which 1 live it was brought to my notice
by the case of Flanagan and Duffy. Tam
many, as a rule. subsidized a little group
who called themselves the Republican par
ty. and when it came TO election time all
that Tammany Hall needed in order to
keep itself in power without expense was
TO have the Republican clique put up a
man who was bad enough. This was very
easily managed. and they put up one DIR.
Dufy-he said he was a horse doctor. That
presented a situation where the moral
forces OF the community could not win at
that election. You might, as much as you
pleased. parade the streets and call upon
the better element TO join you and put the
rascals out. You might, all you pleased.
argue that DUFFY was not as bad as Fan
nagan, but you could not persuade the nee
who were against Tammany Hall to con-
centrate upon Duffy. The little band Of in
dependents that lived there were, therefore,
driven TO running an independent candidate
of their own. We ran him and polled about
500 votes out of. possibly. 10000. 1t was re-
garded as a foolish enterprise. but it could
not be stopped.
CONDITION OF POLITICS.
That was in 1898. OF course that conduct
on our part called attention TO the condi-
ton of politics in that district. We kept
on doing it year after year, without max
ing any concessions or compromises with
either of the parties. until two years ago.
when we elected our man TO the Legisla-
ture. There had. however. been a change in
the district. but the scene of our first cam
paign was included. IL isn't quite the same
district. but the effect of our activity was
Ia stimulate the independent vote. as a re-
suit of which Mr.. Stewart sat in the As
sembiy last year. and can sit there 50
long as he lives. If he wishes. There has
been established thereby between the cam
didate and the people a bono OF confidence
which neither of the political parties had
the power TO break up. In other words, IL
cnly took a half dozen campaigns 10 de-
veIop enough understanding of the politi-
cal situation on the part OF the more intel
ligent element and enough confidence I'm
tho group OF men who ran these independ-
emit ticket TO elect a man..
when | look at the presidential situa-
ton to-day. / see something analogous to
the situation we had i'm 1893. The Republican
machine. which Is I'm control. the combina-
ton to-day. | see something analogous 10
possess every branch of the government.
n controls the press. the Associated Press,
* controls the federal government with as
strong a hand as Tammany Hall controls
the city of New York. and In the last
nominating convention IL seems to me that
one can trace the operation OF the same