The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-03
THE SPEAKERsHIP FIGHT.
Much Interest Centers i'm the Opening
of the Legislature.

The Indiana General Assembly opens one
week from to-day. The caucus for the
selection of a speaker for the House will
be. held next Wednesday night. but the
place for holding the caucus has not yet
been announced. The absorbing topic these
days among the legislators appears to be
the speakership contest, in which five men
are now taking part. There were six
until yesterday, when j. II. Clarke. who
was elected to the Legislature as a repre-
sentative of organized labor. withdrew.
The candidates now are Samuel r. Art
man, of Lebanon; James F. Statesman,
of Peru: c. S. King, Of Wabash; Edward
F. Neal, of Noblesville, and John
A. Bonham, of Hartford City The
Statesman forces have headquarters at
the Denison Hotel, where Mr.. Statesman
himself will be for several days prior to
the caucus. Mr.. Neal, of Noblesville, is
spending a good part of the time in the
city, and Mr.. King. the Wabash county
candidate, is In town nearly every day.
Samuel r. Artman has taken up headquar-
tiers at the Hotel English, where he will
live with his family during the session of
the Legislature. Mr.. Artman expresses
himself confident of winning the speak
to go into details as to the vote ne ex-
poets to receive. Some members of the
Legislature appear to have reached the
opinion that from present indications the
fight for the speakership will gradually
narrow down to Artman and Statesman
Since the withdrawal of Clarke. yesterday,
there has been a good deal of speculation
as TO what the Marion county delegation in
the House will do with its vote. 1t had
been understood that the seven Marion
county representatives would stand solidly
for Essmann for chief clerk of the House
and for Clarke for speaker. Representa-
tive whitcomb, who will represent Marion
and Hancock counties, has not been count
ed in the Marion county delegation when
1T came to figuring on how the delegation
should vote. Mr.. Whitcomb Is understood
to favor Mr.. King for the speakership.
and it is announced he called a meeting
of the Marion county representatives to
take place at his office yesterday In the
interest of King. 1t was said last night
that the meeting failed to materialize.
Now that Clarke is out of the race ii
cannot be positively stated just how the
Marion county representatives will start
their vote. 1t has been suggested that
the Marion county people probably will
be for Artman. II is known that the Mar
ion county representatives feel themselves
considerably embarrassed in their attitude
toward Mr. Statesman on account of the
way in which the afternoon newspapers of
the city have arraigned the Peru county
candidate because Of his alleged lobby
record"
| A dispatch from Wabash last night said:
| Friends of Sherman King. Wabash coun-
| tvs candidate, are confident that the with
! drawal of Joseph III. Clarke, of Marion
| county, announced to-day. will not
prejudice the interest of their favorite in
favor of Mr.. Artman, as claimed They
contend that Mr.. King has pledges OF sup
! port from representatives in the vicinity
| of Indianapolis who were supporters of
| Clarke and who will now line up for him.
/ II is regarded unfortunate here that the
Eleventh district presents two candidates
as II is felt that with but one there would
/ DE almost certainty OF winning. The de-
| sire of the Republicans of this county Is
| to have the friends OF Mr.. Statesman throw
| on longest. and that in case Mr.. King can
| not win that his votes should go to Mr.
| Statesman
| Thomas E. Boyd, OF Noblesville, who IS
| very active in the interest of r. E. Neal
Hamilton county's candidate for speaker
1 will be here this morning. Meals friends
| are urging his candidacy very strongl,
| on the ground that Hamilton county has
/ not shared very literally i'm the Distribution
| of political places in recent years. 1t I:
| announced that the county has had one
| congressman and one State officer I'm al
its history. and both OF these men were
| elected before the war. IL is stated thai
| Meals friends will be down here I'm
| body in his interest, and that they vii
demand that he be given the speakershii
] OF the House.
Mess-s. Statesman and Neal We're boil
at the Depison Hotel last night. Mr.
Statesman remarked. about 10 o'clock. tina
| he had never been SO confident OF success
hour. There has been no detection from