The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-15


story. but it was vigorously disclaimed
lnat the meeting was anything but
chance gathering. Among those present
were State Chairman O'Brien, of Lawrence
burg: j. w. Reilly. secretary of the COM
mlttee; Lincoln Dixon, of North Vernon,
n.ernber of the state committee from the
Tourlh ulstrict; ;. b Fleming, OF f0rl
Wayne, member of the committee from the
Twelfth; Joseph L. Tanning. of Indianapo-
us, committeeman from the Seventh; Jos.
II Shea, OF Seymour; Ben +. Shively, or
south Bend. who received the compliment
tary vote of the Democratic members of the
Legislature last winter for United States
senator; 3. Nj. Ralston, of Lebanon; w. w:
stevens, or Salem, who is being mentioned
as a probable candidate for the Democratic
gubernatorial nomination, and Alonzo
Green Smith, of Indianapolis. former attor-
ney general. L. Taggart was not there, but
Mr.. Tanning might be considered his per-
sOnal representative.
Every one of them had plausible explana-
tons of their presence in the city, and If
anything was done il was very quietly
consummated, but the mere gathering of
such members of the party. whether by
chance or design, was suggestive.
1t has been intimated that the leaders
of this wing of the party have concocted
shrewd plan to foil the Jefferson League.
In brief the scheme is this: The word will
be sent out to every precinct in the State
that all Democrats who are in line with
the element of the party now in control
of the organization are to enter actively
into the organization of the Jefferson
League. All of them are to enroll them
selves as members of the precinct clubs and
whoop things I'D for the league on the
theory that it is an organization in the in
terest of the Democratic party and Demo-
cratic principles. Then when the show
down comes the Bryanites will awaken to
hn fhntr Lea Aser hoo lon
away from them by the very men they
are nghting-the "reorganizers."
1t Is indeed a shrewd plan, and an en-
tirely feasible one, provided that majority
of the rank and file of the party in In
diana is not in sympathy with the Bryan
ties 1t will require lining up of the forces,
however, to discover if such is the case, for
the leaders of both sides claim now that
they have the majority with them That
such scheme is under consideration was
| shown last evening by the enigmatical
Hotel gathering when they were asked for
an expression in regard to the league.
they invariably answered. In words or
in substance, IF the league is to promote
the interests of the Democratic party it
/ is all right" When Chairman O'Bren was
| asked point blank If such a plan be-
ing laid TO take the league away from the
men who originated the movement, he
| smiled significantly and replied: well, If
| the league is a Democratic organization to
promote Democratic principles, why
|
it?"
| Mr.. O'Brien and others know full we'll
| the real purposes of the league and it is
| not to be believed for a moment that they
will remain passive while an aggressive
| fight is starting to wrest control of the
party organization from them.
|
Mr.. OBrien says that the only attention
he is paying to things political at present
| is by way of preparing to institute the
| fight to knock out the legislative apportion-
ment law enacted by the recent General
| Assembly. The Democrats announced be-
| fore the adjournment of the Legislature that
| they would attack the constitutionality of
| the law and Mr.. OBrien has been working
| quietly ever since getting the papers ready.
| ''We'n knock out that apportionment just
as sure as fate, unless the Supreme Court
| turns a complete fiiphop from the position
1T took in two former cases, Identical in
almost every PARTICULAR is the ominous
| declaration OF the State chairman.
| xxx
Lincoln Dixon, of North Vernon, was fire.
quently addressed as Congressman Dixon
to his embarrassment, but not in the least
to his displeasure. The present Democratic
chairman Of the Fourth district is gen.
| orally regarded as a probable candidate
| for Congress against Representative Marion
! Griffith and the half-doZen or so other can
| didates who will be in the race, but he Is
not ready to commit himself to the propo-
| sition.
1T has been suggested that I become a
| candidate" said Mr.. Dixon, land L may
and l may not. 1t will be several months
| before the entries in the race are closed
| and 1 am not in a hurry to make any an
nouncement in regard TO the matter" And
that was as near as he could be brought
ITO a definite statement of his position.
XXX
Tro.&o ,<~l
lector for the Lawrenceburg district, was
here yesterday, his mission being solely
one of business. THE people are not think.
ing about politics now he said last even.
ing at the English. Its too warm"
|
Claude Maley, of Evansville, who was
| unwittingly the cause of much of the ex
element in that city on the Sunday even
ing preceding the fatal riot at the JAIL wa:
at the Columbia Club yesterday. The Sun
| day night that several gangs of bad ne
groes from Baptistetown started out to ter
rorize Evansville 1t was reported that Mr.
Maley had been shot and killed by one o.
the marauding gangs, and the report was
sufficient TO arouse small mob that start
ed al once to revenge his death. This leo
TO the general disorder that made the nigh
one long to be remembered in Evansville
Mr.. Maley was not injured, but he wa:
made the target for several shots by on
of the negro gangs and had a marrow
escape.
Frank Donohue, of South Bend one of tn,
prominent young Democrats of st. JOSEPH
county, was at the Grand last night. HI
is here on legal business Mr. Donohue wa
the candidate of his party for proSecutin,
attorney last year, but he was in count,
that is entirely and safely Republican an,
he went down in defeat with the rest {
his ticket.
j. w. Cockrum, of Oakland City, who il
here to attend the meeting of the Indian;
worlds fair commission, of which he is sec
rotary, says that the Republicans in hi
part of the First district are beginning t
take some little interest in the gubernator
ial race. For the first time in several cam
paigns the First district will in all prob
ability not have a candidate before tn
State convention and as result the distric
| will be open ground for all the candidates
II do not know which of the candidate
for Governor will have the advantage il
the district" said Mr.. Cockrum, Gilbert
Taylor, Hanly and Shideler all well an
favorably known and all have warm friend
there 1t will not be until after the dele
gates have been selected that can tel
which way the wind is blowing
Gibson county, by the way. which is MI
Cockrum's county, had considerable to d
with the nomination of Mr.. Gilbert 70
lieutenant governor three years ago. TIL
| county had a candidate for lieutenant gov
ernor in the person of l.. c. Embree, o
Princeton, but when the delegates realize
| that his case was a hopeless one they go