The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-12
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

been noted than the change in the attitude
of Indiana Democrats toward Senator Ar
thur Pue German, of Maryland, that has
come to pass within the last ten years. To-
day the sentiment of Indiana Democrats is
undoubtedly centering rapidly on Senator
German as the man for the Democratic
presidential nomination in 1904; in 1894 the
Democrats of Indiana, in State convention
assembled, adopted a platform, one plank
of which vigorously denounced German.
along with three or four other Democratic
senator's. for his treachery in failing to
support the party's tariff reform measures.
In 1894 German was classed as a pretended
Democrat, and as one of "a small coterie
of senator's masquerading as Democrats"
To-day he is hailed as the Moses to lead
Democracy out of the wilderness into
which it has been plunged by Bryan and
Organism.
The Democratic State convention in 1894
was held Aug. Is. Thomas Taggart, then
State chairman, called the convention to
order and the late Governor Claude Mat
thews was made permanent chairman.
Among the candidates selected by the con-
r.. Myers, of Anderson: for state auditor,
Joseph L. Tanning, Of Indianapolis, present
member of the state committee from this
district: and for attorney general. Francis
M. Griffith, Of Vevay, present member of
Congress from the Fourth district. The
committee on resolutions which drafted the
platform INCLUDED John E.. Lamb, Mason j:
Shelbyville; John c. Nelson, of Logansport,
and X. G. Bell, of Fort Wayne. 1t was
stated at the time that this committee had
the active assistance of 81 Sheerin. Mr..
Bell was chairman and read the platform.
the denunciatory part being found in the
second paragraph of the following plank:
I'VE approve of the efforts of President
Cleveland and his administration and of
the Democratic House of Representatives,
and of a large majority Of the Democratic
Senator'S f from a Indiana. t 3ur fHie91he pl Wi
voorhees, and the Hon. David Turpie, and
our Democratic delegation in Congress, to
redeem the pledges made TO the country by
the last Democratic convention and to exc
cute the will of the American people as ex-
pressed SO emphatically at the ballot box
In November, 1892.
I'VE condemn the Republican party for
It's persistent effort to prevent the execu-
ton of this Enthusiastically popular verdict,
and we especially condemn a small coterie
Gratis, by threats to defeat all tariff legis-
lation, have temporarily prevented the
Democratic party from carrying out all it's
pledges to the people for tariff reform, as
announced in the Democratic platform of
1892. We congratulate the Democratic party
upon the fact that, Notwithstanding the
open opposition of the Republican party,
and the conduct of a few pretended Demo-
Gratis, a substantial measure of reform has
been effected"
As Mr.. Bell read the sentences condemn
ing the small coterie of senators mas
querading as Democrats" he was inter-
rupted by shouts of Name them!" Cor
mani "Brice!' etc., from all parts of
Tomlinson Hall, and for several minutes
that the majority of the delegates would not
be satisfied unless the recreant senator's
were named in the platform: This did not
conform with the plans of Sheerin and
others who were running the convention,
however, and Mr.. Bell adroitly saved the
day by raising his hand for silence and
'The finger of scorn will follow them all
along the pathway of life without naming
them"
Then he fastened through the rest of the
platform, moved its adoption and upon that
demanded the previous question. By this
manipulation debate was forestalled and
the platform was declared adopted. al
though a negative vote was not called for.
1t was no secret at the time of the con-
| vention that the original draft Of the plat
form named the senator's denounced SO un-
mistakably-it will be noted that they were
more vigorously condemned than the Re-
publican party, which means a great deal
in a Democratic platform-and that Senator
Germans name headed the list. However,
through the efforts Of 81 Sheerin, who was
then closely identified in many ways with
Senator Brice. one Of the recreants, and
was a member of the Democratic national
committee, the names were stricken out
and the original plank somewhat modified,
although the sentiment against German,
Brice and the others was SO strong that
| some mention of their perfidy had to be in
| corporated in the platform.
1t may also be of interest to recall that
| this Democratic platform of 1894 contained
a free silver plank which said that 1--WE
hail with delight the many signs of a revo-
luton in public sentiment" that will bring
| about the restoration of silver to the posi-
ton 1t occupied a quarter of a century ago.
The revolution, the signs of which Indiana
| Democrats hailed with delight, came two
years later with Bryan as it's Danton. but
anticipated by them when they were read
ing the signs of the times.
XXX
The subcommittee on rules of the Re-
publican State committee will meet this
afternoon at 2 o'clock at headquarters in
the Stevenson building to consider some
proposed changes in the rules governing
the selection of delegates to State, con-
gressional and legislative conventions. State
Chairman James Z. Goodrich will be pres
ent. The question Of the representation of
counties in joint legislative conventions is
the one of principal interest. In joint dis
tricts where a large county is included by
reason of an excess vote under the present
system, the large county Is able to control
the nomination because each county is
represented by a number of delegates pro-
/ pOrtlOnate TO Its entire Republican strength.
A change is proposed by which, in such
districts, the counties in the districts by
reason of an excessive vote shall be given
representation only in proportion to such
excess vote. 1t has also been suggested
that a rule be adopted to put an end to the
practice of permitting candidates to name
the delegates from their home counties.
Xxx
Former Lieutenant Governor w. s. Hag.
gard, of Lafayette. was in the city yester-
day TO file with the Governor the annual
report Of the board of trustees of the State
Soldiers Home. Last evening he was
lounging comfortably on a divan in the
lobby of the Denison and at his side sal
former Attorney General w. l.. Taylor
There were others in the crowd and stories
and "reminiscences were being exchanged
with never a suggestion of politics, OF
course. until a reporter approached and
asked Mr.. Haggard for the latest politica
news from the Tenth district.
There's nothing startlingly new" he an
swered. Were plodding along in the usua
way with Frank Hanly's boom for Gov
ernor growing all the time. We're all fol
Hanly, and We don't hear anything bu
Hanly in our part of the State. a rumol
has reached us that a man named Taylor
who used TO be attorney general. or some
thing of that sort. may be a candidate 70,
Governor, but we don't take much stock il
the report added the former lieutenan
governor with a dig in the ribs of Mr.. Tay
Tor.
That's all right rejoined Taylor. VIII,
enjoyed the joke. Just wait a few months
and that rumor will be confirmed in a wa,