The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-31
THE REPUBLICAN REVEL
Is as Necessary to Party Mans
Existence as Water Is to a
Duck.

since It's inception. fOr years ne was d
leader in his country. His place now has been
taken by a younger and more aggressive
man. But this does not deter him from at
tending the festival. He enjoys 1t as OF
yore. His spirit is still young. Yesterday
he occupied a seat on the front benches. He
nodded approval when a sentiment was eX-
pressed which coincide1 with his own. He
listened with rapt attention, his eyes shin
ing as the recollection of the fierce battles
Of the past crowded one by one before his
| Imagination. He is down and out" now,
as an active worker in the ranks, but as
long as he lives he will attend the love
feast. There he meets the boys with whom
he marched shoulder to shoulder in the days
This is a story of the Indiana Republican
| love feast Of 1903. The signal for the race
has been hoisted; the HoOsier Republicans
are now in action; the fight will be waged
persistently and without interruption until
the votes of the people are counted in No
vember, 1904.
The Indiana love feast is Indigenous to the
State. 1t is known to politicians throughout
| the length and breadth of the land. We are
told that the custom came into being at a
meeting of Republicans held in indianapolis
at which the gun was fired which placed
Benjamin Harrison in the White House.
That was in 1886.
Indiana has more than once set the pace
in the world of politics. In 1897 William
Mckinley, the victorious candidate for the
presidency. received hundreds of delega-
tions I'm his home town of Canton, o. That
custom originated when Harrison was tri-
umphant in the field Of national politics.
Delegations came here from nearly every
State in the Union and paid their respects to
him. A committee of citizens was appointed
to greet them. Out of that grew the Mer-
chants Club. and finally the Columbia Club,
one OF the best-known political organiza-
tons in the United States, and the most po-
tential of It's kind in Indiana. A stranger in
Hoosierdom soon learns that Indiana Demo-
Gratis regard the love feast and the Columbia
Club as twin evils.
Low FEAST POPULAR.
Tho coo,oc or0,,oH tho bOtaI IohHfao Sur-
ing the past three days gave striking indi-
cations of the popularity of the love feast.
Its assembling was awaited with eagerness.
All the candidates for the gubernatorial
nomination were in evidence; those who are
already in the field and those who expect
tc Re extended the glad hand TO everyone.
The brigadiers and the p~rivates in the
ranks touched shoulders. The love feast
is a State or national convention in minia-
ture.
The democratic simplicity of the proceed
ings had an agreeable effect on the strang-
err. The Governor of the State and the
United States senators were neither eS-
cOrted by a brass band nor welcomed by a
committee. When the time came for the
temporary chairman to WELD the gavel, the
distinguished trio sauntered down the aisle,
nodding here and there and bowling TO
friends as they passed by. They were
greeted, of course, by a thunderous out
burst of applause. Formality was lacking:
go VI oHHAhhSb IbA Aich We oNhAN6 .
good fellowship took its place. Everybody
felt at home. They were at home-for was
it not the biennial love feast?
Every performance must have a head
liner, or a star On this occasion many
stars shone respondent. Governor Durbin
delivered his address after the feast was
proclaimed by Chairman Goodrich. The
Governor was followed by the senior
senator. Hon. Charles w. Fairbanks, whose
place I'm the hearts of Indiana Republicans
was vouched for by a rousing welcome.
When Senator Fairbanks concluded, Sem
ator Albert j. Beveridge took his place on
the stage. He also received a warm well
come. The two senators delivered adj
dresses which aroused the hosts.
Senator Beveridge congratulated Senator
Fairbanks. Senator Fairbanks congratu-
lated Senator Beveridge. In Washington
this is known as senatorial courtesy.
Calls were then made for Hemenway, the
watchdog of the treasury" Next on the
programme was Representative Charles b.
Lands, who has a twinkle in his eye that
can be seen the distance of a city block. 1T
is appropriate said he. that the feats is
held in a dining room. Under Republican
administration we do not have TO eat from
a ladle." Representative Jesse Overstreet
then made his bow. followed by ReRresen-
and former Mayor Charles A. Book
walter. The meeting adjourned with
the same disregard for the conven-
tional that characterized its open
ing. The Indiana Republican love feast of
1903 thus passed into history as one of the
most successful and enthusiastic held in
many years.
There was one incident that made an i'm
preston on the strangers in attendance. II
was a manifestation of the deep love that
the active workers In the ranks have for
that grand old Roman" Mark Hanna, OF
Ohio. AT the mention of his name en-
thusiasm ran riot. The outburst was more
pronounced than that following the declara-
ton of one OF the speakers that Theodore
Roosevelt had already been named by the
people as the standard bearer Of the party
Some people are unkind enough to say
that the love feast strengthens the ma.
chine"
NO MACHINE IN INDIANA.
This is not true said a prominent Re.
publican leader. Organization is a more
appropriate word in this connection. Their,
is no machine in Indiana in the sense that
the term is used IN some other States. Or
ganization is necessary. 1t is as essentla
to party success in politics as it is in bust
ness. Capital organizes; so does labor. Tn,
organization is the puppet of the people
1t puts iatc force and effect the will of tn,
majority. Without the support of the ma
jority the organization of neither party car
maintain its existence.
The Republican lOve-feast takes tn,
place in Indiana politics that the Indiana
Teachers Association does in its sphere OF
usefulness. The active workers meet. The,
exchange ideas. They keep their ears Il
the ground. They know what the people
I dlt dAhil DOu Illus uOtS IL OIkdDlZd
ton feel the pulse of the commonwealth
and govern itself accordingly
A group of strangers In indianapolis wa!
discussing the lOve-feast. One of then
said; 1T looks TO me like an excellenr
medium to promote harmony and good viii
within the party ranks. IL ought TO b,
adopted by the Republicans in other
States"
Last night most of the Republicans who
came to attend yesterdays meeting left fol
their homes, among them the old Hoosiel
TO whom reference is made above.
We'll, sir" he said. I'm ready to e
now. Have had the time OF my life. | as
sure you that If I'm on the sacred soil OF
Indiana I'm 1895 I'll be back again to q,
through II all over again"
Judging from the events of yesterday
the Indiana Republican revels In the love.
feast. 1t appears to be as necessary to hi:
existence as water 10 a duck.
T TCHT com RITZ