The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-14

gathering of prominent party workers from
all sections of the State. Three or four
came in last evening as an advance guard.
among them being State Chairman w. II.
o Brien. of Lawrenceburg: Senator Cyrus
E. Davis. of Bloomfield and Nick Cornet,
of Versailles. The meeting will not be
called to order until IL o'clock this fore
noon. however, and he greater part of the
crowd will come in on the early trains to-
day.
The members of the State committee are:
First district. ]. ]. Nolan. of Evansville;
Second, G. III. Hendren, of Bloomfield;
Third, James r. Duffin, of New Albany;
Fourth. Lincoln Dixon, of North Vernon;
Fifth, ]. G. McNutt of Terre Haute; Sixth.
]. d. MCGEE, of Rushville; Seventh, Joseph
t. Tanning, of indianapolis; Eighth. ]. A.
NJ Adair, of Portland; Ninth, A t. Liven-
good. of Covington: Tenth. Dan W. Simms,
of Lafayette: Eleventh, ]. Fred Frances,
of Huntington; Twelfth, Stephen b. Flem-
ing. of Fort Wayne; Thirteenth. j. c.
State Chairman O'Brien said last evening
that he expected every member of the COM
mittee in for the meeting. and among other
party leaders who have indicated that they
Will be here are Ben +. Shively. OF South
Bend 8. M. Ralston. of Lebanon; Joseph
II. Shea, of Seymour; Senator Will H.
Johnston, of Charlottesville; Jerome Herff.
of Peru, and Thomas Taggart, of Indian
apolis and French Lick.
The committee will decide on the date for
the district conventions for the election OF
a new State committee. but by far the most
important matter that will come up will be
the question of contesting the legislative
apportionment act passed by the last Gen
eral Assembly. 1t is a foregone conclusion
that the Democrats will attack the consti-
fy nf no h.a r-Sf haff nj a
steps to that end will be taken to-day. This
afternoon a conference of leading Demo-
cratic attorneys-such men as former At
Kern, Joseph L. Bell and James F. McCul-
Tough, of Indianapolis; Ben f. Shively. of
South Bend; s. M. Ralston, of Lebanon;
Joseph H. Shea. of Seymour. and Cyrus e.
Davis. of Bloomfield-will be held TO discuss
the matter at length and decide on the pre-
liminary legal action to be taken.
Everything is ready to begin the. action
at once" said State Chairman O'Brien last
night. "A rough draft of the complaint
has already been prepared, the data has all
been compiled. and all that Is necessary is
for the attorneys to take the matter in
hand and institute the proceedings
1--WE shall attack the act on exactly the
same grounds that the Republicans sue
passed by the Democrats in 1892. Under
that act Jay county was not given a sepa-
rate representative and vet the county had
a larger number of votes than the unit upon
which the apportionment was made. The
Republicans raised this point and the Su-
preme Court sustained 1t. Under the act
passed by the Republicans last winter,
Franklin, Dearborn. Ohio, Switzerland and
Union counties are placed in one joint SEN
atorial district. and yet the first four named
4 <tx.x .tyaft fxx~s
senatorial district Again. in twenty-five
senatorial districts eleven districts are
given three less senators than they are en-
titled to by their total vote.
tionment act will not stand the test of the
courts added Chairman O'Brien, "and
may say that We have received some little
encouragement from Republicans who are
not anxious to see the apportionment stand
think we'll knock it out for them.
The date for the reorganization of the
State committee is Jan. s, consequently II
will be necessary to call the district con-
ventions early in the first week of January
and it is probable that Tuesday or Wednes-
day. Jan. or 6. will be selected. The sew
eral county organizations will probably be
effected the Saturday or Monday proceed.
Up to the present time there have been
no indications OF contests in any or the
districts save the Seventh. Two or three oil
the committeeman will retire but so little
interest is taken in the party's affairs thai
there will be little rivalry for the honors OF
Nolan, the First district chairman, has
stated that his business affairs will neces
state his retirement from active politics
ton. No candidate for his place has ap
peared. steve Fleming. the member from
the Twelfth district, announced at the close
of the Legislature last spring that he would
retire from active politics. Mr.. Fleming
was recently elected secretary of the straw
board trust, at the modest annual stipend
of $4,000 it is said, and the duties of the
position necessitate his presence in New
York city practically all of his time. Oar
w. Simms, of Lafayette, who represent.
the Tenth district on the committee. is alse
shift his responsibilities TO other shoulders
The prospect Of contest in this, the
Seventh, district is based upon the decla,
ration of James Leroy Reach. chairman OF
the Democratic committee in Indianapolis
that he would elect the chairman from this
district and that Thomas Taggart should
never again control this city, county or dis
trict SO far as the Democratic organization
is concerned. Joseph T. Tanning. the pres
ent district chairman, is a Taggart man. He
stands close to the willy boss at all stages
of the political game. Tanning is a candi
date for reelection. it is conceded, although
he has made no announcement to that eff
feet, and as such is recognized as the Tag
CART candidate. Reach has not yet brought
out the man with whom he purposes to de
feat Tanning and Taggart, but Ii is under
stood that he has been laying his plans FOL
several weeks, and that he is prepared fol
the conflict.
Charles Polster, the former Indiana
avenue saloon keeper, who has been one o.
Keachs strongest lieutenants ever sine
the potato king started to build his ma
chine, wants to be candidate for diStric
chairman. He has advanced himself from
saloon-keeper to the position OF agent for
brewery, and feels that his advancement IN
political affairs should mark a simila
stride. He has told his friends that he ex
has received some encouragement, but IL Il
said that he has not yet been able to per
suade Reach to consent to his entering tn
race. Reach fears that Polster might no
prove the strongest candidate he coul'
bring out. hence he is temporizing an,
holding Polster on the anxious seat
keach's position in this matter Is not alto
eether comfortable, for he is under sucl
refuse to stand by his lieutenant when tn
latter calls on him.
Thomas Taggart will be largely in EVIL
dence at to-day's meeting, as he will be o
| some time to come. He is a candidate 10
reelection as Democratic national commit
| teeman from Indiana, and also aspires I
| the Craftsmanship OF the national commit
| tee. Apparently he has everything ''all set
| to realize both his ambitions. He is tn
| only man talked OF for the national chair