The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-19
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

ing more complicated ana the emo Oh tuS
preliminary campaign Is still many months
distant. James F. Statesman. OF Peru. who
was at the Columbia Club yesterday, says
the report of his candidacy for Lieutenant
Governor is no Longer to be regarded light
ly, and, while he would not state definitely
that be is a candidate, or will be, he init
mated strongly that when the time comes
he will be found in the race. The talk of
the Miami county man for the nomination
for second place on the state ticket was
first started as at least nine-parts joke to
discomfit State Senator Walter L. Ball, of
Muncie, who gave his friends to understand
before the Legislature adjourned that he
would probably be a candidate. Booth
Harrington, of this city, was one of the
arch-conspirators in the launching Of the
Statesman boom at French Lick, where a
party Of representatives and senators were
enjoying a holiday after their strenuous
legislative experiences. A few weeks later
Statesman dropped into the city and 1t was
learned hat the Joke" had assumed a Sc
rious aspect with him. Still later dispatches
from Peru confirmed the metamorphosts OF
the joke, and now Mr.. Statesman himself
corroborates the report that he Is really Sc
riously considering becoming acandidats. IL
future Developments continue along this
line 1t will be up to Mr.. Harrington to write
| a political novel, for which he could scarce
~ find a more appropriate title than that
of E. p; Roe's love story, From Jest to
Earnest"
Mr.. Statesman was in q serious frame OF
mind yesterday. He was just returning
from Charlottesville, where he has been at
tending commencement exercises at his al
ma mater, Wabash College, and where, as
one of the features of the week, he played
a game of baseball on one of two alumni
not in training and has not INDUCED in
such sport for years will take most of the
Joking" propensities out of him and in
! cline him to serious views of all PROPOSE
tons. And that was the attitude of the
gentleman from Peru. He was not prone 10
discuss politics at length. He said:
| considering the matter of becoming q can
| didate for Lieutenant Governor and that I
think now that shall be in the race. And
The last sentence was not intended as
slang, either. A close friend Of Mr.. Suites
man. with whom he talked While he was
Is little question Of Statesman candidacy.
| With Mr.. Statesman q candidate for lieu
| tenant governor. Mr.. shideler a candidate
for Governor, Mr.. Steele a candidate for
| Congress and Mr.. Lands DESTROYS of sue
ceeding himself in Congress the proverbial
| Philadelphia lawyer would be stumped If
the Eleventh district situation were put to
him for adjustment. In the light of history
1t cannot well be regarded as probable that
the nominations for the two first places on
the ticket will go to the same district, so
the interests of Statesman and Shideler are
inimical from the outset to a large degree.
! Statesman will want the support of the
will Shideler. Lands will want both the
| Statesman and Shideler forces, and so will
Sesers; and al ihs1e You between aTe; oI Iandis and
! Shideler and Steele and Statesman are pos
sihle d~eveioRments but as q q matter OF tact
sibility In such a complication.
XXX
Originally the Statesman boom was in
tended to worry Senator Ball, as has been
stated, but it was apparent yesterday that
the Muncie statesman is not the only one
who is concerned at the prospect. L.. p.
Newly, of knightstown, who is at present
the only avowed candidate for lieutenant
governor in the field, met Statesman at the
club yesterday afternoon and had a pro-
longed conference with him. The nature of
that talk may only be conjectured, but
there was doubtless something doing"
G. A. H. Shideler, of Marion, was here
yesterday himself and met q few friends,
but he was not DESTROYS of ~encountering
newspaper representatives. To his friends
he intimated that his political affairs are
in satisfactory shape and 1t is known he is
doing a deal Of quiet work tina is bearing
good fruit. Mr.. Shideler combines business
the same time q good mixer" makes
friends easily and holds them. He is get
ting his business interests in shape now so
that he will be able to give his entire at
tention to his political affairs.
Adam Beck, of Huntington, State COM
mitteeman from the Eleventh, was another
of the districts visitors in the city yester-
day. 1.-THE Eleventh is in good shape. I
shall be a candidate for reelection as dis
trict chairman, and 1 have not heard Of
any opposition 1 may encounter" Such
were Mr.. Beck's answers to questions put
to him by a Journal reporter, but he was
inclined TO dodge talking politics. He holds
that it is not within the province of a dis
trict chairman to discuss politics, especially
nominations within the gift of the party,
and he adheres to that policy. He keeps
hands of until the ticket is selected, and
then throws off his coat and goes into the
work Of the campaign.
x
William Jennings Bryan did not visit In
~dianapolis this week, but next Monday
night. at Greenfield, only twenty-five miles
away to the eastward, he will deliver an
address on Democratic Ideals" Hancock
county IS Democratic, and the saints on
the Democratic shrines there wear only
silver halos, consequently Greenfield has
been selected as a fitting place for the
apostle of silver to open the foodgates of
his Oratory for the delight of his Hoosier
followers. The cup of joy Of u. S.. Jack
son, of that city, must certainly be full to
o~verf1owing. John w. Kern, of Indianapo-
lis, who has recently declared anew his
allegiance to Bryan. Is cognizant of the
Greenfield affair and when the suspicious
night arrives he will undoubtedly occupy a
seat of honor on the platform, and, per-
chance, it will fall to his lot, as his temper
al reward for services that should have
eternal recognition, to introduce the orator
of the evening. For this Mr.. Bryan can
do no less than speak kindly of Mr.. Kern,
and who knows but that he may indorse the
Kern presidential boom lately launched by
Senator Davis, of Bloomfield? Bryan has
not yet selected his candidate for the head
place on his ticket In the next campaigp.
and il may be his eyes are turned toward
that loyal Democrat, silver Democrat, Bry-
an Democrat-kern, of Indiana.
MORE.
Gen. Charles Dick, of Akron, will direct
the Republican campaign In Ohio this year.
At a meeting of the Ohio Republican state
central committee at Columbus yesterday
General Dick was elected chairman of the
state executive committee, and the fight is
now IN his hands. John r. Malloy, of CO.
lumbus, was chosen secretary, and w. +.
Burdell. of Columbus. treasurer. The new
executive committee consists of thirty-four
members, including the officers. The Ohio
organization differs somewhat from the In
diana. as the executive committee i'm this