The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-12
CONTROL OF COMMITTEE
ACTIVITY NOTICEABLE IN REPUB-
LICAN STATE CIRCLES.
Senator BeverfdEe Would Like to
Have q Say About the New COM
mittee-News and Gossip.

There Is a good deal of activity In Re-
publican State political circles at present.
centerilg in the reorganization Of the State
committee, which must be effected before
the next campaign. The reorganization
will not take place until next January.
and this is considered rather early to begin
the fight.
State Chairman James p. Goodrich. Of
Winchester. has made two or three hur-
ried trips to the city during the past week.
and was here yesterday. Senator Bever-
idge's Office has been full every day for
the past week. his callers including friends
from different parts Of the State. Chair
man Goodrich says he is paying no atten-
ton to politics at present, but he has held
several quiet conferences with Republican
leaders, and it is likely he is not entirely
uninterested in what is being done. Sen
ator Beveridge smiles and offers no expla-
nation Of the unusual influx of callers at
his office. and then smiles again. Senator
Fairbanks has not been so active, so far
as surface indicat tons tell. but his Office
has been by no means deserted
The reason for all this activity Is this:
In the coming campaign Senator Bever-
idge will be candidate for reelection, and
will be much interested in the composition
OF the State committee, while at the same
time the forces that are not known as
BeveridGe forces-although they prefer
not to be known as anti-Beveridge-do not
propose TO be left out of the State organiza-
ton.
Up to date there Is no open opposition
to Senator Beverage. No candidate has
appeared In the field. although several men
are NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Durbin, j. Frank
Hanly of Lafayette and Representative
Hemenway of Boonvills, among others.
Senator Beverage says he does not antici-
ing on the theory hat he will have no OBJ
position, but Is preparing as carefully and
as actively as If the fight of his life were
now on. His friends say the politicians
who entertain the idea that the junior
senator has no State organization will have
their eyes opened when the time comes to
lay Gown the hands.
lican State committee are considered at
least passive candidates for reelection, and
some OF them are preparing to fight for
their positions If need be. Chairman Good
rich, 1t is conceded, would like to remain
at the head Of the committee.
All talk as to who will be candidates for
senator in opposition to Beverage is large
ly speculation at this state of affairs Mr..
Hanly has been quoted as saying that he
expected to be In the fight, but prominent
Republicans of Tippecanoe county have
said they did not think he would be- He
made a strong race four years ago. Some
wfseacres point to Representative Hem
enway as possible candidate, and a few
weeks ago, when questioned on the point,
he said he was in the hands of his friends,
but on the other hand there are those who
Insist that the First district leader has no
intention of making the race Governor
Durbin has been frequently mentioned as
candidate, but the talk does not come
from his friends, and the Governor him
self Is proverbially close mouthed on all
his political plans.
So much for speculation. The facts in
hand that there is unusual activity in
Republican State politics at this early date,
and that the fight for control of the State
committee is on.