The Indianapolis journal., 1903-10-17
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

The Democrats who gathered yesterday
afternoon and last evening at the Grand to
discuss important business were the most
cheerful appearing lot of rartisans of that
stripe that have been rounded up in In
diana for several years, and their cheerful
ness was all due to one thing-the recent
Democratic victory" in Indianapolis. Most
of them made no effort to conceal their
satisfaction or the cause of it and all of
them indicated Enthusiastically that they felt
an era of new and better things had dawned
for Indiana Democracy. The striking fea-
ture of the conference, however, was that
the list of among those present embraced
representatives OF all three wings of the
party-the radical silverites, the gold ele-
ment and the great middle class of con-
servatives that had managed to hold
themselves in line for Bryan and free sill
yer and at the same time keep within hail
ing distance of the crowd that went off on
a tangent and formed the Gold Democratic
organization The radical silverites and
the conservatives have always worked to-
gether, but this is the first time since the
big split of 1896 that the representatives Of
the Gold Democratic wing have been re-
ceived by them.
James l.. Reach, chairman Of the Demo-
cratic city committee. the representa-
tive of the Gold Democrats at the confer
ence Keach it will be remembered, was
the chairman of the Gold Democratic COM
mittee in 1896 and 1898 and as such was the
biggest thorn in the side of the Democrat
who stood by his party. He started in last
winter to fight his way back into the party
locally and was successful in capturing the
city committee. but he has never before
been received in the inmost circle Of In
diana Democrats, who virtually control the
party in this State Consequently his mere
presence at yesterdays gathering was sig
hut 0f Qf0x. Af.ova
he made a speech in which he proclaimed
that he was a good Democrat and wanted
to be considered as such
Mr.. Reach rather took the breath of some
of his hearers with his speech, which was a
typical Reach utterance, direct and to the
point, with no mincing of words or phrases.
traitor to the party, but that he wanted
to state right then and there that he had
never voted any other than the Democratic
ticket.
"They have called me a 'boter.'" ne con-
tinued, land / admit that there was some
ground for that charge, but 1 had plenty
of company. and it was Democratic COM
pany at that. L worked with Democrats
and for Democrats. However, even If j
was a 'bolter, / think l was punished
enough when they elected me chairman OF
| the city committee here, but IL you want
to punish me any more you might elect me
state chairman and give me a siege OF
| that"
MIR. Keach's naive and ingenious distinc.
| was in itself enough to startle his hearers
but when he went on and virtually dared
| them to elect him state chairman they
were completely dumfounded. 1t was indi-
| Gated in the Journal some days ago that
/ Mr.. KeachS next move would be to capture
| the state organization, and the suggestion
| has been widely commented upon, but the
/ men who were at the meeting were not
prepared to have him make an open bic
| for the state craftsmanship. However, Mr.
Keach made his speech in way 10 leave q
| slight doubt as to whether he was Jestine
| or was in dead earnest, one of his happy
| faculties, by the way, and, thanks TO that
| his audience was able to work off :ts feel
| ings in a laugh when ii didn't know JUS
what else TO do.
/ None of the men present was unkind ol
| audacious enough TO take up Mr.. Keach's
| differentiation between a traitor and
..bolter" and hold him TO the strict war.
| time definition that-one who gives aid oil
| comfort to the enemy is guilty of treason
| and here again is the effect of the
| Democratic victory of Tuesday. Had Mr.
| Reach been defeated In his efforts to cleo
Mr. Holtzrnan he wouldn't have been able
/ 10 break into that meeting at the Crane
| with jimmy and complete safe-crachinf
outft, but nothing succeeds like success.