The Indianapolis journal., 1903-11-13
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

lican State committee, at meeting heiu
yesterday afternoon at headquarters in the
Stevenson building, adopted number OF
rules regulating the selection of delegates
to State, congressional and legislative con-
ventions and other phases of party work
The subcommittee will make its report to
the State committee at meeting to be held
Dec. IL. and if the report is approved the
rules will take effect at once. The new
rules provide, briefly:
First-No candidate or committee shall
be permitted TO name delegates 10 any
State congressional or legislative conven-
tiOn. The delegates must be named by the
voters. The county committees must di-
vide the counties into districts, the num-
Der of which shall be as nearly as possible
and practicable in proportion to the num-
Der OF delegates to which the counties are
entitled. and the voters in such districts
shall select the delegates either by direct
primary or mass convention.
Second-In joint legislative districts, In
which one county is thrown by reason or
sented by a number of delegates proper
tionate to such excess vote.
Thrd-In joint legislative districts COM
posed of an even number OF counties In
which the county chairmen fail to agree as
to the time and place of holding the con-
vention the chairman of the State commit
tee shall call the convention and nix the
time and place.
FOurth--In case a vacancy arises in the
Office of county chairman, by death or any
other cause, the district chairman shall call
a meeting of the central committe or Such
county to select a new chairman. The dis
trict chairman shall preside at such called
meeting.
One or two other rules of minor impor-
tance were adopted. The important rules
are the first two stated, and they VIII
doubtless arouse considerable comment, al
though 1t has been generally understood
by the party leaders since the last state
convention that such regulations should
and would be adopted. 1t has been the Gus
tom In many counties and districts Tor
years to permit the candidates to name the
delegates from their home counties, and II
has even been possible for candidate to
go into another county than his own and
receive the Endorsement at a county con-
gates. Or county conventions have instuct-
ed county committees to select the dele
gates who should vote for this or that can
didate. This practice has given rise to
much dissatisfaction and agitation for its
abolishment was started two or three years
ago. The new rule will probably meet with
objections on the part of prospective candi-
dates in some localities, but when it is seen
that the strict enforcement Of the rule Will
work no injustice on any candidate, but
will place all on an equal footing, the OBJ
jections will doubtless be short-lived.
The effect of the second rule is best
shown by illustration. Under the new legfs-
lative apportionment Marion county has
four state senator's and joint senator with
Hendricks and Boone counties, and eight
representatives and joint representative
with Hancock county. Under the present
regulations Marion county in the joint SEN
atorfal convention is given a number Of
delegates proportionate to the entire Re-
publican PUB & strength OF the county. ,n and 81 as
Hendricks and Boone combined can nomi-
nate the joint senator, leaving Boone and
Hendricks mere hgureheads in the district
Under the new rule Marion county would
have only the number Of delegates proper
tionate to the number of the votes over and
above the number that entities the county
to four senator's. consequently Boone and
Hendricks counties would be able to nomi-
nate the candidate. The same applies to
the joint representative district. This rule
smaller counties Of the State, and 1t was
the understanding at the time the new
apportionment act was adopted last winter
that number of representatives and SEN
ators voted for it with the assurance that
such a rule would be adopted by the state
committee.
obligatory on the state committee by the
action of the last Republican state con-
vention. One plank of the platform adopt
follows:
'"The Republican party demands the
adoption and enforcement of proper laws
regulating nominations. securing to every
man the right to express his choice for the
candidates of the party to which he be-
longs, whether the nominations are made
| by direct primary or delegate or mass
"The state central committee Is instruct
| ed to prepare and adopt suitable and proper
rules and regulations which shall, in the
| future, govern the mode and manner of
| the selection of delegates to state, con-
| gressional and legislative conventions
In accordance with this instruction State
pointed a subcommittee on rules, consisting
OF Julian d. Hogate, of the Fifth district;
O. n Montgomery. of the Fourth; Floyd A.
Woods, OF the Seventh; Adam Beck, of the
| Eleventh, and Fred A. Sims, of the Ninth.
| All the members of this subcommittee were
present at yesterdays meeting.
State Chairman Goodrich was also at the
meeting, and in addition to adopting the
rules the subject of the Republican love
| feast to be held in this city some time
curing the mondays, was brought up and
| for this affair will be made at the meetins
| OF the state committee Dec. IL.
| xxx
Oscar HI. Montgomery, of Seymour, the
Fourth district member of the state COM
| mittee, who was at the meeting is regarded
as probable candidate for the nomination
for judge of the Supreme Court from the
| Second judicial district. However, he has
made no definite announcement, and when
| asked about the matter said that he would
not reach decision for ten days or two
| weeks yet.
Il shall probably be candidate" said
Mr.. Montgomery. I'm quite willing to
| confess that my intentions are to that end
but I'm not ready to announce my position
| definitely"
Judge Alexander Dowling, of New AL.
bany, who represents the Second distric,
on the Supreme bench at present will be 4
| candidate for denomination. His formal
announcement was made some days ago ir
the New Albany Tribune.
| E. Z. Moore, editor of the Connersvflle
Courier. is being mentioned as a probable
candidate for the Republican nomination
| for joint senator from the district com.
posed or Fayette, Rush and Shelby counties
The Washington Post publishes the fol.
lowing interview with Col. w. r. Holloway
of this city, who has been consul general al
st. Petersburg for six years past, and was
recently promoted to the post at Halifax:
1T is, of course, the greatest possible
| pleasure to be in ones own country after
so long an absence said Colonel Holloway
''but 1 must say that my stay at ST. Pc
tersburg was altogether pleasant Th,
| Russians are uniformly hospitable anf
| their country interesting.
They have an especially friendly feelinf
! for the people of this country. They lik,
| to do business with us. In official circle,
pride is felt In the fact that the relations
| between the two countries have been s,
once visits Russia will invariably want I,
there again try hot.