The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-26
And Will Have Full Control of the
Democratic state Convention
Which Meets To-day.
ZIMMERMAN MEN ARE BITTER
OLD STATE COMMITTEE ACCUSED OF
ARBITRARY ACTION.
All Important Contests Decided I'm
Johnson's Favor-Fight May BE
Made i'm the Convention.

COLUMBUS. o.. Aug. 25.-The prelimi-
nary meetings this afternoon and evening
of the Democratic state convention resulted
i'm favor of Mayor Tom l.. Johnson, of
Cleveland, i'm his contest with John l.. Zim-
norman, OF Springfield, for the guberna-
torial nomination. Mayor Johnson had un-
contested control of the Democratic state
convention last year at Sandusky. and the
committee, selected then. in its call for
this convention provided that the creden-
tials from all the counties were to be first
submitted to the state central committee.
Pursuant to this new requirement, the state
central committee that was selected at
Sandusky last year met at p. m. to-day
and passed upon the contests that affect
145 of the $50 delegates in favor of the
Johnson men, who thus had the odds i'm
their favor when the delegates met at 4:30
p. m. by congressional districts to select
members of the committees on credentials,
resolutions. etc. The Johnson men secured
most of the members of the new state CEN
trail committee which holds over to call
the state convention next year, when dele
gates at large to the Democratic national
convention will be selected and an indorse-
ment be made for the presidency.
ACTION ON CONTESTS.
The State central committee i'm consider
ing the contests from counties in alphabet
ical order first decided to report to the
committee on credentials by vive voce
vote that there was no contest from Guy
ahoga county (Cleveland) and then on a
demand for roll call it was decided by
vote of fourteen to seven that there was
contest from Hamilton county (CincinnatD.
rf<r.x fl.f,
and Second districts at Cincinnati which
are anti-Johnson. were prevented from
voting in the organization of the commit
tees and the convention, while the Twen-
tieth and Twenty-first districts at Cleye-
land were ena abled to take part
The state central committee referred the
contests In Cali, Miami. Ross and Sem
eca counties to committee on creden-
tials without recommenda ton. These coun-
ties are in different congressional districts
and those districts proceeded to select men,
bers OF the committees without the con-
tested counties taking part, the result be-
ing thus favorable to the Johnson men.
IL is seldom that such vigorous protest
ing is heard as that of the Zimmerman
men tonight but the johnson men reply
that quarter could be expected after
such fight as has been waged the past
few days. The Zimmerman men carried the
fight into the meetings of all the committees
tonight and insist that they will carry il
into the convention Tomorrow The most
bitter feeling is against the action of the
i'm passing on contested cases which is said
to be without precedent in the history of
the party.
MEETINGS WERE SPIRITED.
Charles p. Salen, Johnson's manager, is
a member of the State Central Committee
and Harry +. Payer who represents the
other Cleveland district, is secretary OF
that committee. They we're the leaders
I'm the action of the committee in seating
the Cleveland delegates and unseating the
Cincinnati delegates and holding out the
balance of power in other districts The
appeal of the Zimmerman men for instruc-
tions from the counties on Governor nor
apply to the selection of members of the
committees. and the organization of the
convention were not only not effective, but
In fact accepted confession of weak
ness and the Johnson men stood solidly TO-
gether on all the preliminary contests
The district meetings were unusually
spirited. especially those of the Cincinnati
districts. where the Johnson men are rep
resented b. the Bigelow delegations and