The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-29
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS

1t appears that the list Of entries in the
Republican gubernatorial handicap is by no
means closed. Senator Pressly Smith. Of
Paragon, Morgan county. IS on the verge
of announcing his candidacy and his formal
entrance into the race may be expected
within the next few days. unless he changes
his mind radically
Senator Smith was at the English yester-
day in consultation with a few of his close
personal friends To them he disclosed
his intention of entering the contest for
the Republican nomination for Governor.
and while he said he was not yet ready TO
make a formal announcement, he author
lied them TO proceed on the theory that
he would be a candidate. He believes this
to be a good year for dark horses. and
especially in the gubernatorial race. if that
dark horse be a farmer and a man who
would stand primarily as representative
of the plain people"
Senator Smith is not a politician" said
one of his friends last evening, but he
does not believe that the people Of Indiana
want a politician for their Governor. he
is not going into the race unadvisedly. but
says he has received assurances of support
|. sufficient to warrant a belief that he can
secure the nomination. He relies on the
solid support of the Fifth district, be-
heVes he will get a large part of the votes
from the Second district and counts on a
scattering vote from all over the state.
That would make him a factor in the race
from the outset and would place him IN
the position of the logical compromise can
didate. In fact, he would occupy much the
same position i'm the race that Governor
Mount occupied eight years ago and he
believes he can land the nomination just
as Mount secured it,"
Senator Smith is a farmer Two years
he was nominated for State senator
from the district composed OF Marion and
Morgan counties. and ii was as COM
promise candidate that he won in that con-
test. He has one session yet TO serve IN the
Legislature.
Two Republican congressional conven-
tons are billed for this week. Tomorrow
at Columbus the Republicans of the Fourth
district will nominate their candidate for
Congress and on Thursday at ShelbyVllle
the Sixth district Republicans will select
their standard bearer. The nominations
will be uncontested in both districts. Inc
Fourth is such a Democratic stronghold
that there is little rivalry for the Repub-
lican nomination. and as Anderson Perce-
field, of Nashville, Brown county, has IN
dicated a willingness to lead the torlorn
hope he will in all probability be nominated
by reclamation. There is a chance OF Re-
publican success in the Fourth. by the
deposng of Representative Marion Crit
fths the Democrats have laid themselves
open TO factiOnal divisions that may bring
about OBJECTIONS sufficient TO enable the
Republicans to overcome the normal Demo
cratic plurality of $500 TO 1900.
In the Sixth Representative James +:
Watson, of Rushville, will be renominated
by reclamation few months ago Mr..
Watson was threatened with opposition.
but the prospective candidate, Otho VIII
liams. or New Castle, decided, after pre-
| liminary canvass 10 remain out OF The
race. Both conventions will be Republican
n.
tended by all the candidates for state Of
fees
Another Republican congressional nomi-
nation will be settled this week, but not
| by the customary delegate convention. In
| the Eighth district tomorrow a candidate
will be nominated by direct primary, the
| first time this method of nomination has
| been adopted in an Indiana congressional
| contest. George w. Cromer. of Muncie, the
| present incumbent, and Morey NJ Dunlap,
| former mayor of Anderson, are the rivals
| for the Eighth district honors. Their cam
paign has been one of the liveliest in the
history of the State, and Is of more than
| local interest because of the direct primary
| feature. There has been some talk of a
| direct primary in the Eleventh district, but
| it is understood that il has been merely
| talk and that the district committee is not
| seriously considering that plan of nomina-
| ton. Neither of the candidates, Represent
| alive frederick Lands and Major George
| w. Steele, has expressed desire for di-
| rect primary.
The Twelfth district Republican congress
sional convention will be held March % at
| Fort Wayne There are four candidates
| for the Observation-Disclosures Governor
| Newton w. Gilbert and George B. Nc
| Googan, of Allen county; Clarence c. Gil
| hams, of Lagrange county, and Orville
| Carver, of Steuben county. The following
| day, March, "a, the Republicans Of the Sec
ond district will convene at Spencer and
| select their candidate. Judge John c.
| CLANCY, of Sullivan. will be the nominee
| of this convention, as he has no opposition.
| The March number of The Worlds Work
contains a full-page picture of Represent
alive Jesse Overstreet. of this city, in con-
nection with an article on THE Postoffice
| and the People"
| Warrick county Republicans in mass con-
vention Saturday selected delegates TO the
| State convention and instructed them to
| vote for J. Frank Hanly, of Lafayette, for
| Governor This is the first county in the
| First district to select delegates to the State
| convention and as the First is open terri
| tory for all the candidates, Mr.. Hanly and