Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-28
DEMOCRATS WORRIED
They Wish They Knew Where to Place
"The Peerless Leader"

indianapolis. jan 2S.-The great
question in the minds of Democrats as
to what course William Jennings Bry-
an, s.the peerless leader of four years
ago is preparing to do in the present
campaign and the anxiety which they
do not fan to express over their in
ability to solve this mystery has caus-
ed much amusement to Republicans
here The position of the Republicans
was clearly outlined at the recent love
feast here when the speakers on that
occasion declared in way that made
an impression that the Republican
party knows where it stands, knows
what policies it will advocate in the
coming convention which will draft
the platform, knows who it's candidates
will be and is able to meet any issue
the opposition may bring against eth
err candidate or policies. But the Dem
ocrats are in a lamentable condition.
Bryan is the questionable quantity.
Will he stay with the party if the
nominees and platform do not suit him
or will he bolt? This is the question
Democrats are having such hard work
to answer. The stand the Nebraska
leader has been taking for high moral
ity in politics gives him a chance to
bolt consistently with recent utter
ances if he wants to when the time
comes. 1t will not be in conformity
with his previous declarations for reg
uIarity, but that he must be reckOned
with in this doubtful position is a fact
that the leaders here admit to them
selves. To the Republicans who are
so well fortified the hopelessness of
the Democratic position is amusing.
indianapolis people have had their
eyes opened in the last few days. The
exhibit of drawings and paintings by
the newspaper artists of the city has
been the means of giving them the
awakening Most people here have
become familiar with the work of
these artists whose drawings appear
daily in the papers, but they had no
idea how much good work really was
done by the pencil wielders. The ex-
hibit has disclosed this fact to them
in a way they can not dispute and with
the evidences of the merit Of the work
of the newspaper artists they have ac-
corded hearty if tardy recognition
of the ability of the men whose draw
ings make the papers attractive. That
the visitors TO the exhibit appreciate
the worth of the pictures has best been
demonstrated by the manner in which
they have FASTENED to buy the pic
lures Several of the artists have
sold over 5000 worth of their work and
the net proceeds of the sale of pic
lures will run away over the $1,000
mark
indianapolis business men are pre-
pairing to wrestle with the problem
before them of raising the $4,000 need
ed to pay John Roberts for his land
which is included in the army post
site Unless this money is raised at
once so that the government can set
tie with all the land owners there is a
bare chance that the post may yet be
taken away from Indianapolis. There
is little doubt that the sum needed
can be raised in short order if the
public once comes to understand that
the post is in danger. Business men
generally, however, have held aloof
because they felt that Roberts was
making an unjust demand and they
did not like the idea of assisting him
to get more money than they thought
he deserved.