The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-27
FATHERS OF THE PARTY
CHEER 1904 CONVENTION
Presence of Survivors of First Re-
publican State Meeting Graces
Tomlinson Hall.
ARE STILL STALWARTS
Venerable Men Yet Weld Great
Force in the Politics of
Indiana.

sight that lent impressive grandeur
to the Republican state convention, which
assembled in Tomlinson Hall yesterday aft
ernoon, was the row of white-haired, but
sturdy-faced old men, who occupied the
front seats on the left side of the stage.
They were not only survivors of the first
Republican state convention of. Indiana in
1856, but party stalwarts who builded the
magnificent organization which they be-
held. In all, there were fifteen or twenty
of these venerable men and few of them
there were who had missed single state
convention since the memorable meeting
of 1856.
Fathers of the Republican party of In
diana, none in the whole convention hall
was more enthusiastic than they; none
cheered more Justify or applauded more
vigorously as the roll of sacred Republican
names was called. And when, amid the
din of unstinted enthusiasm, the name of
President Roosevelt was sounded. one OF
them. John w. Ray, of indianapolis, could
restrain himself no longer, and, 1eaping to
his feet shouted, his voice ringing clear
and distinct, "Hurrah for Theodore
Among those veterans whose presence
honored the convention yesterday was
William F. Browning, of Bloomington, hale
and hearty and Republican in every fiber,
who has attended every Republican state
convention since 1903 WIN the exception OF
two. He is the only delegate to the first
convention from Monroe county who is
still alive.
j. l.. Darner of Greencastle, another
true stalwart, helped lay the foundation
of the Republican party of Indiana and
has missed but one convention since-that
of 1900. when he was in Mexico.
r. b. Wingate, of Shelbyville, has not
only attended and been active in Indiana's
Republican conventions since 1856, but was
delegate from this State to the national
convention which nominated Abraham Lin
coin for President of the United States.
John w. Ray, of Indianapolis, in whose
hat the ballots of the Republican state con-
Mr.. Ray still has the old hat, which he
treasures more than things of gold. He was
delegate to the first convention, and since
that date has missed but one or two of the
Republican state gatherings.
Judge James ID. Conner, of Wabash, has
witnessed every Republican convention in
Indiana. He served on committe of four
in 1860 to meet Lincoln and conduct him to
indianapolis.
Col. George w. Parker, of Indianapolis,
has also been a faithful builder of the
party, never allowing himself to miss one
of the conventions of the State.
James b. McFadden. of Shelbyville, at
tended the first Republican state conven-
the beginning. He was a delegate to the
national convention which nominated
James A. Garfield for President
Iohn If c Gler OF b Mnncie and Hud
warts from head to foot. have come bien-
nially to the state conventions.
Henry c. Thayer of Plymouth, since the
first state convention of Republicans in
Indiana, has never missed single one
and is truly a father of Indiana Republic
anism.
BY his side sat John Tilson, of Franklin,
who can also boast that he never missed a
Republican state convention Of Indiana.
Judge Thomas j. Kane, of Noblesville, has
been a delegate to every convention but
two.
Judge NJ. L. Bundy. of New Castle and
w. r. McKeen, of Terre Haute. have both
been pillars of the party in Indiana through
its long years of victory and prosperity.
Judge Bundy is eighty-seven years old and
TO those who saw him yesterday it seemed
incredible that at the time of the first state
convention, almost half century ago, he
was as old as the average member of this
of