The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-14
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS

The Endorsement of Congressman Robert
r. Hit OF Illinois. for the vice presidential
nomination by the Illinois Republican State
convention. has attracted the attention OF
Indiana politicians. The general trend of
the comment on the new boom. however.
is that there is little likelihood of its as
Stunning such proportions as to cut much of
a figure at the Republican national con-
vention.
I'm my opinion there are two explanations
for the springing of vice presidential boom
for Congressman HIT" said Fred A. Sims,
secretary of the Republican state commit
tee last evening. "In the first place Speak
er Cannon is so determined that his name
shall not be considered in connection with
the vice presidency that he saw fit that his
State indorsed some other man; in the sec
ond place. some OF Mr.. Hits friends recog-
nized this situation and saw that there was
a favorable chance to spring new boom.
Mr.. Hit indicated that he would like to
have the Endorsement, and as there was no
one else who sought IL and Speaker Can
non was anxiously sidestepping il, the thing
went through easily.
II believe il is generally recognized
throughout the country, as it is in Indiana,
that man of the calibre, standing and
prominence of Senator Fairbanks or Speak
er Cannon should be nominated for vice
President by the Republican national con-
Nention. Mr.. Cannon having put 1t out or
the question to consider him in this con-
nection the demand for Senator Fairbanks
becomes all the more imperative. The
senator is not a candidate for the place
and. understanding his attitude, the Repub-
hcans of Indiana did not indorse him for
vice President at the recent state conven-
ton. However, while many of his friends
feel that the senator would be making a
great sacrifice in accepting the Nomination.
know that the Republicans of this State are
a unit in recognizing the strength his name
would ado TO the national ticket and in the
belief that he will be the nominee at Chi
cago.
1T is extremely significant that before
the Hit boom was sprung the Republican
leaders Of Illinois had decided that resolu-
tons indorsing Senator Fairbanks for the
vice presidency should be presented to their
state convention. OF course this plan was
abandoned the moment it was learned that
an Illinois man sought the honor, but il is
certainly apparent that the party leaders in
Illinois who are most closely in touch with
the national political situation look upon
Senator Fairbanks as the man for second
place on the ticket. They turned naturally
to him. knowing that Cannon was not to be
considered, without thinking of Hit or any
other Illinois man.
THE Hit boom is clearly a case of the
mans seeking the office, and history shows
lions rarely if ever, go to men who seek
them. 1t is no reflection upon M. Hit
that he should seek the nomination, active
ly or passively, and it is altogether prob
able that he is not looking forward to re-
ceiving the recognition in the national con-
vention, but that ne indicated that the in
dorsement Of the Republicans of his own
State would be acceptable because such a
compliment would be gratifying to almost
any man in politics"
Republican state headquarters in the
English Hotel are not overrun with visitors
these days. The politicians seem to be TAX
ing advantage of the breathing spell be-
tween the state and the national conven-
tions to forget politics and devote them
selves exclusively to business, consequently
few of them are visiting Indianapolis and
most of them who do come to the city are
so engrossed with other matters that they
do not find time to visit the state head
quarters.
callers have been so few and far be-
tween for the last ten days that it's been
actually lonesome up here" said Secretary
Sims yesterday. However, we have had
plenty of work to do. The correspondence
is especially heavy and we are putting out
a great deal OF matter preliminary to the
campaign. Returns from the six months
poll are coming in rapidly and the compila-
ton of the figures is big job. We ex-
pect TO have all the returns in within a
week"
The figures shown on the six months
poll will not be made public, of course, as
the Republican organization is not furnish
ing such campaign information to the DEM
ocrats.
Union B. Hunt, of Winchester, who fig
ured in the recent state convention fight as
one of the principal managers of the Han
ly gubernatorial campaign was in the city
yesterday The former secretary of state
has not yet ceased smiling with deep salts
faction over the victory won by the forces
=
The congressional contest in the Fifth
district has not attracted the attention that
| the contests of two and four years ago in
that district received, and yet it is fully
| as interesting and may develop into the
one really spectacular fight for a congress
sional nomination of the year. Perhaps
this is due to the fact that the forces in
volved are working more quietly than here
| tofore. and that the newspapers Of the dis
| trict are not full of the details of the prog
| ress of the fight and gossip incidental there
| to. The convention will be held Tuesday at
| Terre Haute, and the final struggle will be
| on Monday when the delegates begin to ar
| rive at the Vigo county capital
| None OF the principals TO the contest has
visited Indianapolis within the last ten
| days and the reports that reach the city
! are largely gossip that may not reveal the
| true situation. However, il is known that
| Representative Elias S. Holiday, of Brazil
| is bending every effort to secure a renom-
ination, while Otis l.. Gulley, of Danville
| is aggressively pushing his avowed candi-
| dacy and Senator James S. Barcus of Terre
Haute, is pulling all the wires TO land the
| nomination as a compromise candidate or
7 the proposition that he will not seek a re-
| nomination two years hence. Howard Max.
| we'll, OF Parke county, also figures In the
| gossip, but he is more of an unknown
quantity and 1t is by means certain thai
his name will go before the convention. II
is stated that R. g. Catlin, of Terre Haute
Senator Barcus is presented.
The latest report from the district is tc
| the effect that Barcus and Gulley have
formed a combination by which the latte,
| will throw his strength TO the former or
| the understanding that Barcus will support
MIN Tor the nomination two years hence
| Barcus, 1t is said, will have a large part
| of the Vigo county delegation, and his
| friends claim that he will have at leas
| thirty of the forty votes in the county. Gull
| ley has fifteen votes In Hendricks county
| and 1T is said that between the two they
| can command sufficient votes in Morgan
| Vermillion and Parke, provided Maxwell
| is not candidate. to give the nomination
| to Barcus If Gulley can deliver the votes
| from his own county. Gulleys friends say
| this can be done If IL is known that BarcuS
1t is understood, however, that there are
| two or three prominent Republicans In
| Hendricks county who are waiting for the
| auspiciouS time to dip into the COMPRESSION
| al fight themselves, and that they will no
| permit the carrying out of such deal be
| tween Gulley and Barcus- They conced,
the support of the county to Gulley as Ions
| ~. t. he hrrfc he A.