The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-31
TWO CONVENTIONS TO Be
HELD BY THE DEMOCRATS
State Committee Decides Question
in Session Held Here
Yesterday.
PRESIDENCY IMPORTANT
Hearst Manager Says St. Louis
Convention Is Far Enough
Away.

Indiana Democrats will hold two state
conventions this year. one on May y to
select delegates to the national convention.
and one on July 20, to nominate candidates
for state offices.
This decision was reached al q meeting
of the Democratic state committee held
yesterday morning at the Grand Hotel.
State Chairman OBrien last evening pre-
pared the official call and il will be issued
at once. But one set of delegates will be
selected for the state conventions, so that
the holding of two conventions will entail
no further complications and inconvenience
other than making two trips to Indian
apolis- Both conventions will be held in
Tomlinson Hail.
The action of the committee in deciding
that two conventions should be held came
as a surprise to the politicians, particularly
to those who are not on the inside with
the crowd that controls the state organi5a-
fion, and there were many calls for an ex-
PLANTATION of a course that is almost I'M
precedented. The convention for the nom
nation of candidates for state offices will
come almost two weeks after the national
convention at ST. Louis. Chairman
O'Brien said last evening In explaining the
action:
1.-The committee decided that the ques-
ton of paramount interest TO the Demo-
cratic party this year is the nomination of
a candidate for President. The state ticket
and everything else is a matter of second
airy interest. Consequently it was the be-
lief Of every member of the committee that
the selection of Indiana s delegates to the
national convention should be separated
from the selection of candidates for state
offices in order that there might be no con-
fusion or merging of interests and that the
action in selecting delegates TO the national
convention might represent Enthusiastically
the sentiment of Indiana Democrats on the
presidential question"
FIGHT SHY OF HEARST.
1t was intimated to Chairman OBrien
that the action of the committee might be
criticised by the managers of w. r.
Hearst's representatives from outside the
State who have taken an active hand in es-
tablishing bureau in this city.
THE decision to hold two conventions was
not aimed at any presidential candidate
nor in the interest of any candidate, he re-
piled For that matter, however. Indiana
Democrats are abundantly able to handle
their own affairs. They do not need the as
sistance or interference of outsiders, es-
pecially from those who hail from localities
where Democratic certificates of office are
as rare as snowfiakes on July in this
part of the country"
Chairman O'Brien in this referred to G..
A. Walsh. of Iowa, secretary of the Dem
ocratic national committee, and j. G.. John
son, of Kansas, chairman of the national
executive committee, who recently invaded
Indiana in the interest Of Hearst. 1t was
h frcf rafa Mr. n Tlrfa hoe ia
directly Indirectly, to the Hearst cam
paign in Indiana
The local representatives of Hearst were
at irst inclined to regard the action OF
the state committee as blow aimed al
them, but on reflection they decided that
they had been treated even better than
they had anticipated.
HENDERSON is SATISFIED.
J. Oscar Henderson, who is at the head
Of the hearst bureau, conceded that in set
ting the date for the convention to select
delegates to st. Louis on May T. six
weeks hence. they had been given all the
time they could expect. and that it was
In no sense a snap convention.
at am satisfied" he said well bt
ready for the convention by May u. anC
well be there. We would have been ready
next week II they had wanted to call the
convention then"
Delegates to the state convention hav,
already been selected in a few counties, bu
II is expected that the county conventions
will be called rapidly now and that nc
time will be lost by either side to the Par
ker-Hearst fight. The delegates to the state
convention will gather in this city May IL
and on the eve of the state convention viii
hold district caucIseS at which two dele
gates 10 the national convention will b,
chosen for each district. The state con
vention next day will pass the actor
OF the district caucuses and select foul
delegates at large. There will be 1,547 dele
gates in the state convention.
The action OF the state committee, which
Is controlled by the conservative wing OF
the party, is generally regarded as a shrew(
move against Hearst. although it is pointed
out that there is nothing in IL that tn,
Hearst people can criticise The Hears
people must now make their fight as Z
straight out and out fight for Hearst anC
cannot manipulate the state convention
through the rivalry for state nominations