The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-05

of the conventions adopting resolutions in
dorsing Judge Parker for President and
instructing the Indiana delegates TO vote
as a unit for the New Yorker. Those at
the conference were National Committee
man Thomas Taggart, of this city; State
Chairman w. III. o Brien, of Lawrenceburg;
District Committeeman John G. McNutt
and John T. Lamb. of Terre Haute: Major
@. V. Menzies, OF Mt. Vernon; S. NJ Rails
ton. of Lebanon, and John w. Kern, Alon-
20 Greene Smith and Joseph w. Reilly, OF
this city.
The Parker leaders were extremely reti-
cent as to the matters discussed and de-
cisions reached. but it was learned that
one of the first questions taken up was
one as to who should be the permanent
chairman OF the convention. 1t was deemed
necessary that this matter should be set
tied at once. in order that the man agreed
upon should have some little time in which
to prepare his speech. Three men have
been under consideration for this place
John w. Kern s. NJ. Ralston and Dan w.
Simms, of Lafayette-and the name of for
mer Attorney General Smith was also
brought before the meeting yesterday.
Neither of these four men is anxious for
the honor, it is said. and last night it was
stated emphatically that the chairmanshlp
question had not been definitely settled.
strong argument advanced for the selec-
ton of Mr.. Smith was that the convention
would probably be a tumultuous affair and
that he could be relied upon. IL anyone
could, to rule with an iron hand and guide
the Parker forces safely through the storm
promised by the Hearst people. The Par
ker leaders want man for presiding OF
ficer of the convention who has the pc
culiar genius for domination that Mr.. Smith
displayed in the memorable fight in the
State Senate of 1887
The men who should go on the slate for
delegates at large to the national conven-
ton We're also discussed, and II Is under
stood to be practically settled that this
honor will fall on Messrs. OBrien, Kern.
Menzies and Ben L. Shively, of South Bend.
Dan w. Simms may be substituted for
Menzies or Shively. but ii is the present
plan to take of him by making him
one of the delegates from the Tenth dis
trict.
Unless the unexpected happens and the
stalwarts who hold the Parker forces in
line weaken and waiver. the delegates from
Indiana to the St. Louis convention will be
instructed for Parker There is just one
other contingency upon which this hangs.
but ii is regarded as an extremely remote
one. If the Hearst forces should make
serious inroads on the men selected as
Parker delegates to the state convention,
the plan for instructions may be aban-
that the delegation should be instructed
was not reached unanimously. John w.
Kern and Major Menzies, while favoring
the nomination of Judge Parker, are OPP
posed TO instructions. believing that such
a course will weaken rather than strength
en- Parker's cause. They favor the selection
of men as national delegates who may be
relied upon to stand by Parker, or any
man upon whom the conservative wing OF
| the party can unite TO defeat Hearst and
| Bryan, but argue that such delegation
| can do more good for Parker If untram-
meled by instructions Colonel Dick
| Bright, former proprietor of the Democratic
State organ and former sergeant-at-armS
| of the United States Senate, who has been
| in the city for several days, has been do
| ing a great deal Of quiet work to prevent
| instructions at the state convention. and
| his arguments have won converts.
| However, most of the Parker leaders
stand for instructions. insisting that after
| the fight that has been made in Indiana the
| failure to instruct the delegates TO the ma
| tional convention for Parker Will be seized
| upon as great victory by the Hearst peo-
| pie and will be a source of strength to
Hearst at ST. Louis. The fact that the
delegates instructed for Parker will be
| first of all conclusive proof that Indiana
| Democrats strongly opposed to Hearst,
| they argue, and will not prevent their 60
| ing to a third man in event 1t Is seen thar
| Parker cannot be nominated. The further
| fact that Hearst is loudly proclaiming his
| intention of capturing solid delegations
| from Illinois and Iowa under the rigid ap-
plication of the unit rule Is another strong
| argument advanced for Parker Instructions
| in this State Consequently 1t is regarded
as settled that the convention next week
| will instruct the national delegates, or
| adopt resolutions indorsing Parker that VIII
| be equivalent to instructions.
| Major Menzies, who left last evening for
| ST. Louis, said yesterday that he still be-
| lieved it would be a grave mistake to in
| struct the delegates to the national conven-
| ton. He said he thought Parker would be
| nominated, if the state of public opinion
| at the time of the national convention is
| the same as it is now, but that there might
| be a decided change of sentiment That
would make the nomination of Parker i'm
possible i'll advised.
| There is no telling what may be the
conditions in sixty or ninety days, SID
| Major Menzies. Indiana should be free
| to do what seems best, when the convention
meets Indiana may be the arbiter of that
convention if her delegates go unin-
| structed.'
John W. Kern said that the question of
| adopting instructions should depend upon
| the temper of the state convention. IF the
| instructions would make bad feelings" he
| said, 81 would say, don't instruct"
| AS it is a foregone conclusion that the
| adoption of instructions will create a bad
| feeling to say the least, If ii does not re-
| suit in the boiling of the Hearst people,
| Mr. Kern's statement may be taken as the
| equivalent of direct opposition TO instruc-
| tions.
Mr.. Kern returned yesterday from a trip
| over into Ohio, and he said he had been
| too busy to think much about politics for
| several days. However, when asked about
| Bryan's Chicago speech he did not hest
| tate to pronounce it lin many respects a
| great speech Turning. naturally. from
| Bryan's speech to the action of the New
| York Democrats in instructing for Parker
| and to their platform, Mr.. Kern said:
| New York Democrats unquestionably
| made a bad mistake in the platform they
adopted. They should not have attempted
| circumstances should have confined their
action to the adoption of resolutions in
dorsing Judge Parker
The Hearst people will not submit tamely
to this programme of the Parker forces.
They will fight TO the last ditch. they de-
| clare. and exhaust every resource at their
| adopted by the state convention. And they
! are not without resources. They played a
trump card yesterday when they announced
| that unless the Democratic members OF
| Congress from Indiana cease their open and
| aggressive work for Parker they will work
for the defeat of these congressman at the
| polls in November. Miers. OF the Second
| Zenor, of the Third, Griffith, of the Fourth
| and Robinson, of the Twelfth, are al
| classed by the Hearst people supporters
Of Parker and active workers in the Parker