The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-01

Walter B. Graham. of New York. who is
a guest at the English. says that Judge
Parker will be the choice of New York
Democrats for President this year. Mr..
Graham is in a position to know whereof
he speaks, for he is not only a Democrat.
but is a Tammany Democrat, and is
prominent officer in the Tammany organi-
cation.
1.-THE New York delegation to the Demo
cratic national convention will in all prob
ability be uninstructed, said Mr. era
ham last evening, ''6ut the reason for that
is that there is a plan to give Mayor George
b Mcclellan a complimentary vote. The
delegation will really be for Parker and
will do everything possible to bring about
his nomination. Tammany is for Parker.
There can be no question about that, al
though 1 know there have been reports TO
the contrary Many of the leaders in Tam
many Hall would really prefer Cleveland,
strange as that may seem when IL Is re-
| membered that Tammany has always
fought Cleveland in the past, but they all
realize that Cleveland is not the man
TO head the ticket this year. He could carry
| New York, but he would be knitted In the
South and in the West and could not be
| elected. Parker is recognized as the loglcal
candidate. Mcclellan is being saved for
the governorship He is young and would
make a stronger candidate for President
ernor'
Mr.. Graham was asked if Hearst would
receive any support i'm New York
| Not a single vote he replied. Tam
many does not like Hearst and he has no
| following that can deliver delegates. There
State and a lot of Hearst talk is heard,
but it will amount to nothing when the
time comes for selecting delegates. Hearst
is spending a lot of money as candidate.
| a ma m district 4
year TO do nothing but organize these
Hearst clubs"
Mr.. Graham gives an interesting state
ment as to the system of the Tammany or
ganization. There is the leader Murphy.
at this time, who has absolute charge of
the organization. Then there is a leader
for each of the thirty-seven assembly dis
tricts in the city each district leader has
from ten to twenty captains, and each cap
tain has eight or ten lieutenants. When
the boss wants anything done he passes
the word to the district leaders, who in
turn notify the captains, and they. through
their lieutenants, deliver the goods" The
leaders, captains and lieutenantS are re-
warded with patronage, each receiving an
amount commensurate with the Importance
of his position The great source of power
Tor the machine is its ability 70 find en-
ployment for the rank and file. Mr.. era
quarters of Tammany are nothing less than
employment agencies. Any man who wants
job can go there and get one. He Is not
asked If he is Democrat or Republican,
but is impressed with the fact that he is
under obligations to Tammany for his po-
sition. and when the time comes is expected
to repay that obliga ton with his vote. Tam
many secures these jobs from individuals,
companies and corporations that want the
machine's political influence. The discipline
of Tammany is perfect, and orders sent out
from TammaDy Hall on Fourteenth street
must be obeyed to the letter. Mr. Graham
told little incident that illustrated the dis
cipline of Tammany.
You will remember when Sheppard was
| our candidate for mayor" he said We'll.
that year the rank and file of Tammany
and the people in general wanted Coler, but
Croker who was then the leader. had
picked Sheppard, and Sheppard it had to
be. In the convention there was uproar
of shouts for Coler from the moment it
was opened You couldn't hear anything
but COler. When the roll was called the
delegates continued to shout for Coler, but
they voted for Sheppard, and Sheppard was
the nominee
Jesse Parmenter, of Wabash, who was
at the Denison yesterday. is one of the
leaders who rallying around Represent
alive Frederick Lands, of Logansport, in
his candidacy for denomination, which is
contested by Major George w. Steele, of
Marion. He was asked his opinion OF the
situation in the Eleventh. and in reply pre-
dicted the denomination of Mr.. Lands.
IL believe this he said because, first,
1 can see where he will get the votes to
nominate him; and second, because he
ought to be renominated 1t is an unwrit-
ten law that all two-year officers shall re-
peat themselves, unless there a cogent req
son why they ought not to, and there is
no such reason in this case. Lands is
in the beginning of his first term in Con-
| been
most successful campaigners for his party
in Indiana, he has yet had no opportunity
for the development of his ability in Con-
gress, and to turn him down now would
be a gross injustice to himself and his
friends and a violation of all precedent
In giving his figures on the respective
strength which the two candidates will
have in the convention, Mr.. Parmenter
said:
| Lands will beat the major in the four
counties of the district which have no can
didates, by between thirteen and twenty
votes, but must have a majority of sixteen
outside Cass and Grant to secure the nom
ination. Wabash, according to my figures
will give fourteen votes for Lands and
six for Steele: Huntington. fourteen for
Lands and five for Steele; Blackboard five
for Lands and four for Steele, with Miami
an uncertain quantity. Lands must have
be nominated; Steele must have twenty-six
. If Lands can secure eight votes in Miami
. county he will be nominated, and his
Mr. Parmenter bases his objections to
t Major Steele principally upon the majors
long tenure of public Office stating that
the major has been in office practically ever
since. the war, including the ten years he
served in the regular army. In conclusion
Mr.. Parmenter said:
There is just one more point / desire
to state, which interests the Republican
party of the whole State, and that is, the
defeat Of Lands means the loss Of one and
perhaps three Republican members of the
: next Legislature.
An error was made yesterday in the state.
ment that the Republicans of the Fourth
l district would nominate a candidate fol
Congress at to-day's convention at Column
: bus. The convention to-day will only Sc
lect the DELEGATES and alternates To III.