The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-03-31
A SIGN or WEAKNESS
indiana Democracy Flies in the Face
of Precedent.

indiana Democracy Files in the Face
of Precedent.
Indianapolis, March 31-The action
of the Democratic state committee in
deciding to hold two conventions this
year is regarded by Republicans gem
orally as a sign OF weakness in the
party. The reason for this is that
the action is tacitly an admission that
it has been impossible to find men who
could even be drafted to fill the places
on the state ticket. There has been
a vigorous, though quiet. hunt for can
didates going on for months but in
spite of all efforts to bring out men
all attempts have failed The fact is
that most Democrats have no idea that
the party can win and they have no
desire to become political martyrs.
The examples of Benjamin F. Shive-
ly, John W. Kern, Samuel NJ. Ralston,
John G. McNutt, Hugh Dougherty and
other past candidates who made losing
races are too prominent in the minds
of most politicians to make them anx-
ious to be laid on the side as relics
The state managers believe, however
that by waiting until after the nation
al convention has met and while the
enthusiasm which always follows such
a gathering is still in effect perhaps
some men can be coaxed into taking
the places on the ticket It is gener-
ally understood that it was this hope
which induced the Democrats to take
their unusual action. There is anoth-
er reason which reveals another weak
ness of the party. This is that there
is SO much confusion as to just what
Democratic principles are that it
would be hard for Indiana Democrats
to draft a platform lest they should
find when the national resolutions are
adopted that their views on the sub
ject were not right and they would
have to apologize for their platform all
during the campaign.
There are just about $50 school
teachers in indianapolis tonight with
still more to follow. The occasion is
the twenty-eighth annual convention
of the Southern Indiana Teachers as
ISOLATION which will be in session un-
til Saturday evening. The convention |
will open this evening when Mayor
Hoffman will deliver an address of /
welcome telling the pedagogues the
value of their services to the state
inasmuch as they are the real builders
of character in the young. Today the
teachers have put in the time visiting |
the local schools Superintendent
Kendall kindly invited the visitors to
make themselves at home in any of
the schools and they took advantage
of the invitation. The program will
continue until Saturday afternoon.
Some notable educators have accept
ed the invitations to deliver addresses
and several are already in the city
to attend the entire convention. Their
anxiety to hear and see the way the
Indiana teachers do things shows that
the fame of Indiana school methods
has spread abroad and that people
who are interested in such subjects
look to this STATE for new and valuable
ideas.
An important departure in the way
of teaching children in the public
schools has just been inaugurated by
the school board. This is to give
complete course in physical training
SO that pupils will not come out of
school with their heads crammed but
no bodies to continue the strain of
college course or to take up some
business occupation. Superintendent
Kendall's idea is to train the bodies
as we'll as the minds. Several of the
grade schools which have been built
In late years are provided with gym
nasiums and the children have been
given helpful exercises. At the last
meeting of the school board arrange
ments were made to take up the mat
ter Systematically. Mr.. Kendall was
authorized to employ three physical
directors. 1t is not the intention to
work pupils too hard in the younger
grades as such training would injure
more than it would help them. In the
nigh schools where they can stand
more hard work the physical training
course will be harder and it will prob
ably be made compulsory.
Il