The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-01

IN Dearborn and Boone cSunties. The first
suit comes up to-day = Lawrenceburg,
while the one at LebanoIS has been set for
Wednesday. Although noS every county in
the State will be affected: by the result of
this litigation in a number of counties 1t
will be impossible for eitTer party to nom
mate candidates for the Legislature until
1t is known whether thz new apportion-
ment will stand the test the courts. for
If nominations should bd3 made under the
new act and it should f:len be held un-
constitutional it would be necessary to
, make the nominations again under the old
districts. For this reason, no matter what
the decision Of the lower courts may be,
an appeal will be taken at once TO the
Supreme Court in order that a final deci-
sion may be had at the earliest possible
The Democratic State committee has pre-
pared for a hard fight on the act, and in
Guided In its array of legal talent are for
Smith, Judge Theodore p. Davis and NJ. A.
| Ryan, OF this city; Maj. G. V. Menzies, OF
Mount Vernon: Dan w. Simms, of Lafay-
ette, and ;. M. Ralston, of Lebanon, be-
! sides local attorneys in both Dearborn and
Boone counties. Addison c. Harris, former
minister to Austria, and Frank l.. Little
| ton, former speaker OF the House Of Repre-
sentatives, both of this city, will represent
the interests OF the Republican organlza-
ton.
! The Democrats, throug; State Chairman
o Brien, have expressed SInbounded conf
| dence that they will wi the suits and
| knock out the apportiCkment, and they
have polluted out what xhey consider in
Vulnerable instances of tht glazing injustice
or the act. On the oth2r hand, the Re
publlcans are making no Elaims as to what
they viii do. 1t has meier been claimed
| that the appOrtionment is1Derfect-the men,
| both Democrats and Republicans, who have
ever attempted to frame EEn appOrtonment
| mefsSure-but it is claimed by those who
| were instrumental in formulating the act
| or 1903 that ii is consiste9t with the spirit
! of the Constitution and TIE Supreme Court
decisions on apportionmknt questions. 1t
| Is impossible, they GLAZING. to obey the let
| ter of the Constitution sh districting the
State for legislative purs OF course,
the majority in the Gersral Assembly of
1903 did not consider the interests of the
| minority in framing the measure, but even
| Democrats admit that the act of 1903 does
| not contain the fragrant. imperfections OF
the Democratic gerrymaf.ler of 1893.
|
Democratic state Headquarters will be
opened to-day in the Sentitel building, with
Secretary Joseph w. ReilI!. of this city. in
charge a temporary ohsce has been Sc
| cured on the first floor OF the building, but
| 1t is expected that within u few weeks per-
| manent quarters will be. secured for the
campaign on the second Foor.
|
Local Democrats, by tb. way, are begin
ming to take more interest in the question
of congressional candidates. The friends
of several men are feeling about to see
how the party leaders incline to this or that
prospective candidate, and there will prob
ably be one or more ayowed candidates
for the nomination in the field within the
aext two or three weeks: Joseph e. Bell,
! the law partner of John ~. Kern and one
of the most active of the chosen few who
stand close to the big chief Thomas Tag
CART, is said to entertain congressional as
pirations, but If he does he is keeping his
plans very much to himself at present.
Some of his friends say that Mr.. Bell has
no thought of becoming candidate; others
suggest mySteriouSly, IF Joe wants the
nomination we guess he can have it, Other
prospective candidates are Alonzo Greene
Smith, whose friends have, been urging him
Tor Congress for the past ten years, Judge
Theodore Z. Davis, l.. p. Harlan and A.
a McKain, president of the Indiana Manu-
featuring Company. A strong argument
advanced for the latter is that if he wants
to make the race and should be nominated
he could be relied upon to make a generous
Donation to the campaign fllnd-a point that
democrats are not inclined TO overlook this
year
Judge Davis has the good will of the
leaders of the Taggart machine, and his
strength as candidate is being urged by
men close to the throne. 1t is not known
however, that the judge seeks the empty
honor OF leading the Democratic forlorn
nope in the Seventh district. The plurality
OF 4,2SS. which Representative Overstreet
received over Jacob Plat Dunn two years
ago, is a severe blow to Democratic con-
way, is not considered at all for the nomi-
nation this year. primarily for the reason
mat he has allied himself with the Reach
| faction OF the local Democracy and the
other fellows, who are now in the saddle
VIII not permit a Reach man to receive
| even the crumbs that fall from their table
a. al tne tnne OF the district convention,
IL Is even more apparent than ii is now
tnat the Democratic nominee will have alb
| solutely no chance of election then tho
tbl ii Il tl1h may De given to some one from
the heach camp, for the same reason that
Aedcn may be permitted to remain ar the
head OF the Democratic city committee
ana doItzman may be given the mayoraltv
nomination again-the Taggart men do NOT
want TO take any unnecessary drlhbinpe
at the hands of the Republicans
Inc formal announcement of Charles r
Clarke that he will be a candidate for The
democratic county craftsmanship NAV he
expected, If not to-day, some time this week
1t Is learned from reliable sources that
Clarke will be the candidate of the Taggart-
RAINING crowd The only cause for delav-
Ing his announcement would be the decisi9Sr
OF the machine leaders not to hold the
county primaries until the middle or lat
Vel part Oh Marcn: If the primaries are
pressed wish of the State Committed the
candidate will make his bow within a fav
Gays. The leaders do not want a lone mi
mary campaign-not that they are sfrai1
the Reach crowd can develop any ALARMING
strength they say, but because they do moi
want the agony long drawn out.
+
A correspondent of the New York Sum
who has been in Indiana during the past
week or ten days, has been furnishing his
paper with series of articles on the In
diana political situation that are entertain.
| ing, II not instructive. In his latest confri.
button he reveals that Socialists of Indiana
are for President Roosevelt, and that fhev
thank the President for the growth of Their
vote in this State from GA in 1900 to z iii in
1922 ''-1 ~
Democratic County Chairman w w
Spencer has issued the calls for the nri-
maries to select Democratic candidates for
assessors and trustees in Perry and Frank
lin townships on Feb. 10. The WAYNE town.
ship primaries will be held Feb 2 but tbs
call has not been issued. because the votine
places have not yet been selected
In Perry township the candidates will he
named at delegate convention. to be held
the afternoon of the day following the mi.
| maries. In Franklin the nominations vii
be by direct primary. The candidates i'm the
three townships are. Wayne-Assessor
Samuel j. Miller, Michael Fries and George
w. Shaffer; trustee, George d. Handren
! Perry tOwnship-Trustee Warren Tingle
candidate for reelection; assessor Dor
/ n~t@f LII I.