People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1894 — POLITICS AND GIFTS. [ARTICLE]

POLITICS AND GIFTS.

WHAT SOME ASPIRANTS DIO NOT FIND IN THEIR STOCKINGS. ■or* Attention B«Ib{ Paid by Legist*-tor*-Kl«ct to the Character of Laws t* Be Enacted Rather Than to the Filling of Flaoes—Gossip on Several Subjects. [.Special Correspondence.] Indian APOLI3, Dec. 25. —This joyous Christmas morning a hundred Hoosiers —just think of it, a hundred, and maybe more—searched the interior of pedal coverings for some inkling of what they were to expect from the Indiana legislature. Some of them actually thought to receive an order for a position as clerk, assistant clerk, doorkeeper, state librarian, or something else, and heaved a sigh when brought to realize that Santa Clans had no control over the gifts to be bestowed by one political party or another—that he is absolutely and positively nonpartisan in his favors, and having missed them had impartially skipped other seekers. Everybody still concedes, however, that Robert (“Bob”) A. Brown of Franklin might as well have got an order for the house clerkship, as no one else is showing alarming strength in the race against him. Further than this there is the same uncertainty attaching to the speakership, doorkeepers and other places that existed when I last wrote. Much greater delay in shaping events will bring the canvass down to the eve of the meeting of the legislature without well defined prospects of success for any particular individual.

One of the striking peculiarities of the hustle for place this year is the apparent indifference of members-eloct to this feature of their work. It is said that the man who is making promises is rarer than watermelons at Christmas dinners. I don’t mean to say that the members have no interest in the result and are not giving the subjects thought, but that this phase of the general assembly’s duty is regarded as secondary to the legislative business to be transacted. Thus it happens that gossip now is directed more toward measures than men. One can hear more about apportionment, appropriations, fees and salaries, management of benevolent institutions, etc,, in a few minutes among coming legislators than he can in one week about the choice of this or that man for this or that position. -***- I would not have your readers infer from the above that these matters are entirely forgotten. They are not. Rumors are beginning to circulate even now which will call forth answers, and the seething cauldron will take on added heat within a short time. Most of the present talk is directed toward Marion oonnty’s aspirants for the speakership, and there is no gainsaying that a sturdy effort is on foot to effect a combination by which both can be shelved in the interest of someone from the outside. Of one of these candidates it is being said that he is being backed by the machine element of the capital city and that he will be controlled by that crowd if chosen. Of the other it is asserted that he has not the strength at home to warrant a support from the other quarters of the state. Thus it goes now with relation to these two, and so also are arguments or mild abuse applied against others wh5 w are pushing along in the front row of entries as all are about to turn into the homestretch for a drive to the finish. -***- The question of apportionment continues paramount in the discussion of probable legislation, and there are in consequence all sorts of rumors afloat as to what has been agreed upon. It must be understood that talk thus far has been confined to the senate side of the assembly. The majority in that branch have their committees at work and have formulated or have in process the plans for redistricting. These members will agree in all probability upon what they will recommend and urge, but there can be no assurance that this will meet the approval of the committees from the house, which cannot be named until after the election of a speaker. In fact, some members of the lower branch have complained that senators are progressing too rapidly in their purpose to have ready for hurried passage such measures as they might have devised in committee prior to the beginning of the session, and suggest that nothing of this sort should be given out until the representatives of both branches have had ample opportunity to give it consideration.

“Have you reapportioned the state?” I asked Secretary Russell Seeds of the Republican state committee the other day. ‘‘Do yon know a Republican who hasn’t?” was the query-like response. ‘‘Yes, I have an apportionment bill which deals fairly with everybody, causes the majority of congressional representation to hinge on pluralities of 5,000 to 7,000 in the state, and makes a very decent looking map. The estimates are based on the election of 1892. It makes the basis of votes 43,000 in each district and varies neither way more than 3,000.” ‘‘Let me publish it?” ‘‘Oh, no. That would cause it to be picked to pieces by every friend of every congressman in every district, and I am afraid that would seal its fate before committee recommendations could be determined. No, I guess I’ll keep it.” -*#*- Tennessee produces the greatest novelty of the year in a legislator-elect. He differs from anything I have heard of in Indiana, at least. Edward Dudley Duncan, who a few years ago was a resident of aesthetic Boston, subsequently became identified with eastern Tennessee, taking up his abode in the mountainous country of that part of the state. Like all Bostonese, he could not prevent his great wisdom from bubbling over and the people seized on him as competent to correct all statutory ills and elected him to the legislature. There is nothing particularly strange in all that. But it is strange that he should determine to walk from bis home tp the capital in

Nashville, when there are railroads and the state makes allowance for mileage. It is recorded that he has begun his tramp, taking his time and figuring on arrival in Nashville the day before the legislature convenes. In Indiana no representative-elect is walking toward the capital. They expect to wait until later and come in on a passenger trains, and if rumors are true a good many of them will ride on passes. I have heard it said, however, that agitation of this subject has caused some recipients of passes to return them to the railroads, preferring to pay fare and escape criticism. —**•- The week in which the legislature meets will be a busy one politically, interest being hightened by the fact that there will be a gathering of Democrats of the state just at the time the Republicans are in the hubbub of caucus arrangements. The celebration of Jackson day, which is to include a banquet and speeches at Tomlinson hall on the evening of Jan. 8, will attract the most active men of that party to the city, and there isn’t a doubt that many of them will remain over to see the organization and start of the legislative mill. Notable speakers have been invited from outside the state for the above event, and it is sure that one Indiana senators will be present. Minister to Mexico Isaac P. Gray, who is home on a call to his son’s bedside, but who is now convalescing, will be one of the principal speakers, and to the list must be added John G. Shanklin, Thomas J. Study, B. F. Shiveley, I. 0. Pickens, Charles B. Stuart and William F. Townsend. It is said that there are several in this list who would not be averse to leading the Democracy in the race for governor. -***- There is a good deal of gossip about the possible effect of the Jackson day banquet, at which 1,000 plates are to be laid, and which will be participated in by many men possessed of political ambition. Of first interest this gossip is directed toward the next presidential nomination, Indiana belonging to that vast coterie of western states which believe, assert and will insist that the Democracy should come to the west for its candidate in 1896. By a condition which is accidental in a degree, there mil be three Hoosiers present at that banquet who are regarded as possibilities, and each of whom has friends who are willing to begin work now to accomplish that nomination. These are Senator Daniel W. Voorhees, who until a few days ago was uncertain about being present, but who has now positively accepted the invitation; Minister to Mexico Isaac P. Gray, who was recently called home on account of the illness of his son and will spend the holiday season now that he is here, and Governor Claude Matthews, who will act as toastmaster on the occasion. Indiana Democrats, it is conceded, would be gratified by the elevation of either to the leadership of the next national campaign.

—— There is another story which says the senate committee has agreed on its bill; that under it the Twelfth district will be left as it now is and that the northern part of the state is to be made solidly Republican. Under this alleged arrangement two districts are to be given to the Democrats by an unquestionable majority, these being the districts from which Colonel Hardy and Jesse Overstreet were this year elected. Colonel Hardy has been quoted as being magnanimous enough to accept without complaint a district with a Democratic majority. Cooper and Brets, Democrats, are the' men whom it is believed would seek to represent these districts. Marion county is given a congressman to herself under this apportionment. A * V Secretary of Statte-elect Owen and Auditor-elect Daily are having a good deal of experience as legislators just now. N I refer to the experience of being worried by aspirants for placo. These two gentlemen, with the governor, will constitute the new state printing board, and this board has the selection of a clerk. The union printers of Indianapolis—and the whole state, for that matter—claim that the position should go to a member of organized labor and are making a fight in that direction. The local union furnishes several candidates, but those most mentioned as having the strongest backing are Thomas J. Carter, at present deputy city clerk, and Lon W. McDaniels, superintendent of a large printing house here. Logausport supplies a candidate also, but I have not been able to learn his name. Hailing from the home of Mr. Owen, however, there is a suspicion hereabouts that he may have an advantage at the start. £- * * Wishard of the senate legislative apportionment committee, Crumpacker on railroads, Cranor on fees and salaries and Haggard on finance bid fair to become recognized as the “big four” of the upper branch of the legislature. All of them are men of more than ordinary 6tature, and all but Cranor come near being giants in physical development. Cranor is perhaps the taller of the crowd and the longest man in the senate, but he is thinner than any of those menj tioned.

—Nr — f I have questioned not less than a dozen house members-elect in regard to the candidates for doorkeeper,and invariably received an answer to the effect that no man knows all of them. I have been surprised at the number of representa- ' tives who have told me that they knew of no way of securing a complete list of aspirants, for the reason that it was their practice to throw letters of application into the waste basket, and they took it for granted that others did likewise. It seems probable, therefore, that the man who can come down on the eve of the caucus with the best hustlers and make the greatest showing will stand the best chance of success, it not being apparent that any considerable nmn- * her of members have their minds made up on this question. #_# •Jr Representative Van Arsdel of Marion county, while seated at dinner the other evening with a company of representa-tives-elect, shonted “Mr. Speaker!” during a lull in conversation. He claims to have had the instant attention of eVery man around the board. This indicates how that bee is buzzing. Uno.