Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1900 — DURBIN IS CHOSEN. [ARTICLE]

DURBIN IS CHOSEN.

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR. Anderson Man Named on the Seventh f Ballot at the State Convention—Lively Contest Aiaofg the Six Aspirants for the Honor. Governor—W. T. Durbin, of Anderson. Lieutenant Governor— N. A. Gilberf, of Angola. Reporter of the Supremo Court—Charles F. Remy, of Columbus. Secretary of State—Union B. Iluut, of. Winchester. Auditor of State— W. 11. Hart, of Frankfort. ' <_— _ ' , * Treasurer of State —Leopold Levy, of Huntington. Attorney General—W. L. Taylor, of In“dtanapeUsr— —* —— ____________ Superintendent of Public InstructionFrank L. Jones, of Tipton. Judges of the Supreme Court —Fourth District, Leander JuMonks, of Winchester; First District, James H. Jordan, of Martinsville. State Statistician—John B. Conner, of Indianapolis. De legates-at-Large to National Conven-tion-Senator Charles W. Fairbanks, Senator A. J. Beveridge, Gov.- Janies Mount and Charles S. Henly. Indianapolis correspondence; W. T. Durbin of Anderson, national committeeman, was nominated for Governor Thursday afternootUby the Republican State convention. Seven ballots were necessary. The real work of the Republican State convention began over the nominations for the State officers and four delegates-at-large. At 9 o’clock the body was called to order and it was apparent that a fight for the nomination for Governor would be made from the very beginning. The headquarters of the six candidates for the gubernatorial fibmination x did not close until long after midnight, and each contestant expressed the utmost confidence that he would be the chosen man. The candidates for Governor, placed before the convention were J. S. Dodge, J. L. Griffiths, W. S. Haggard, W. T. Durbin, F. B. Posey and E.. G. Hogate. There were 1,434 delegates, making 718 votes necessary to nominate. Balloting began at once. The fight for the Governorship nomination was one of the most hotly contested struggles in the history of the party in’this State. Those who had preiicted that under no circumstances Would the strength of Griffiths be thrown to Durbin, or vice versa, were correct. The supporters of the two leaders were firm to the finish. Even at the end of the sixth ballot, when Durbin had 700 votes, falling short of nomination by only 18, the Griffiths supporters would not give an inch.; ajid_they__cm-ried_their favorite through the seventh ballot, until Durbin had enough- votes to yominate him. For five ballots Griffiths and Durbin ran a close race. Then Hogate withdrew’ and his support went to Durbin like a flash, pushing the latter's vote up to 700. The' Griffiths men were still game, and Durbin wanted onlj eighteen more votes. These he got when Dodge and Posey withdrew. The seventh Ifallot resulted: Durbin, 977; Griffiths, 457. Griffiths moved to make the nomination unanimous, which was done, and Durbin was called to the front of the platform and made a speech.

Fight for Second Place. The fight for the lieutenant governorship plum was a surprise. L. I’. Newby of the Sixth district showed great strength on the first ballot, the vote for him being 450, as against 260 for N. W. Gilbert of Angola, his nearest competitor. Newby’s friends expected him to be nominated on the second ballot, and as soon as the result of the first ballot was announced they put on their hustling clothes and started after votes. Allen Codnty cast twenty-eight' votes for Gilbert and three for Newby, figures that were given out after the Fort Wayne primaries. -■ After that county Newby took the bit in his teeth and showed good increases for several counties. Gilbert showed more strength in Delaware County than he was credited with. lie had nineteen votes on this ballot to Newby’s ten, when it was supposed that vote would be reversed. The vote of Marion County was listened to with interest, for it was in this county that Gilbert and Newby had a hard fight for delegates at the primaries. Ou. the. second ballot jGi 1 bert_j-eyei ved 52% votes and Newby 58%. Wayne County gave evidence that it was getting ready to swing the result for Lieutenant Governor, as it did in Durbin’s nomination. The result of the second ballot was as follows: Embree, 126: Shutts. 220; Gilbert,' 327%; Newby. 539%; Babcock, 43: Baker, 178. Just after announcement of the result of the second ballot the name of J. N. Babcock of Topeka, me of the three candidates from th- 1 'Jfwelfth district, was withdrawn.' The first counties called gave gains for Newby. The gains continued steadily. The third ballot resulted: Newby, 673; Gilbert, 527: Shutts, 147: Baker, 44; Embree, 41; Babcock, 2. Shutts ami Embree then withdrew, and'the stampede to Gilbert began. He was nominated on the next ballot, and the convention, after being in session continuously for nearly ten hourSj had disposed of only two nominations. Hunt for Secretary ot State, Hart for Auditor, Lovy for Treasurer and Taylor for Attorney General had no opposition, and were nominated by acclamation. It was 7 o'clock when the next fight was reached. lit Was over the nomination for reporter of the Supreme Court. Chas. F. Homy was nominated on the second ballot. Connor, for State statistician, had some opposition, but he landed the nomination. From then on down through the list there wits little loafing, as the delegates were thoroughly tired out and anxious to quit. The convention adjourned after being in continuous session thirteen hours. Col. Winfield T. Durbin, the nominee for Governor, was born at Lawrence burg. May 4, 1847. He has been intimately connected with political affairs in Indiana for several years and is now a member of the national Republican committee. in which position he has been .in close, touch with political affairs in that State. He is wealthy, having interests tn large enterprises in the gas belt, besides being a banker at Anderson. He served' through the civil war, was colonel of the 161st Indiana regiment in the volunteer service in the Spanish-Ameri-can war.