The Portland daily press., 1880-10-01
The Indiana Canpaign.

There are several considerations which
Republicans should bear in mind in making
calculations on the result of the campaign
in Indiana. The first one is the fact that
Indiana is naturally Democratic State.
During the war it was the hot-bed of North
ern treason and it required all the match
less skill and untiring energy of Oliver P.
Morton to keep the State from ranging
itself ON the side of the Confederacy and
giving open aid and comfort to the armies
of the South. For the last ten years, with
but one exception, the State has thrown its
vote for the Democratic candidate. That
exception was in 1872 when it threw its
vote for Grant. In the October election of
that year the Democrats carried the State,
but before November the Greeley movement
had so completely collapsed that the Demo-
Gratis had become thoroughly discouraged
and PERMITTED the Presidential election to GO
by default. In 1876 Tilden carried the State
by about 5000 majority and in 1878 the
Democrats had about $4,000 plurality.
Another consideration to be borne in
mind is the fact that three promieent Demo-
Gratis of indiana have deep personal inter-
est in the result. They are William II. En-
glish, candidate for Vice President, Senator
Mcdonald whose term in the Senate expires
on the fourth of March and who is candi-
date for reelection. and Thomas A. Hen
bricks who, it is understood, has been prom
no tnp Of ho Trao IL,
the event of Hancock's eler ION. All these
men are powerful. Englisll though person.
ally unpopular has barrel and has knocked
the head out. Hendricks is personally very
popular and Mcdonald is shrewd political
manager.
The geographical location of the State is
against the Republicans. On the south is
Kentucky which has no election in October
and can therefore afford to let her Demo-
cratic population go visiting. The loose
election laws of Indiana make colonization
frauds extremely easy. The loss of Indiana
meals certain defeat to the National Dem
cratic ticket. With an adverse majority in
that State the collapse of the Hancock boom
will be as speedy and complete as that of
the Greeley movement in 1872 after the de-
feat in North Carolina. Nothing, therefore,
that bribery and bulldozing and fraudulent
voting can do to save the State to the DEM
ocracy will be left undone.
We mention these points simply to pre-
vent Republicans from growing over-san-
guine. The intense enthusiasm of the
Republican masses in Indiana, the notable
accessions to the party and the luke-warm-
ness of the Democratic business men on
account of the bad financial record of Land
ers, the Democratic candidate, and their
dread of change in the National admins.
tration may have led Republicans to believe
the victory already won. The Republicans
certainly have good grounds to feel greatly
encouraged by the situation. There is little
doubt but that the State will go Republican
if a fair election can be had. Can that be
had? 1t is the uncertainty which exists as
to the correct answer which makes the re.
suit doubtful. The Democrats Lave much
more at stake in the result than the Repub.
licans. If the State goes Republican it is
fatal to the Democracy; if it goes Demo
cratic the Democrats have won nothing but
what they expected to win, and the Repub-
licans lost nothing but what they expected
to lose when they first made their calcu-
lations as to the result in November and
confidently predicted the election of James
A. Garfield.