New-York tribune., 1880-06-21
LNnL1N1 N NCTORLR.

INDIANA IN OCTOBER
The decision Of the Indiana Supreme Court
changes the whole aspect of the Presidential
contest. Indiana becomes an October State
again. Notwithstanding the large popular
majority for the constitutional amendments
by which the time of holding the State clcc-
tion WAS changed, the Court declares the vote
iuoprrativc for technical reasons This de
ciSion was evidently contrivcd to promote the
nomination Of Governor Hendricks, and was
a very sharp and effective Trick, whether 1t
entirely succeeds or not. 1t has already given
Mr. Hendricks prominence among the can
dilatcs which. one week ago, he did not seem
likely to attain. But while pushing his own
interests The Indiana politician has dcridcdly
increased the chances of Republican success.
Indiana has been Il doubtful State ever
since the war AS IN Ohio, the real contest
has always been IN the State elections, just
preceding the Presidential contests and in
October 1868, the Republican majority was
0G1 in a total vote of $4,000; in October,
1872, the Democratic majority WAS ,837 III
total vote of 1000 and in October,
1876, when Williams, the present Governor
was elected. neither party bad minority, and
the Democratic plurality was 6,OSi. in II
total vote Of 431. 600. The fact that Williams
was peculiarly popular with the Grccnback
voters, and we'll represented their opinions,
drew to him nearly all the Democrats OF that
way Of thinking. so that much the larger part
of the 1928 voters who nevertheless voted
for the Grccnback candidate against Williams
were probably former Republicans. This
wear the Grccnback notions have lost most ot
their force with Republican voters; the pros
pcrity which has followed resumption has made
the Republican party and itspOlicy stronger than
ever with the people and the party is better or
ganizcd and more harmonious than it has been
for a long time. With an excellent State
ticket and with the advantage of General
Garfield's popularity in Indiana the Rcpnbli-
cans were very hopeful of carrying the State
next Fail, prior to the decision OF the Court
and that decision, in which the will of large
majority of the people was set aside for patti
san ends, has naturally made the Republicans
still stronger
The leading Democrats Of Indiana virtually
admit that the State is likely TO give Re-
publican majority this FALL unless Mr.. Hem
dricks should be nominated. For they appeal
in his brlialf with passionate carnc>tnrSs to
the Democrats OF other States, saying that
nothing but his personal popularity will make
the State safe for the Democratic party. The
truth probably is that nothing but his p0pr-
larity will give the Democratic party rs mnch
as Il fair chance Of success III Indiana, under
existing circumstances. If Mr.. Hendricks
should be nominated, there would ho Il hard
fight in his State; and he might possibly
succeed there as he did when a candidate for
Governor in 1872. by very slender majority
But if he should not be nominated, the con
duet of the Democratic court has made 1t cx-
Gee dinghy improbable that Indiana crn be car
ricd for tn" Democratic ticket, either in Oc-
tObcr or November He positively refuses 10
accept nomination for the second place. with
Mr. T'ildcn or without him, 50 that the qucs-
ton for the Democratic Convention, briefly
stated is whether it will lose Indiana in 0c-
tobcr or nominate Mr.. Hendricks for PrcSi-
dent.
But the nomination of Mr. Hendricks, over
the head of Mr.. 1ildcn, would make Demo-
cratic success in any Eastern State exceed
ingly improbable. TO say nothing of the we'll
known animosity of Mr.. Tildcn and his most
influential friends, the course of Mr.. Hendricks
on financial questions has been such that it
would bc hard to win any Eastern State for
him. 10 save Indiana, and lose all chance of
Ncw-YOrk, Ncw-Jrrscy and Conncctlcut,
would not seem TO bo very good policy, unless
there is n reasonable prospect Of capturing
other Western States in number sufficient to
elect But to lose Indiana in Oct0bcr-t0
have Vermont and Name in September fol-
lowed by Republican victories IN Omo Indi
AHA and Iowa in OctObcr-will make Demo-
cratic success in November exceedingly diff
cult.
Thus the partisan trick of the IndanA
Democrats threatens to rccol upon them and
their party with fatal effect. The great WIS
dom of the Republican nomination may now
be more fully appreciated. 1t was whispered,
some time ago, that the Democrats OF Indiana
had this trick in reserve, and anticipation of
it may have guided some sagaciou5 delegates
at Chicago to insist upon u nomination which
would make sure of Ohio in October. That
was done, ut all events, by the nomination of
General Garfield, and it makes little difference
now whether Mr.. Payne, il nominlted, can
secure the hearty support OF the friends