Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-10-14
OHIO, INDIANA AND WEST vIR
GINA.

Everybody understands that the
whole interest in the elections in lndi.
ana, Ohio and West Virginia, centres in
the result in the FIRST named State.
The Democrats have made hard
fight in Ohio, but have never claimed
that State, and il it shows Republican
majority by any number not in excess
Of 10000, its vote will he meaningless,
50 far as an index to the result in No
vember is sought,
Indiana, on the other hand, has been
close fighting ground, with the chances
so evenly balanced that a victory by
either side by any majority however
slim, will naturally be hailed with loud
acclamations.
But the stakes fought for in the In
diana contest are very different as re-
CARDS the Republican and Democratic
parties. With the former Indiana is a
matter OF life and death. The failure to
carry Indiana by the Republicans would
virtually end the Presid, initial race in
favor OF the Democratic party. a vic
tory there, by the Republicans. simply
perpetuates the battle and transfers it
to other fields.
But as We have frequently maintained
hereto'ore, We can give the Repub!i-
cans Indiana and still have the Odds in
our favor. We do rot wish to lie nm
derstood as conceding the loss OF Indi-
ana. In a State where the vote is SO
evenly balanced between the parties,
the official count may b, necessary to
give assurances of the result. We re-
member that in 1876 the returns kept
the parties vacc.lating between hO9e
and fear for three days before there was
sufficient data upon which to rely. The
first reports were OF Republicans gains
and republican victory, as they are
now, but in the end it was victory for
the Democracy.
But the point We wish to entire is
contained in the fact that the De,nCc
racy may lose Indiana and yet ele,t
HANCOCK by carrying New York, New
Jersey AMI Connecticut. Orby gaining
Maine or California in place of New Jer-
say or Connecticut. That We shall car
~ New York there is scarcely shadow
OF doubt, and that we have more than
equal chances of carrying Connecticut,
New Jersey and Maine, will hardly lie
questioned.
The loss OF Indiana would simply
put the Democracy whore tbs, loss OF
Maine put the Republicans. 1t would
put them on their mettle, and s,imulate
them to a redoub.ed diligence in secur-
ing what they have, and in making new
conauests. Neither would the loss Of
Indiana insure it to the Republicans in
November, but We would go into the
contest for that State in November with
the assurance that the Republicans
could not afford the lavish expenditures
of money and the concentration OF the
men upon that State as they have done
in October. We will carry Indiana fr
HANCOCK and ENGLISH, whatever may
be the fate OF the STATE ticket in tie
election on Tuesday last.
As to West Virginia, We have the
ample assurance from the returns al
ready received that no mite OF encour-
agement can be derived by the Repub-
lican party from the October election,
but on the contrary, afree election, with
the absence OF extrsneous and extraor.
binary influences. and campaign de.
voted simply to the fair and full discus
sion OF the issues OF the hour, has re-
suited in complete and glorious vic.
tory for the Democratic party. and at the
same time gives an indication more just
and reliable than either Of the voting
States, of the drift of popular sentiment.
In West Virginia the Democracy, sim