The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-02
TO-DAY,S CONVENTION.

The Republicans of Indiana meet in State
convention to-day for the first time since the
Democratic national administration came into
power They are, for the first time, in the
minority both in the State and the Nation.
The circumstances are therefore, peculiar to
them as matter of experience and will de-
mand of them somewhat different thought and
action than they have been in the habit of
taking. Politically speaking, the Republicans
are on the offensive they are the attacking
party now, and what they have to say to the
people will be from that point of view, and
with the purpose not only of showing the
weaknesses of the Democracy, but their own
virtues as well, which shall commend them to
public favor. Tactcally it is both wise and
necessary to take decided step in advance,
and to meet the oncoming public sentiment
on various important public questions frankly
and with sincerity.
The possession of power has demoralized the
Democracy everywhere, but particularly in
AHuioua' 1ASlo Iley ato, dIlu nave oe0n,
drunken with the lust of power. So far as
the national administration is concerned, an
Indianian cannot speak of it with complacence.
1t has made Indiana the dung heap on which
it has piled rubbish and off-scouring, until
even Democrats have been forced to cry halt
to the scandalous and unfit appointments
There have been few respectable and
worthy selections; but these are almost for
gotten in the monstrous and willful perver
sion Of the public service to the lowest parti-
san and personal ends. This has brought
about a condition of affairs from which every
branch of business and almost every citizen is
seriously suffering. That we do not and
cannot overstate the case, a look at
the mail service will demonstrate AS a
State that has been made the field for national
contests, and that has occupied, and still oc-
cupies, unique position politically, the Re-
publicans Of Indiana will feel called upon to
make such declarations as will, at least, out
line their relations to national affairs and
questions; but what will and must demand the
largest share of attention is it's local matters.
By brute force and constituencies infamy
the people of Indiana have had gerrymander
forced upon them whereby it was sought to
practically disfranchise half of them and to
deteriorate the value of anti-Democratic votes,
so that, by no possibility. could the majority
be represented in the General Assembly The
Democratic party is minority party in In
diana. It was so two years ago; but it
returned a Legislature with forty-six joint ma
jority. Yet even this did not suffice them;
and they passed bill, conceived in sin and
carried forward in corruption, by which they
hoped and expected to increase this majority
to seventy, and to continue their partisan con-
troll of the State, even were the popular ma
jority to be against them by many thousands
The Democrats knew that United States
Senator was to be elected, and it was their
purpose to handicap the race for that i'm
portant position 1t is under these circum-
stances that the Republicans of Indiana enter
into the canvass; and, while recognizing the