The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-02

INDIANA politics are generally prolific in in
| teresting situations, but they have seldom
| furnished a more interesting one than the
present contrast between the attitudes of the
Republican and Democratic parties The Re-
publican party may be compared to an army
that has just achieved great victory in
good cause under disadvantages which might
with greater probability have brought defeat.
A victory achieved under such circumstances
adds to the enthusiasm and morale Of
an army, and puts every member,
file, in the best possible feeling.
The Indiana Democracy, on the other hand,
| may be likened to an army which, anticipat-
ing victory by reason of advantages dishon-
orable to themselves and obtained by the
basest methods, has met, instead, with de-
feat so unlocked for and so crushing that it
hardly knows whether to be most surprised
by the unexpectedness of the event, or
stunned by the weight of the disaster.
is such as might be expected I'M
der these different circumstances. One
is united and strengthened, and The other is
demoralized and disheartened. While defeat
may bring up leaders, for which the Sen
tinel so Justify calls, willing to assume the
responsibility and odium, victory not infre-
quently begets sudden multiplicity of those
anxious to seize or at least divide the honors
In the present case the Republican party is
not in this trouble, In this victory and this
campaign, at least, there is no division on
that question. By the force of circumstances
Senator Harrison was forced to the front, and
he accepted the duty and discharged the
trust in a manner that not only brought credit
to himself, but soldifed the party. Very diff
ferent is the situation of the Democracy.
While the so-caled 'leaders" are looking for a
scape- goat, the rank and file are looking for
leader." Messrs. Mcdonald, Voorhees, and
Gray are engaged in the interesting occupa-
ton of trying to unload their political sins
| upon one another, and each to push the other
into his political grave. Mr.. En-
glish, not particularly grand, but
by spells gloomy and almost always
politically peculiar, regards the destructive
warfare the other so-called leaders are waging
on each other with a smile somewhat less be-
nignant than that of professional philan-
thropist. Mr. Green Smith looms up in the
middle foreground of the picture with por-
tentous aspect, which is by no way lessened
by the strictly professional and, therefore, of
course, strictly disinterested success of the
two distinguished Democratic lawyers who are
retained by faction of the party TO make it's
reco-d monumental joke and scream
ing farce Ard while all these So
called "leaders" are thus engaged the
Sentinel rushes into the ring with wild,
disheveled locks, beating its breast and de-
manding a "leader" It would be weak
figure to liken the Democratic party in In
diana, in it's present condition, to a house
divided against itself 1t is divided and sub
divided into as many warning factions as there
are chambers in the house, and every occu-
pant Of every chamber seems to be pulling
down the wall and throwing bricks at his
neighbours head.
POSTMASTER GENERAL Villas once re-
marked, in a moment of sporadic confidence