The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-17
DISCUSSING THE ISSUES
The Republican Editors of Indiana Ex-
change Ideas on Political Topics.
Interesting Addresses by Richard Smith, N.
c. CARRIER, George ]. Langsdale. C. w.
Stivers, Governor Porter aud Others.

diana has o long list OF bers. fully two
thirds of whom attended its semi-annual meet
ing yesterday, at the New Denison Among
the editors, among the politicians and the
people Of the party, the hveiest interest is
manifested at this early day in anything per-
tanning to the coming campaign. There have
been times on the OF campaigns when this
suspicious feeling was not SO strongly marked,
but yesterday there could not have been bet
ter expression Of harmony as to what should DO
done by the newspapers of the State to promote
success. Everybody fell in line with enthusi-
astic Endorsement of the ideas given by the
several speakers az to what the Republican
party should promulgate and sustain this year.
State issues received equal consideration with
those OF national Importance, and above all the
proposition to fight for full. clean and honest
ballot was received with marked favor. 1t was
one of the best meetings the editors have held,
and from it they carry spirit that will no
doubt make the county newspapers of Indiana
more vigorous than ever in the one common eff
fort TO complete the Republican victory, of two
years ago.
The meetings of the editors, at this time of
year, are devoted to an interchange of ideas on
urrent events and matters of interest to the
profession, but the executive committee, in view
of the Importance of the work to be accom-
pished during this year. prepared programme
of political topics the first of which was treated
in the opening address by NJ. G. CARRIER. of the
Madison Courier. president of the association.
He prefaced his subject with the expression that
twas o strange thing il the land of schools and
freedom that instruction 10 politics and political
history is virtually excluded from tho schools
When men attain the right of suffrage they
Il for nda az
and connected information concerning the great
parties that have controlled the State; therefore
the great mass of the people rely mainly upon
the newspapers for whatever knowledge they
possess of past and current political events In
order to reach the great body of citizens who are
opposed to the Republican party the Republican
editors should learn more and more the advan-
tage of candor and courtesy in the discussion OF
public questions. This year the men of gen.
GRAFTON born after the guns of the civil war We're
silenced will cast their first votes for President,
and the Republican party can go to them in per-
feet con fidence in it's claims to the suffrage of
the young manhood of the country.
Reviewing the achievements of the Repub-
lican party, Mr.. CARRIER said that it had con-
ferred upon the South alone the most signal
benefit in oil its history, and gave to the whole
country a new birth of freedom and prosperity.
It can boast that it never had member who
was not national mana Union man. The
Democratic party not only cannot make that
declaration, but 1t cannot even claim to
be following in the footsteps of some
of the grand national men 1T has possessed.
It remained for the Democratic leaders, In the
advocacy of free trade ana human slavery. to
introduce the sectional heresies of nullifcat1ou
and secession Stretching the causes that led to
the war through the Democratic party he said
IL was q matter of history that many Southern
States were forced into secession by frauds upon
the ballot-box. such practiced to-day to
keep the South solid sectionally. The Repub-
Hcan party, therefore, in the cam Daign of 1888,
presents it's first and paramount Issue the
sanctity of the ballot-box. The best manhood
of the country 10 going to ally itself against cor
rupt elections. and until these corruptions
cease they will be the great underlying, ire
pressible Issue. The people of this country will
not submit TO n system that counts rhirty-eight
votes in Congress and in the Electoral
College based upon suppressed ballots. Either
the actual suffrage must be counted or the sup
pressed votes must be eliminated from the basis
of representation.
In referring to the tariff Mr.. CARRIER said that
if there is any broad national ground to be oc
cupied in the next campaign IT Is In defense of
the american system, ana the Republican
party has pre-empted that ground. he advised
the making of a vigorous fight for it In the
Southern States Following this idea to some
length, ne forciby presented the advantages of
protection and the inconsistencies of free trade.
In closing, be said in this campaign the Repub-
lican party can, with Justice and truth, adopt
the noble motto engraved upon Indiana's con-
tribution to the Washington monument, that it
knows mo North. no South. no East, no West;
nothing but the Union"
Ex-Governor Porter was among the visitors,
and in response TO call for speech, he said
speakers got their inspiration and information
from the editors, and then palmed 1T of on the
public as original. AS he understood the pur-
poses of the meeting 10 be to consider how the
papers could be conducted in the interest of the
Republican party this year. he congratulated
them OF the favorable outlook for the campaign.
There was animation and harmony IN the
party that foretold success. and the newspapers
would be a great force in achieving it. The
time has come when the newspapers, nd not
the speakers, do the real work of the campaign
He thought the tariff would be leading issue,
and that the party would take wise and pru-
dent course concerning it
B. S. Parker next spoke briefly. He thought
the editors should exert themselves to head off
side issues by which manv were carried away.
State Treasurer Lemcke answered demand
for speech from him. In the course Of his re-
marks, he said very rich missionary field was
offered TO the Republicans for missionary work
among the German Protestauts of the State.
This thought was developed by Mr.. Eberbach.
editor of German paper in Jackson county.
who said that in Germany the people were di-
vided into aristocrats and democrats. When
they come TO this country it is with false idea
rs to wnat the American Democratic party ls
They are told that the Republicans aristo-
Gratis. and that the principles OF the Democratic
party what they held to in the Fatherland
The only way to eradicate this false belief is to
educate the new German citizen in the true doc
trire that American Republicanism is what de-
mocracy is in Germany.
After providing for a committee to revise the
constitution of the association and referring in
vltations to hold the fall meeting at West Ba-
den Springs and Warsaw, recess was taken
I'll o'clock At that hour the psrlor of the no.
tel at which the meeting took place was crowded
with editors, politicians and others, among whom
were several ladies, to hear the address of Rich
ard Smith, of the Cincinnati Commercial Ga
Zette.
Referring to the influence of the county
press and its great value in molding public opir-
ion, he said If the large cities constituted or
this great and growing country he
would tremble for the safety of its institutions.
The great conservative influence that molds AND
controls public sentiment lies beyond the great
marrs of commerce and precisely where the
power of the county press is greatest He
thought he bad been asked to address the asso-
citation not because he was connected with
paper, but because he had been
\ Republican from the foundation of the party.
from a time when he and forty others organ
zed il, so far as Hamilton county and Cllcin-
patti were concerned He still Repub-
can, and proud of the party, not because of a
nero prejudice for name or an admiration for
sentiment, but because of what il has done
hat ms RI n