The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-08-25

Why Harrison Ia Sure to Lose HIS Owl
state by q 13tr Majority.


In the estimation Of the shrewd politi-
clans of both parties the Hoosier State
Is the pivot on which the Presidential
contest will turn. The, Democratic
managers we're never surer OF carry
Ing the State than they are to-day.
They are not at all afraid OF Candidate
Harrison's personal popularity. They
have met him before on the Indiana
battlefield, when his record was short
er, and consequently less Objectionable
than now, and whipped him in a fair
fight. That was in 1876, when he ran
for Governor, and the Republicans had
Oliver P. Morton for loader, asplen-
did organization and the Federal
Treasury to draw upon. The Repub-
licans have lost ground since they won
their scratch victory by the use OF an
overwhelming corruption fund in 1880,
and the Democrats have steadily
gained on them. The young voters of
the State to-day are Democrats and
tariff reformers. For the past eight
years the Democrats have had all the
accretions and the Republicans all the
losses. TO form an opinion as to the
outcome Of the contest this year one
shoald 60 back and analyze the vote Of
1884 when both parties polled more
votes than they ever cast before.
Blaine had bigger majorities than Gar
field in sixty-four counties. He polled
in the State 238,511 votes as against
232, 164 for Garfield. Garfeld's ma
jority in 1850 was 6,642. Blaine, there
fore, should have had over $4,000 ma
jority over Cleveland had the Demo-
cratic vote stood where it was in 1880.
But what do the figures showp Why,
that Cleveland had nearly 10000 more
votes in the State than Hancock, or a
total of 245, O42, as against 225,522 for
the Democratic candidate in 1880.
Cleveland defeated Blaine by 6,531
plurality in the largest vote ever
polled in the State. These are figures
which the Republican managers can
not knock down or overcome. They
show Enthusiastically that the popular
tide is with the Democratic party, and
they can not turn it back.
Do the two parties maintain their
relative strength this yearP The Dem
ocratic campaign managers say yes.
They claim that their party was never
so thoroughly united and harmonious
as now. Indiana is tariff reform
State. Every Democratic Representa-
tive in Congress for years has went to
Washington pledged to secure re-
vision of the tariff, and has fought and
won his fight before the people of his
district on that issue over and over
again. This is not an experimental
question in Indiana. No Democratic
Congressman who should cast his vote
against measure like the Mills bill
could hope for a denomination at the
hands of his constituents. The drift
OF popular sentiment in the State is SO
Enthusiastically toward tariff reform that
even the Republicans have become i'm
pressed with it. The Hoosler Repub-
licans went to Chicago and made a
sturdy fight against the high tax and
free whisky platform that the party
adopted. When the conspiracy tc
nominate Blaine was developed the
stoutest opponents of the movement
were these same Indiana men-not be.
cause they were SO devoted to Harri-
son, but because, as they publicly de-
clared, Blaine's high tariff notions
would make Republican defeat in the
State a foregone conclusion. The In.
dianapolis Meas, a Republican journa,
with the largest circulation in the
State, before the nominations were
made warned the Republicans over and
over again that they would be beater
in Indiana if the party adopted a higt
tariff platform. Party exigencies have
compelled the NeaOs to place Harrison'E
name at the head of its columns, but
it still repudiates the party platform
and advocates tariff revision directly
in line with the Democratic platform
.Advices received at the National head
quarter here from every part of thu
State show that the people are mOr'
logical than the newspaper, and. ar'
accepting the Democratic platform
and the candidate who can stand upol
it. There is no organized detection
from the Democratic ranks anywhere
in the State. Here and there an over
fed manufacturer who does not wan
to surrender any part of the wealth b
is accommodating at other peoples ex
pense has declared his intention Il
vote for Harrison, but these are spor
adic cases, and have no signifcanc
whatever
On the other hand, there are acces
sions to the Democratic party from tn
merchants, bankers and lawyers in tn
towns, and from the overtaxed farme
in the rural districts. A very clos
canvass of the State shows that at leas
2 per cont OF the Republicans VIII
voted for Blaine will vote this year 70
Cleveland on tho tariff issue. Th
Democrats who will vote for Harriso
by reason of State pride or for othe
reasons do not number moro than ont
half OF l por cent. There may be
thousard or fifteon hundred such Den
ocrats. but not more. The free whisk
platform OF tho Republicans will driy
from two to four thousand temperanC
Republicans into tho ranks OF the Pr
hibitionists. Making due allowance
therefore, for gains and losses, tn
Democratic managers assert with abs
luto confidence in tho correctness I
their canvass that Indiana will give