The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-27
GEN. HARRISON'S STRENGTH
The Importance of Indiana in the Elec-
ton of President Strongly Stated.
Continued Growth Of the Sentiment Favora-
BILE to Gen. Harrison's Nomination-Ex-
pressiOns from Vermont to Dakota.

Boston journal. Saturday.

Among
porter met last evening Mr.. Robert s. Taylor,
a leading lawyer and politician of Indiana To
an inquiry as 70 the political outlook in that
State he replied:
an victory"
"For President Why Gen. Ben Harrison,
of course. And, By the way, young man. you
have tapped me right where / am full. You
represent the Journal think You said. Well;
l would just like to make little speech to you
on that subject for the general good"
''All right" said the reporter, I'm your an
dience"
Well the sum of it is that we Indiana Re-
puollcans think that We have In our forest the
cleanest stick of presidential timber in the
country; as good the best in point OF fitness,
and better than any other in the point OF avail
ability. General Harrison has all the personal
qualities to fit him for the and the Office.
He has good army record; he is the foremost
lawyer of his State: he ranked high in the
United States senate. he has an unbemished
character. and he is handicapped by none Of
those personal antagonisms that apt TO grow
up about q man long in public life
But the great fact that commends him TO the
Republican party is that he can carry Indiana and
can be elected more certainly than any other
man IN the United States. Let me give you
some figures on this point that worth pom
dering There are 40l votes in the electoral coll
ege. The successful candidate must receive 2O1
or more Mr.. Cleveland will be the Democratic
nominee, of course. He deserves il, aud he will
get it. And he will be hard to beat. There is
some dissatisfaction toward him in his own party,
but it is mostly among the baser sort, and there is
not r1uch comfort for us in It, The South is his
now-signed, sealed and delivered. That counts
him 153 electoral votes. And think be will
carry New York. His free-trade message was
music to the mugwumps aud will hold them to
HIM. Blaine had thousands of votes in that
State that cannot be reckoned on for anyone
else Yet Cleveland carried the State; and at
the next election his party carried it by nearly
ID, 900 majority. The Sc electoral votes of New
York added to 153 from the South make lS9.
Add ID from Indiana. and we have 2O4. which
will elect Cleveland.
ION the other hand, we have in the eighteen
States that voted for Blaine 1S2 electoral votes.
We may fairly expect to get them again for any
acceptable candidate. That leaves three States
to be- tonight for-Indiana with fifteen votes,
New Jersey with nine and Connecticut with six.
Adding TO the Blaine States Indiana and New
Jersey will give US 2Oo-enough to elect or
adding Indiana and Connecticut will give us
203-enough again to elect Adding New Jer-
sey and Connecticut gives us l97-just enough
get beaten So you see we must have In
diana or we are beaten, without New York. But
with Indiana, and either New Jersey Con-
necticut, We can let New York and the South
keep company If they want to.
Now will give yon the grounds OF my state
ment that General Harrison can carry Indiana
He has been the leader of the party in the State
since the death of Senator Morton. It has been
siasm, without tiDcture OF bosslsm. After
the election of Garfield he was chosen
United States Senator. without opposi-
ton, by the common voice of the
party. In 1884 Cleveland carried Indiana by
about 700O The Democrats, having got Us p
hole, proceeded to stop up the hole by gerry
Wandering the State TO fix it for 46 major
ity ON joint ballot in the Legislature that was to
elect General Harrisons successor, and eleven
members of Congress out of thirteen. When
the campaign of 1856 came on, success looked
impossible There was Governor to elect
nothing to appeal strongly to the people except
the senatorial succession But General Harr1-
son went into the field with energy and en-
thusiASm that were contagious. We all knew
he could make speeches before, but he never
spoke as in that campaign. No one that heard
him has forgotten it. The results OF 1884 were
almost completely reversed Our whole State
ticket was electen by average of nearly 1000;
we got seven Congressman out OF thirteen IN
stead of two, and the Democratic ma joritv II
the Legislature was only instead of 46. The
true measure of General Harrisons victory was
in the vote on members in the lower house, as
half of the Senators held over. On that his ma
jority in the State was nearly 10000
Now nominate him for the presidency and
you W i'll set Indiana fire. Every speech of
his last campaign will ring again in the ears of
the people. The TO- 900 majority that was smooth
cred by the gerrymander will have TO be counted
next time, and will elect him President of the
United States
II think these facts are of the utmost impor-
tance, and that New England Republicans will
do well TO consider them seriously. Many per-
merely personal and fanciful considerations.
without stopping to think how many electoral
votes will be required to elect. and where they
ara to come from. But it is certain that if we
are to succeed must nominate candidate
who can carry the State that is to give us the
victory. believe that man 10 General Harri-
son, and that State Indiana OF course we
must carry either Connecticut New Jersey
also in order elect But Indiana counts
much as both of them and should be made sure
of first. 1t will be in order to consider, next how
we car make sure of one or both of the others.
And of that have reason to be very hopeful.
Cleveland's plurality in Connecticut was only
1884. A transfer of $50 votes to Blaine would
have reversed the result in the State. In New
Jersey Clevelands plurality was 44l2 A
transfer of POI votes would have changed the
result there. If our friends make the fight they
ought to make on protection in those States we
shall carry them BOTH
THAT is the situation as see it, and it seems
to me to point to the nomination of General
Harrison the sensible. practical, wise
thing for Republicans to do. 1 hope my speech
has not fatigued my audience"
mot at all, said the reporter as he slipped
the rubber band on his notebook and took his
leave
Boston Journ al, Editorial
Elk Senator Ben Harrison. of Indiana, made
an excellent speech at Chicago. He declared
himself out-and out protectionist His popu-
laritv is on the increase, and with Harrison and
and Connecticut. and without New York could
carry the country.
Vermont Would Like General Harrison.
To the Editor of the indianapolis JournaE
Faith is necessary to the accomplishment OF
any great thing. To-day the Republican party
has faith that it will be successful in the com.
ing presidential contest. / believe this faith ia
well grounded. and that only iudicious selec-
ton of candidates is necessary that the Repub-
lican party may again assume the reins of gov
eminent The Republican party has not yet
fulfilled its mission, though it was In power for
twenty-four years. 1t has accomplished
much, but the misrule Of the Democratic
party for the past three years
ch0 fal6
citizen that the ultimate good of Republic
requires that the positive, aggressive and Ameri-
can ideas of the Republican party should again
have the guidance of this government lmbued
with this belief The Republican party should act
wisely and tn oughtfully in the selection of its
ST andard- bearer. All personal preferences
SD ould be subordnated TO the desire TO nomi-
nate good and true men and men who be
elected. All Of the distinguished men who have
been prominently mentioned for the presidency
and Weep r+siaency by the Republican party;