The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-11-01
THE HOOSIER STATE.
Both Sides Claim To Have The Pu
Every One In Dead Earnest In Indiani

Every One In Dead Earnest In Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Oct. 31--Things
are very quiet these past few days
around the political headquarters,
both Democratic and Republican,
and in striking contrast with the bus
tie and excitement of month ago.
| Newspaper correspondents, who al
most hourly visit both headquarters,
are politely and abruptly informed,
Nothing to-day" and to the unin-
itiated it looks as though the cam
paign was growing dull and uninter-
esting. To any one, however, who
has followed the campaign in Indi-
ana from its opening, it is apparent
that the third and last stage has
been reached, at least at head-quar-
ters. The speech-making or "gase-
Gus" period is being superseded by
the mathematical or business" stage.
The political issues of the campaign
are no longer discussed about head
quarters. They have been. worn
threadbare by the 1900 orators en-
gagged nightly on each side through
out the state, to say nothing of the
distinguished speakers from the out
side like Thurman, Hill, Mills, Blaine,
Foraker and others who have ad-
dressed countless thousands in their
canvass. This new and silent stage
of the campaign involves no decrease
in work or energy displayed at both
headquarters; on the contrary, both
state COMMITTEES are employing q
larger clerical force to-day than at
any time since the campaign opened.
Tons of public documents have been
distributed by each committee, yet
every train from Washington con-
tinues to pour in bag after bag of
congressional literature, which is be-
ing disposed of as fast as possible.
In addition to the large corps en-
gagged in this work another and lar
ger force of clerks is compiling the
reports from the county committees
and forwarding private circulars Civ
ing instructions regarding the elec
tion.
Never were two great political par
ties engaged in more serious and
deadly warfare than the Democratic
and Republican parties of Indiana
to-day. They do not jest with one
another as in other years, but each
man speaks his convictions with a
seriousness only paralleled in war
days. Both state committees have
thus far taken two careful polls of
the entire voting population of the
state. The result of these polls is
kept profound secret by both sides,
and while the writer believes he
could state with reasonable accuracy
the aggregate figures as returned to
each committee, it would be viola
tion of confidence to say more than
| that one committee seems highly
elated over their second poll, while
the other processes itself satisfied at
the showing. There is reason for be-
lieving that each committee is now
engaged in taking the third and final
poll of the state, the result of which
mittee before the 4th of November
Never in the history OF Indiana were
these house. toulouse polls taken with
such frequency and care. From in
formation CLEANED from reliable
sources on both sides, it may be
stated as fact that each party esti-
mates the floating vote of Indiana at
from $4,000 to 10000. A large pro-
portion Of this vote is regarded by
managers of both parties as subject
to influences at the last moment, and
it is this floating vote that now occu-
pies the chief attention of both CON-
mittees. A large preponderance of
this vote, possibly two thirds of it, is
commonly credited with residing
south of Indianapolis. County COM
mitteemen from the five congress
ional districts occupying this terri
tory are found in frequent consulta-
ton at both headquarters.