Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-11-17

"No." the governor said, money was
used to some extent. 1t always is in cleo
tions, but the purchasabte element in In
diana Is no larger than it is anywhere else"
The governor said this with some warmth,
as if repelling an insinuat.on against his
people.
''There are other causes" he went on:
"two years ago there was some feeling in
this ct ate of dissatisfaction with the presi-
dents course. Many republicans were still
in Office. The postal service in Indiana was,
and still If, full of republicans. I am not
saying that the feeling was just. am not
criticising the presidents course. l am
only referring to a condition of sentiment
which existed at that time. When this cam
paign came on Thought that feeling un-
favorable to the administration had died
out. But there was probably more of 1t
than sho we'd openly. 1t seems SO now. As
the campaign progressed we found it hard
to awaken the enthusiasm which means sue
csss. There wasn't that spirit among In
diana democrats which prompts men to
throw up their hats and tear their clothes
for the ticket, as you might say"
DEMOCRATIC APATHY.
The governor dwelt for some little time
On the extent of the apathy among Indiana
democrats, and his manner showed that ne
regarded that as the most striking factor In
contributing to defeat in Indiana. Reply
ing to inquiries, he said the party manage
ment in the state had been all that could be
desired. The leaders OF the party had done
their very test to hold Indiana in the demo-
cratic column. He did not think that any
fault could be attributed to the national
committee. The committee had treated In
diana fairly, so far as he knew; but the fact
remained deeply impressed on his mind
that it had been impossible to awaken
among Indiana democrats that enthusiasm.
ing which prompts mon to throw up their
hats and tear their clothes for the ticket"
II observed the absence of that peculiar
enthusiasm" Governor Gray continued,
.'when President Cleveland visited Indian
apolis. You might have expected Indiana
democrats would go wild over their presl-
dent, but they didn't. l was afraid then
that it would be hard to arouse the party
for him in this state. There was, of course,
great curiosity to see the president, and
great crowd and warm applause; but there
was not that warmth, that intensity of feel
ing, which we know leads to democratic
success In this state"
Governor Gray at this point dropped into
an interesting analysis of the character OF
Indiana democracy. He said the party in
this state was somewhat peculiar. Indiana
d mocrats were not only loyal to their
party-they were more than that. They
were intense in their devotion to party. He
proceeded to show how Indiana democrats,
holding such sentiments, had Judged the
national administration by their standard of
democracy and had found it wanting.
IT WAS BUT NATURAL.
The resultant lukewarmness was only nat
ural, but not for a momen' did the governor
admit that the dissatisfaction with the adj
ministration was the disappointment over
the slow distribution of spoils. He pictured
the zeal of the Indiana democracy, which
had been 40 chilled by the administration,
as something better than the office-seeking
spirit. It was the strongest type OF party
fealty. To question if personal
pride in the candidate had helped
General Harrison to carry the state, he said
that some voters had probably been intlu-
enced by that feeling, but not many. No
other conclusion could be drawn from the
returns. When all were in, he thought that
it would be found that General Hovey, the
republican nominee for governor, and the
most of the state ticket had run pretty close
to Harrison and Morton-at any rate
within few hundred votes. Governor Gray
referred to the returns from this (Marion)
county, as dispelling any theory that state
or LEGAL pride in the candidates had had
much to do with the result. Marion county,
the home of Harrison, gave plurality for
Blame in 1884, and now went for Cleveland
by plurality, democratic gain OF several
hundreds.
PERSONAL ANrAGoN1sMs.
9 To the inquiry if he thought the personal
fri nds of Hendricks had been lukewarm be-
cause of the feeling that the president had
not treated the late vice president fairly, the
governor replied that that might have been
the case in some instances, but he did not
think personal antagonisms were to be con-
sidered responsible for the results.
"W hat will be tho effect of this upon the
democratic party?" he was asked. "Will it
cause the darty to recede in any degree from
the position on tariff reform?"
''No," he replied promptly aud with en-
phasis, 'the party will go on in the course
it has chosen. When q party has taken
position it believes and feels is tight, it
makes nothing by abandoning or changing
"You think then. that this campaign
doesn't end it; that the tariff question will
continue to be the great issue between the
parties and the democrats will stick to their
side9"
eyes. do" said the governor; and he
went on to amplify his view, that the demo
Gratis should, without the slightest waveriug,
maintain their position on this Issue, and
keep up the fight in succeeding campaigns.
While be looked upon the tariff question as
only a minor factor in this particular con-
test in Indiana, he thought it was the great
issue in the country at large. and that the
democracy would eventually win by sticking
to their side of it consistently. He declared
emphatically that it would be the greatest
folly for the party to retrace its steps or in
auy way to dodge the issue, and expressed
great confidence that the democrats would
continue the fight for tariff reform more
acgres.ively than ever. Governor Gray was
asked if there was any tariff reform signif-
cameo n the gain of democratic congress
men in Indiana.
.ssNo,"he replied, ''the gain only restores
our losses of two years ago We get back
districts which We lost in 1886, because Of
personal or fractional disturbances"
.sIf am to be quoted. he said as the con-
versation drew to q close. 81 wish to be I'M
derstood as atiributinR the defeat in 1ndi-
ana to tho fact that it was impossible to
awaken the enthusiasm of the democratic
party; such enthusiasm mean as made the
party 60 Wild for the ticket in 1884, and the
reason II wa impossible TO awaken that en-
thusiasm was because the Indians democea-
OF had not recovered from the feeling Of dis
sppointment over the sdministration's