The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-05
LESSON OF TIE KENTUCKY ELECTION.

The only feature of general interest in
the Kentucky election was the strength
which the Cincinnati Peoples party
might develop. Kentucky is not State
like Mississippi or Alabama, for the rea-
son that the Republican vote is counted
in the former and is not in the latter.
IL is not cause for Ostracism in Ken
lucky to vote the Republican ticket.
Consequently, the conditions were more
favorable in that State for declaration
of large numbers of voters for the PeO-
ple's party than in any other of the
Southern States. Other conditions were
favorable. Kentucky has as large a
number of small farmers in proportion
to the whole as has any other Southern
State, and larger proportion than most
of them. There is a good deal of indie
pendence blended with ignorance on the
part of large portion of the Kentucky
voters. and there is good deal of
and corporations generally. These
conditions made Kentucky fair field
for the w r-Peffer-Simpson party.
If the harvest there was not ready for
the sickle of the calamity reapers it can
not be in any Southern State. The lead
ers of the Peoples party realized these
favorable conditions and left the Gin
cinnati convention to cross the river
and make a fight in Kentucky. They
made great deal of noise. Their State
convention was full of declarations of
victory. Nearly every leader of the
calamity party was there-Peffer, Simp-
son and the wild and wOolly specimens
from Texas. Taubeneck, of Illinois,
the one of the three +. Nj. b. A. men,
bers of the House who did not sell out to
paign. Weeks ago he reported, day
after day, that the election would show
a political revolution in Kentucky.
There were accounts of immense meet
ings and great enthusiasm. These an
nouncements were kept up until about
three weeks since, when there came re-
ports that the interest in the Peoples
party seemed to be fading away. Meet
ings were smaller and listeners ceased
to applaud. Still the leaders of the
calamity party kept up their loud pre-
dictions of an immense vote.
The election has taken place and the
returns are in. What has come of the
loud prediction about being second in
the count, if not first? The answer is
that after a campaign of nearly three
he 1nfo or-fv hos 81 aA
900 votes! The Democratic plurality has
been increased, rather than diminished,
by the vote for the Peoples ticket, as,
it is said, more who have been Repub-
Leans in proportion to the whole than
Democrats voted the Peoples party
ticket. The Alliance has gained strength
in the Legislature, but it was gained by
attending Democratic conventions and
making farmers the regular party can
didates. On the other hand, the most of
the Alliance people who voted Peoples
party legislative tickets lost their votes
as completely as if they had not voted
at all.
The result in Kentucky should COM
pletely convince all intelligent or OBJ
serving men in the Northern States that
the project of forming an effective third
party in Southern States is entirely inn
practicable. The Democrats in that
section will be found voting the Demo-
cratic ticket. The fact that the first
appearance of the Peoples party orators
created some stir and enthusiasm, which
died out as the canvass progressed,
proves that the schemes proclaimed by
the leaders of that party do not bear the
scrutiny of practical every day people.