The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-19
A PARTY ORGAN KSIp1se ITS STATE TICKET.


The Sentinel has leading editorial
urging upon the Democratic party the
supreme Importance of carrying the
Legislature in the next election. No
mention is made of the State ticket.
This is one of the Sentinels back-hand
ticks at the State ticket. Since the de-
feat in the. State convention of Mr..
Shanklin, whose nomination was part of
the plan for capturing the control of the
party by little junto of Cleveland men.
the Sentinel, whose editor was one of
the junto, hoe taken but little interest in
the State ticket. It's eloquent silence is
only equaled by that of Mr.. Shanklin's
own paper, the Evansville Courier. The
nomination of Matthews was a bitter
pill to both, and they have not ceased
making wry faces over the dose yet. 1t
Is common talk among old-line Demo-
Gratis. and especially among Gray men.
that the Sentinel would not shed any
tears over the defeat of Matthews, and
that it is trying harder to make fair
weather with Grover Cleveland than it
is to elect the Democratic State ticket.
Its urgent advice to Democrats to make
sure of the Legislature Is In harmony
with this view. Read between the lines
this means to trade off Matthews or the
whole State ticket for member of the
Legislature.
As blind for this advice the Sentinel
tries to scare the Democracy by portray
ing the diabolical gerrymander which
the Republicans will enact if they carry
the Legislature. "The people of Indi-
ana," it says, "know exactly what they
could expect of Republican Legisla-
ture in the way of gerrymander. The
law of 1872 is a lasting monument to
Republican craftsmanship in that line"
Then it proceeds to dilate on the alleged
iniquities of the Republican appOrtiOn-
ment bill of 1879. 1t is very funny to
see the organ of the Democratic party
in Indiana, which has been the swift
defender of every Rerrymander en-
acted by that party, including the pres
ent one. which is standing monument
of force and fraud, trying to alarm its
readers by hobgoblin stories of the out
rageous apportionment that will be
made by the Republicans if they carry
the Legislature. The Journal Is ready
to give bond that in the event Of the
Republicans carrying the Legislature
they will not attempt to Rerrymander
the State. and if they should their worst
effort in that direction will be feeble
compared with the present Democratic
Rerrymander, which we hope to see at
tackled in the courts before long. The
Journal f1atters itself that it has some
influence with the Republicans of Indi-
ana and that it knows the temper of the
party pretty well, and it has no hesite
ton in saying that they will never try
To compete with the Democracy in the
matter of gerrymandering or to enact
any but fair appOrtionment.
The Sentinel goes back twenty years
and digs up the skeleton of the appor-
tionment of 1872 to shake in the face of
Democrats, and scare them into swap
ping off the State ticket for the LeRis-
time discussing an act passed twenty
years ago, and long since dead and
buried, but we may remark that it
could not have been very bad gerry
mander, as the Democrats carried the
very next Legislature, and one or both
branches in each succeeding one for
several years. They made great out
cry over the appOrtionment, and filed a
written protest declaring that it was ga
deliberate fraud and imposition upon
the rights and privileges of the people
of the State of Indiana etc. They as
serted that it gave thirty members of
the Senate to $4,000 voters in GER
tain portions of the State. and only
twenty to 5000 in other portions. and
assigned fifty-nine members of the
House to $4,000 voters and forty-one
members to $4,000. Yet. in the very
next election, they carried both branches
of the Legislature and had a majority of
16 on joint ballot. In 1875 they got a
majority in the Senate, and elected
forty-six members of the House, in spite
of the alleged Republican eerrymander.
What the Republicans did in 1872,
however, is of little consequence COM
pared with what the Democrats are
doing now. The people ought to smash
the present gerrymander and drive out
of power the party that has been perpe-
trating so much wrong under cover of
it. The Republican party cannot posi-
bly, do worse than the Democracy have
done, and if they carry the Legislature
and do half as bad they should be
brought to book also. The day Of ger
rymanders has passed, and any party
that enacts one should be made to feel
the indignation of the people,. The
courts of three States have recently de-
clared Democratic gerrymanders I'M
constitutional, and there Is little doubt
that the Supreme Court of this State
will follow i'm the same line if case is
brought before it. 1t Ia not likely the
Sentinel believes the Republicans would
gerrymander the State If they carry the
Legislature. 1t is merely using this as
a bugbear to brighten Democrats into
swapping off the State ticket for the
Legislature.
DEMOCRATS WHO ARE HAVING PUN.