Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-19
INDIANA.
The Element Of Uscertainty In the Cam
paign Greater Than Ever.
Corrsspondence Of The Evening Star

Consspondence Of The Evening Star
1NDIANAPoIIs Oct ls. 1892
The element Of uncertainty Is greater in the
campaign In Indiana this year than ever before
in the political history Of the state. There are
two reasons for this. The first is the unknown
strength Of the peoples party, and this is caus-
ing the managers Of the two leading parties
more uneasiness than anything else. because
they absolutely cannot satisfy themselves "a to
what that strength viii be or from what ranks
1t will draw, and the second is the general
apathy which has been so palpably In evidence
among the rank and file OF both the demo-
cratic and republican parties. The enthusiasm
OF former years exists only as a "Reminiscences
There have been really few notable political
demonstrations. and until last week the meet.
tngs have been but slimly attended
Inc papers, TO be sure, are full Of politics.
but the people are not
Two weeks ago the republicans, realizing
that something must be done, arranged TO
bring some Of their speakers of national re-
nown into the campaign here. The first of
these was Senator Frye Of Maine. who spoke
here last Friday night and since then at other
points in the state. HE meeting here was the
only really large and enthusiastic gathering the
republicans have thus far had On the oath
instant both Whitelaw Reid and Chsuncey NJ
Depew will be here, and ii is the intention 70
make this the demonstration Of the campaign.
SO far As the capital city is concerned The
democrats have had only one 'big gun"
here and he was candidate Stevenson.
The democrats have had two big barbecues-
one at Peru, the other at Shelbyville-
many thousand people congregsted, as they
always do on these occasions which each four
years are made a conspicuous feature of the
democratic campaign in Indiana. Now they
are doing everything they can to get Bourke
Cochran. here for they believe he will cause O.
greater demonstration than any other man In
their party with the exception, of Mr.. Cleveland
himself.
In contrast with this condition of affairs in
both the leading parties it can be said that, SO
far as noise and outward evidences of enthusi-
asfn are concerned, both the peoples party and
prohioit1onists have been more successful than
either the democrats or republicans. But noise
does not always change votes and enthusiasm is
not always an Indication Of party's strength.
90 Jar as organization is concerned all the
parties are fairly well in hand. Neither
the democrats nor the republicans have
any great amount Of campaign funds and their
organization is suffering on this account
lhere will be little ground this year for the
charge that is made in every national campaign
IN TINS state that this party the other Is buy
ing votes. As q matter OF fact, that evil has
never been so general In Indiana as many peo-
pie believe. With the Australian election law
IN operation. there is little opportunity for the
illegitimste expenditure of money, and the far
more potent factor in preventing 1t is the fact
,na' nemner party has the money TO spend and
Ii not likely to get it.
The claims Of party leaders are not always
Trustworthy, but If they are honest claims,
passed on known facts they are valuable in
forming comprehensive idea of the existing
condition OF affairs The statements which
follow are based on the opinion and knowledge
OF men who are in a position to know what thew
nd ,rhn "a, Al
a. not to allow their political prejudices to
mighty color their honest opinions. Not one
person alone has been interviewed, but a num-
Der OF representative men OF each party.
THE REPUBLICAN OUTLOOK
Up to within the past two weeks the republi-
cans have been conducting very quiet cam
paign Four years ago when Gen Harrison
was presented the fret candidate for the
presidency from Indiana the state was fairly
ablaze from the day he was nominated at
Chicago until after the returns were in and the
result known in November. Delegations from
every county in the state poured into Indian
apols with daily regularity, carrying miniature
log cabins, live coons and other emblems of the
party, reminiscent OF the campaign of Tippe-
canoe The streets of indianapolis fairly
swarmed with rustic Hoosiers from June until
November.
So far this year there has been marked alb
sence OF anything Of this character, but the
reason for this is to be found in the absence
from the state of the President at his post of
duty in Washington and the additional fact
that the party fairly exhausted itself with eff
forts OF this character four years ago.
But the party leaders claim that the feeling
among the republicans is Just as earnest and
the determination to win quite as great this
year as In the campaign Of 1888, although it is
less vociferously manifested. Republican
speakers everywhere. they say. are having ex-
celient meetings, and while, perhaps, the cheers
with which their oratory is received are less
noisy than they were in the last campaign they
are none the less indicative Of satisf action with
the business conditions and with the achieve
ments Of the Indiana mans administration.
The republicans contend that there is no SUBJ
stance to the claim Of the democracy that
there Is widespread soreness against the
President, growing out Of political disappoint-
ment; but, on the contrary, that there is
abundant indication that Harrison is stronger
In his party today than ever before. The small
coterie Of people who are said to be fighting
him at Fort Wayne occupied the same attitude
toward his candidacy in 'SS, and the republi-
can state committee assert with confidence that
the Presidents vote in Allen county, In which
Fort Wayne is located, will be greater than it
was before.
There has been a very heavy increase in the
population Of that portion Of Indiana known as
the ''gas belt" and this increase. it is Claimed
is very heavily republican. The glass and iron
works, the tin plate mills and other industries
which have been established in large numbers
in the counties Of Madison, Grant, Howard.
Delaware, Hamilton, Hancock and jaw have
drawn their equipment Of workingmen very
largely from the states of Pennsylvania and
Ohio, those from the first named pre-
dominating, and the leaders are confident that
majority Of these favor protective policy
and will vote the republican ticket For in
stance, Madison county, which has hitherto