The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-17
HARD TIMES AND POLITICS.


drift of popular sentiment in national pol
itics. There is good reason for so regard
ing 1t. While national issues were not
prominently discussed during the cam
paign, and while local and nonpartisan
issues undoubtedly exercised controlling
influence in the election, there can be no
doubt that the former had good deal to
do with the result. OF those who attempt
to account for the Democratic Waterloo
| almost every other man includes in his list
of causes hard times" too many men
out of employment" "the general reduc-
ton of wages" 1.-THE failure of the Cleve-
land administration" ''the fear of free
trade" 'the failure OF the Democratic
party to keep it's promises" etc. All these
res%Nns relate to national issues The fact
that The Republican campaign was made
| entirely on local issues led many to sup
| pose that the victory was won exclusively
| on these lines. So it was in a sense. but
| were also at work and contributed in no
small degree to swell the tide of victory.
The increase of the Republican vote from
| 1883 in 1891 to 1928 in 1893 cannot be &C
counted for wholly on local issues. An ex-
animation of the returns shows that some
| of the largest Republican gains were made
/ in precincts where a large proportion of
the voters consist of mechanics and wage
workers who voted for Sullivan two years
| ago and for Cleveland one year ago on
grounds of national politics They were not
| greatly stirred up about the moral issues
| of the campaign or any question of munich
| pal reform, but they were disappointed al
the outcome of the change which they as
| sisted in bringing about year ago. They
voted for Cleveland in the expectation that
| his election would bring better wages and
better times every way. Instead of that
| they see a general reduction Of wages,
thousands Of men out of employment and
the country passing through the hardest
times known in this generation. They see
that the Democratic party has kept none
with the situation. and that, under Demo-
cratic rule times are likely to be worse
before they are better. Under these cir
cumstances they quietly embraced the
Republican ticket.
Does this feeling prevail throughout the
country, and will 1t affect the presidential
election three years hence? The Journal
believes it is general, and that it will as
sert itself on a large scale In 1896. If
this opinion is correct, the fall elections
will show decided Republican gains. The
hard times general and if they are hav-
ing the effect the Journal believes they are
having the result will appear in large Re-
publican gains In the elections of this year
and next, and in the success Of the Repub-
lican party in 1896.
There is nothing more certain than that
the people very strongly disposed to
hold the party In power responsible for
hard times. How far this is just or reason
able, or how far it bespeaks an intelligent
understanding of the relation of things, is
not our present purpose to inquire The
fact is indisputable 1t Is a singular and
Interesting fact that every great financial
panic that we have had in this country has
occurred In the year following a presi-
Dental election, and in every instance has
been followed either by a change of admin
istration or a close approach to 1t. The
great panic of 1887 occurred In the first year
of Van Buren's administration, and its eff
feet on politics was so pronounced that
three years later the Democratic party
was overwhelmingly defeated. The panic of
1851 occurred in the first year after Buchan-
ans election, and again, three years later,
the Democratic party was defeated The
panic of 1873 occurred in the first year of
Grants second term, and three years later
the Democrats had majority of the popu-
lar vote and within an ace Of carrying the
1893, the worst in some respects the country
has ever experienced, occurred in the first
year of Grover Clevelands administration
and according to the law Of history II ought
to result in the defeat of the Democratic
party in 1896.
The Journal believes that It will so re-
suit. 1t takes several years for the country
to recover from the effects of such panic
as that through which we are passing
The Democratic party is not doing anything
TO alleviate It, and there is no probability
that it will. The people will continue t
nurse their wrath against the party IL
power for the next three years, and will
smite it every chance they get. In 1S9
they will elect Republican President. TIL,
recent election in this city points in tina
direction, and the Journal predicts tina
, | other pointers will follow.
FURTHER CONSIDERATION
In the sermon of Rev. Mr.. Milburn pub
| riSbad there roapv