Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-01
REVIEWING THE WHOLE FIELD.
STORY or CONGRESSIONAL con-
TESTS IN INDIANA DISTRICTS.


SVhSresalOnal districts OF Indiana, the
inquirer must go back TO 1856 for data.
for In neither OF the subsequent strug-
giles have conditions existed which in
any way compare with those that now
obtain In a number OF the districts.
IN the former year the Republicans
made special and determined fight
ior members OF the legislature and OF
congress, and 1t Is upon these lines
that the campaign IS being fought
now. the election OF the state ticket
pelng made an incident TO the struggle,
Tor the reason that appreclable gains
in the legislative and congressional
districts necessarily mean Its election,
enough the converse Of this proposition
rs not always true. In other words,
Republican energy Is being centered
chiefly on the fight for legislators, state
and national, and not eince 1886 has
carried seven out Of the thirteen dis
triots. Two years later everything was
centcrd upon Harrison's election. and
while this was accomplished. Repub-
Hcan representation In congress fell
from sewn 70 three members. In 1890
the party was disorganized by Internal
dissenslons and the Democrats elected
eleven and the Republicans but two
members. ana In 1892 this supremacy in
the congressional delegation was main
tained through causes which operated
so dlsastrously against the Republic
| cans In 1880. The effect OF these condi-
| tons Is further seen in the fact that
| the election OF 1856, when the Republic
cans elected seven congressman, and
| the election OF 1890 when they came
out OF the light with but two, We're held
under practically the same apporuon-
| ment, the only changes made In the
meantime being unimportant In par
~ sense
In considering the status OF the sew
eral congressional districts. the Sec
( end, Third, Fourth. Sixth. Ninth and
Z Iwelfth may be eliminated at the be-
ginning. for each Of these will be rep
resented IN the next col gross by the
same parties to which their represents
lives belonged IN the last, the Sixth
pnd Ninth being certain to return Re,
publlcans, and the Second, Third,
Fourth and Twelfth TO return Demo-
CtUts The other seven districts pre-
sent the debatable gcounl OF the CAM
paign and 1t Is in them that conditions
are being watched with most interest.
rive Of the seven were carried by the
Republicans In 1886, and II Is not uf-
natural that they should claim as
much in 1894. and, IN fact, raise their
claim SO as to include the seven From
The Democratic point Of view tho con-
elton In each of To Be districts Is bel
ter than Il was In 1856, At that time
but two years of the Democratic adj
/ mlnistration as now, had passed away,
but that administration had been pre-
ceded by Il quarter OF century IN
which DcmDcrata had had nothing
from the national government. and vic
tory found them exceedingly hungry
Tor spoil. Hundreds We're disappointed
In not being recognized, and the cleo
tlon in 1856 found them generally sore
and revengerul. and gave the oppor-
tunlty 10 pay of tn, score with Inter-
est. Even snch Il Gibraltar of Demo-
cratic strength as the Twelfth district
went down IN the general ruin, and
when tins happened the Democrats
did well to save even six districts from
the political wreck \ different state
OF affairs now exists. The democratic
congressman. IN the distribution Of the
federal patronage, have not experience
ed the difficulties that confronted them
in 1856 for there have been few appli-
oants for places within their gift. and
the applicants had learned not TO build
thoir hopes no high that disappout-
mont loft them sore As rule, too,
[ the appointments In Indiana have
! been far superior to many that were
made under the former Democratic ud-
! mh.lstratlon and those who were dis
/ appointed do not feel the added sting
| which follows defeat by q less worthy
| person. Indeed. the Indiana congress
l men have pronted by their experience
| and the result IL Il better condition In
/ the party than existed at correspond
/ ing time eight years ago.
The Republicans, knowing these
| facts and realizing that little Is to be
! gained from disappointed ofllce-seek-
ers. are bRsing their claims OF q
sweeping victory In the congressional
districts solely on wha. they call the
disastrous efects OF reduced tariff.
| Again. they are appealing 10 the la
boring classes on the ground that UNI
! der high tariff work was plenty, wages
good and conditions established. while
under the present system, which SIM
| ply foreshadows Democratic policy,
| work IL scarce, wages low and condi-
| lions chaotic Necessarily these ar
guments. IL destined 10 change votes
ut ALL can be effective only in the cit
| les or In those districts which contain
large bodies OF laboring men who have
felt the evil effects of the moncoo-y
| strlngency or who have become rest
less and dissatisfied and are l0obng
! for the causes Of their rcstlassness
| outside of themselves. Such ella Ses ex-
| list In indiana, and In their existence
lies the danger to the Democrats,
! though this dang-t IS mlniml9ei ty
the fact that the Populista afe mailing
NlkNs GUS war ON DlAn palllcS, ana 10
| ;hcig new ally the i,e,l1ss irblr Nnte
Is naturally turui * for comfort, Nell
thoi party protess-r fully 10 under
1 stNnl the Cotlre efs.. { rsRul'.t M.
! peals TO this vote. but conservative
politicians regard the First. Fifth, Sew
enth. Eighth, Tenth. Eleventh and
| Thirteenth districts as reasonably
doubtful. and the conditions that OBJ
tain In them. though differing In both
Kind and degree. are challenging the
best effort OF both committees.
The First district was carried by the
Republicans In 1856 solely by reason OF
Democratic dissenslons, but II Is
close district. and is being looked after
with much concern. In II are situated
the city OF Evansville. and II COM
prlses within its limits n coal-mining
territory In which a strike recently oc-
CURED, and in which there Is much
restlesaness. The Republicans have
nominated ]. NJ. Hemenway, who Is
regarded as able to carry the full
strength Of his party. In lSsS the
Democrats carried this district by
twenty votes, in 1890 by SIS and In
1889 by i5i. The margin Is therefore
narrow. and when. In years OF Ropub-
loan decentralization the plurality falls
30 low, the prospect in year OF per-
feet organization ia not assuring Rep
| reaentative Taylor the present incum-