The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-07
POLL SHOWS BIG GAINS
REPUBLICANS WILL CARRY INDIANA
BY A. HEAVY MAJORITY.
Popocrats mt Sea on Their Orgnnfza-
ion-James l.. Reach Talks PERTH
nentIy ON the Outlook.

Both parties in Indiana are now engaged
in figuring up the sixty days poll taken dur
ing the last week. The Republicans are
eminently satisfied with the showing made
by their books. A poll is not usually very
accurate, but in a general way it seldom
fails to show the drift of things. In 1892
the Republican State committee was sat
fsfied that the State lost when its
sixty days poll came in. but did not de-
spair Of regaining it; in 1894 the poll showed
the State so heavily Republican that the
officers of the committee discounted it so
per cent. and were then afraid to put any
reliance in it. 1t is not the habit of silver
converts to hide their light under a bushel,
but the Republican organization of Indiana
is able TO find an average of only about
two to the precinct, while the average of
former Democrats who have renounced
Bryan and his revolutionary sentiments
average about sixteen. And of this sixteen
the returns show that fully half have the
intention of voting for Mckinley. while
the others will vote for Palmer or stay at
home. There are in round numbers 5000
precincts in Indiana Upon the basis out
lined above the Republicans will lose about
5000 votes in the State and the Popocrats
will lose 48,000 of which the Republicans
will gain $4,000, making a net Republican
gain of $4,000 votes. The Popocrats hope to
gain for their electoral ticket 900 Populist
votes, but if the two parties should succeed
in agreeing upon a plan of fusion upon the
electoral ticket a possibility that now seems
very remote, they would still suffer a net
loss of $4,000. When it is recalled that the
basis upon which this poll is taken-the
vote of 1894-lost Indiana to the Democrats
by 47,000 it readily be seen why the Re-
publican managers are satisfied with the
showing.
The Popocratic committee has not secured
anything like a complete poll of the State
and Is therefore working very much in the
dark In this county and in the few others
where the poll has been taken Or is in prog
ress, the figures taken do not differ very
materially from those taken by the Repub-
licans and about the only hope the man
ayers have lies in the rosy stories sent in
from the counties where poll has been
taken and the expectation that that mag
netic eioquence of Bryan's they have read
so much about will perform wonders when
he tours the State in October. The plain
truth is that the Popocratic organiza ton in
Indiana has been handicapped by lack
of funds, by the desertion of men who have
heretofore been leaders and by the inter-
NEEDING of silver extremists who know
nothing about political work that it has ac-
complished practically nothing in the way
of systematic organization and work. A
number of men in position to know have,
since the National Democratic convention
was held here last week, confidently pre-
dicted that the Popocratic organization in
Indiana would go to pieces within month.
Conditions within the Popocratic organi-
cation are pretty we'll described by James
L. Reach last week in an interview with
James Creelman, of the New World. Mr..
Reach last week resigned from Chairman
HOtt'G
time he left had exceptional opportunities
of knowing just what was being done, or
rather what was not being done.
Mckinley will carry this State by at
least 10000 majority, said Mr.; Reach
There is nothing at all behind the boasts
of free silver leaders.
Until a few days ago my position as a
member of the executive committee ena-
bled me to learn the inside facts. The State
has done nothing at all to or
ganize or fight There is practically no ma
chinery. in existence; The free-silyer men
are all in confusion. They are without mon
ey, without plans without experienced lead
ers and without any prospect of an inteill-
gent system of campaigning.
? six members of the State committee be-
lieve in the gold standard. They are sound
money men to the core. The State chair
man. Mr.. Holt is a stanch sound money
man. The free-silver members OF the COM
mittee have tried to remove him from the
have failed They have proposed a large
addition to the committee to be selected by
The idea was that they , sus-
plan also failed.
AT last got out. / could not stand even
the discussion of a fusion with the Popu-
lists 1t would be abandoning the Demo-
cratic doctrine. All the free-silver commit
tee has done up to the present time is to
wrangle and cause discussions throughout
the State.
s'The really able and influential party
leaders who have handled the fight in past
years refuse to do anything. The silver
men may talk about an enormous defec-
ton from the Republican party to Bryan;
but the executive committee failed to ma
evidence of it. AS wholesale produce COM
mission merchant. I am brought into con-
tact with farmers and merchants in all
parts of the State and can plainly see that
bryan is losing strength all the time. me
farmers tell me that the. Republicans are
standing by their colors,f with here and
there a single deSefter
But the break from the free-silver party |
g very large and is growing larger day by |
law. This county alone is absolutely GER
Iain to cast at least $500 votes for Palmer
md Buckner. What the other ninety-one |
will do depends upon whether the |
Pree-silver Democrats can be convinced, as |
+ think they can, that they are standing |
oy the principles of the Democratic party
when they vote for the sound money
ticket"