Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
CONDITIONS IN INDIANA
Jay County and the Tenth District Probably
Republican. ....
The Democrats Must Convert More
Than Five Net Thousand Voters
to Win the State.
Correspondence of The Evening Star.


PORTLAND, Ind, October q, 1896.
Jay county Is considered the closest po-
litical county in the state, and the result
Is usually not known until the official count
is in. 1t is therefore bitterly contested by
the leaders Of the two parties. In the last
presidential election Harrison carried 1t
by Y. Since then several glass factories
and other manufacturing Industries Rave
located here, and this has Increased the re-
publican vote several hundred On the
other hand, about 800 populists VIII vote
this year for Bryan, and about 100 pro-
hibitionists and the silver republicans will
cast from Is to 100 votes This Is a larger
number of silver republicans .han l rave
found in other counties in tine state. The
German vote. amounting to about 1hO. has
changed from democratic to republican this
year.
which has been safely republican coun-
ty, the free silver craze has made consid
cradle inroads on the republican vote, and
is supported by a leading daily ard week
1y republican paper. The democrats Calm
800 new voters for silver. From talk with
the farmers believe this is overesIimated.
From all indications the democrats have
the best of 1t In this locality, and the con-
ditions existing here are those that make
the result in the state doubtful.
The Tenth District.
The late republican legislature in redis-
trictins the state sought to make the tenth
sure republican district. The nine coun-
ties composing the district have heretofore
been usually republican. They are Lake,
Porter. Newton, Jasper. Pulaski, Fulton.
White, Cass and Carroll. They cast about
$4,000 votes. large proportion of which are
cast by the towns of Lafayette, Hammond
and Michigan City. The republican major
ity In the nine counties two years ago was
G,5OO, and the populist vote was 1,SOO The
pcpulist vote will go almost entirely TO
Bryan this year, and about 100 prohibit
tionists Will follow suit. 1t is hardly to be
expected that the sound money democrats
will Offset the combined populist and pro-
hibition vote In the district, but allowing
for net gain of 1000 for Bryan, the dis
trict will be safely republican.
In reckoning on the results in Indiana it
should be remembered that.in the election
OF 1884, with which comparison should be
made. there were cast over 1900 populist
votes and $500 prohibition votes. and from
| Is to 50 per cent Of these votes are con-
coded to Bryan by republicans. The repub-
| lean plurality In 1884 was 1900. A change
| Of 500 votes in the state from the repub-
| :lcan to the democratic colamn would give
the state to Bryan, If there were not
corresponding change the other way. l be-
lleve there are more than 5000 free silver
republicans in Indiana who will vote TO,
Bryan, but l am also convinced there are
fully that many sound money democrats
VINO will vote for Mckinley. AS the cam
paign proceeds. republican chances improve
| in the state. This is due to a better under
standing of the issues and to the superior
work ard showing Of the republican man
fGers. The voters who like to be on the
| winning side are influenced by the superior
| force exhibited in the republican campaign
| In this district as in other sections, despite
| the efforts of Mr.. Bryan, protection is the
| m
| what protection did for them prior to 1883
| and they know what partial free trade ha:
| done for them since. There is no CUES:
| them may not love the free silver promise:
| less they love protection more, and will
vote for it. F. B.