Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-15
TROUBLES IN BOTH PARTIES
Unhappy Condition of Republicans and Dem
ocrats in the HooSier State.
Fhe Former Seem to Have the Best Oh
h-The Latter Lost a Golden
Opportunity.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
INDIANAPOLIS. September 70 Il
druggist.


INDIANAPOLIS, September L.. 1896.
The amount of unhappiness that is inst
now troubling the breasts of the politicians
OIL all shades In Indiana would be laughatle
IL IL were not so serious with them. Before
the St Louis convention the republicans of
lhls state were divided into two decidedly
hostile camps. The Mckinley men made
the most noise, but the largest amount of
devi!try was done by the Harrison men.
The Mckinley men got control of the party
committee. and since then there has been
trouble, trouble. The committee undertook
to ignore both Harrison and his most init
male friends. Repeated meetings of the
party were called, but the leading Harrison
men were never invited to be present. After
Mckinley was nominated the Harrison men
found that they would have 10 stir them
selves or the state would slide over TO the
democracy. The Mckinley men made the
astounding discovery that they would have
to call upon the Harrison men or be without
local speakers to take part in the campaign
The situation now is: With the exception
OF one or two ell the local speakers engaged
in campaign work are Harrison men. A few
weeks ago the committee made another
disagreeable discovery, and that was II II
was TO get any money TO meet bills and de-
tray the expenses il must be obtained from
the Harrison men, the Mckinley men being
almost altogether found among those who
did not give to campaign work.
The Harrison men are just now engaged
In twitting their opponents over tie srrtaa-
ton. Another cause of trouble Is over who
| is to control. lie patronage of the state
when -rcKinley goes to the White House
| n1r. Gowdy was one of the most ardent of
the Mckinley men, and the most urgent in
pushing his claims in this state, and for
some time ii was supposed he would be the
chief dispenser of patronage in the hoped
Tor good days. Then {. w. Fairbanks
doomed up as the nearest and dearest friend
| of the Ohio statesman. Things were in a
turmoil prior to the meeting of the state
convention, and the instructions for Mckin-
ley were in danger of being sidetrac ked,
when MIR. Perry 8. Heath put in an appear
ance the personal representative of Nc
Kinley, managed TO bring order out of
| chaos. and sent the resolutions through the
convention with an unanimity that amazed
that wing of the party He is now one OF
the active men at the Chicago Headquarters,
and Ii Is thought will have much to say
about the distribution of patronage. In this
condition of affairs those who after
Places are in quandary, not knowing at
whose shrine to bow.
Democrats I'm Rad Shape.
The democratic organization is in hardly
any better shape Jealousies- backbitings
and plots have been the dominating feat
ures The chairman was a sound money
man; the majority of the committee are
for silver. Either through the apathy of
the chairman or the dissensions caused by
the fight waged against him by the silver
ties. but little work has been done by the
committee.
Just now the republicans seem to have
| the best of the matter in the state and arc
much more hopeful and confident than
the democrats A leading republican, who
has taken an active part in all the cam
paigns In the state since 1870 and who
| is now actively stumping for Mckinley,
| thus sizes UP the situation:
THE democrats of Indiana have lost a
golden opportunity. They had It in their
power to have carried the state and gain
ed a majority of the Congressman, but
they could not see 1t, and went ahead
trusting to blind luck The republican dis
Seasons gave them an excellent oppor-
tunity. Our committee had committed one
blunder after another and had made many
of the most effective workers lukewarm.
Then, too, free silver had a strong fol-
lowing among the republicans especially
in the farming districts, and IL a vote had
been taken Immediately the heels OF
the St. Louis convention the state would
have gone for free silver by at least 25ov0
majority.
without Political Skill.
1.-THE leaders Of the free silver movement
were wholly without political skill; they
were Of that class who believe in the OK
goad and bludgeon, and instead of trying
to keep the gold men in the party lines
did everything to drive them out, even
before the Chicago convention. BY the
time that convention met the party in this
state was practically disrupted, but even
then, had the convention shown any wis
dom the state would have been sure for
Bryan. Had IT contented itself with sim
ply declaring for free silver. they would
have held to them all the republicans of
the state who believe in that doctrine. but
the republicans could not and would not
give their adherence to the anarchistic
sentiments put forth. i have noticed what
Mr.. Babcock has said about the free silver
tide having been stemmed by the republi-
can Congressman, but Mr.. Babcock knows
very little about the matter. So far as
the republicans are concerned the senti-
ment died for this campaign when they
began to understand the real meaning
of the Chicago platform. Sound money
among the democrats has been fed by the
actions of the siverites. and now that the
populists have also divided. the chance
for democratic success in Indiana has
gone"
The above tells the whole story as well
as columns. The republicans are united
for Mckinley to defeat Bryan, not from
any great adherence to Mckinley him.
self or to the doctrine Of protection. That
doctrine has totally diSappeared from he