The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-15

paign, said the governcR. Il was in the
state only five days, but spoke in two
places each day, and I moved about over
the state great deal, so I had a fair
chance of judging the sentiments of the
people. believe they favor silver coinage
in spite of the action of the convention.
"Au through that Ohio trip continued
the governor, 81 felt sure Campbell was
beaten, but did not expect such majority.
I saw SO many indications of it in remarks
dropped here and there by men met. For
example, l heard more than one man say:
We'll, suppose If we win we'll have an
other senator from New York It was
said with a laugh, but there was some
thing in the manner of the saying that
indicated disaffection. I told Campbell the
result was doubtful, but he seemed quite
sanguine. 1t was the same way in In
diana. In Ohio there were fine audiences,
but little enthusiasm. In Indiana we had
no reason to complain of the number of
people at our meetings, but here, too, there
were signs of disafection. heard great
many people say: Well, if the president of
the United States can't go over to New
York to register, I don't see why a com
mon voter like me should take the trouble
to go to the polls Many little things of
this character indicated Indifference, O
thing to be most dreaded in a campaign.
And SO it was that we were beaten by tho
stay at home vote. That vote, by the way,
may be the great factor in deciding tho
contest next November.
''Most of our people thought they saw q
prospect of success in the last campaign.
We had conference just before election at
the Bates House here, and they asked mo
what 1 believed would be the result. I
told them 1 thought we would pull tho
state ticket through, and that Holman and
Bretz would be elected to congress. By
mum, who was there, laughed at the idea
that he was going to be beaten. He said
he would be elected by bigger majority
than ever. You know the result. We
lost even the state ticket, and we did not
elect single member of congress-
Governor Matthews Political Views.
''Do you think the Democratic party has
good chance Of carrying Indiana this
year?''
81 believe if we can get the vote out We
can carry the state. Normally 1 believe
Indiana is Democratic, but the majority
is small, and it takes very little sometimes
to change it. That is the reason Indiana
is always considered debatable ground.
But if we can get our vote out think We
can always carry the state Indiana is prob
ably better organized for a political cam
paign than almost any other state in tho
Union. The Kentucky state central COM
miGteo sent a man to indianapolis last
year to learn something of the way we
managed a campaign, and he was amazed
counties, by townships and then by pro-
cincts. Then we have q man in each pre-
cinct who makes careful poll of the vot-
ers. Every man in the state is registered,
and his political sentiments are known.
IF he moves away, that fact is recorded,
and note is made of the man who moves
into his house as we'll as of the place to
which the other goes. Both parties do
this. No such organization was ever at
tempted before, I believe, in kentucky,
b ut it was begun in the last campaign,
and expect to see the party in Kentucky
well organized within few years"
Are the charges that money is used in
campaigns in Indiana we'll founded?''
st has been used. 1 think the first in
stance of it in a well organized or system
affixed way was in the campaign made IA
nous by Dudley and his blocks of 1ve.'
Yes there is no doubt that Dudley and his
50 bills were factor in that fight. Since
that time money has been used some-
times"
by both parties2''
Eyes, by BOTH
asked Governor Matthews If the Gd-
ministration influence was being felt here
in the financial fight. He replied that it
was believed the federal officeholders had
made some attempts to influence popular
judgment, but these had been of little
effect.
81 have had good many letters from
Kentucky" he said, depressing regret
that the Democrat ats of that state followed
the administrators financial lead and
gave the Republicans chance to carry
the state They will not do it probably in
the next campaign. The administration
influence will not be felt seriously in In
diana, but we will come together on some
compromise satisfactory to both wings of
the party. That is the disposition of the
party now, because Democrats everywhere
sec the necessity of getting together on
some good, safe, common ground
"What do you think the national con-
vention will do on the money question
adopt plank like that of 1892
Yes, but in such language that 1t will
be not susceptible of the Interpretation
which has been given to that plank. What
we want is more of the western interpre-
tation of she plank of 1892"
do you think the tariff will be an is
sue in the campaign of 1902
"Three months ago the tariff was not an
issue, but the recent declaration of Mr..
Dingley, the leader of the house, that tho
Republican party proposes to make a thor
ough revision of the tariff on protection
lines if it gets in power makes the tariff
an important issue next year. This is
striking evidence of the changes which
may come over the political situation and
an evidence that the position of the Demo
cratic party is by no means as bad as some
good Democrats believe. No one can tell
what will develop before November next.
Praise For the President.
Speaking of the possible effect of the
Venezuelan matter on the fortunes of the
Democratic party, Governor Matthews
gave the highest praise to the president.
1.-The message was extremely popular in
this state, - he said. 1.-The best evidence
of that is found in the letters have re-
ceived from all parts of the state from
men who want to enlist or to raise COM
panies or in soma other way to offer their
services to the government in case of war.
The only criticism I would make, if I
made any, is that the president could not