The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-06
NEXT YEAR.

It Is doubtful If any reader of the Journal
can recall the autumn of a year preceding
a presidential election when there was as
little popular interest felt in the subject as
there is at present. 1t has been said that
the American people are no sooner done with
one presidential election than they begin to
make plans for the next one. That is meas
urably true, but not this year. Nine months
hence both political parties will probably
have nominated their candidates and the
presidential campaign will be in full blast,
yet now there is scarcely a ripple on the sur
face. and il it were not for Mr.. Bryan
traversing the country to fill his engage
ments with county fairs and other rural
gatherings people would almost forget. for a
space. that there is such a thing as national
politics. AS long as the Nebraska states
man lives and preserves his organs of speech
he will not let the people whom he can
reach with his voice forget that there is
a President to be elected in the more or less
distant future and that he desires his claims
to be considered.
AS for the Republicans. the present calm
Is the repose Of confidence. Towards the
close OF Mr.. Lincoln's first administration
his opponents. including the anti-war Demo-
Gratis of that day. the copperheads and some
disgruntled Republicans, made a good deal
of noise about defeating him for reelection
and actually made some people think It was
possible. One convention of dissatisfied Re-
publicans met and nominated John c. Ere
mont and another faction attempted a move
ment for the nomination of General Grant,
but his prompt declaration that he would
not be a candidate put an end to it. The
Democrats were foolish enough to think
they could elect General Mcclellan. The
Republicans did not allow themselves to be
disturbed. and when the votes were counted
it was found Lincoln had carried all but
three of the States voting. Republican sue
cess next year is just as sure now as it was
then, and Republican calmness and con-
fidence are as well founded.
The trouble with the Democratic party at
present is it has no organization, no prin-
ciples and no leadership. If these rather
material defects could be remedied it might
possibly make a fairly good fight next year.
A party which. less than a year before
presidential nominations are to be made, is
foundering around like a ship without a
rudder or a compass. a political derelict will
ing to be towed into any port under any
captain and any flag, can hardly expect to
be ft for service very soon. even If it ever
gets into port. A comparison Of the condi-
ton of the party now and this time eight
years ago shows how completely a political
party can forfeit popular confidence in a
short time. Then the States Of New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio. Iowa and Massa-
chusetts had Democratic Governors and the
House of Representatives had only eighty
seven Republicans, against 337 Democrats.
Now only one Northern State east of the
Mississippi river mas a Democratic Governor
and the House Is Republican. The Demo-
cratic party has gone into political bank
ruptcy and turned over its assets to William
j. Bryan to save what he can out Of them.
If he succeeds in patching 1t together so II
can put out a platform and nominate candi-
dates next year it will be beaten worse than
1t has been since the civil war. A party
that has no organization except warning fac
tons. no leader but a discredited dema-
gogue, and no principles but opposition to
the government and it's soldiers in the field
should be disposed of like a diseased animal
slaughtered, disinfected and buried.