The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-20
NEW .PIvoTAL STATES


mus SN0SSu Ah AhhS AtC8OIOs
New York Sun.
1t has been pointed out frequently by
students of American national politics that
which have osciflated between the two
parties for many years. Indiana was Re-
publican in 1872, Democratic in 1876, Re
publican in 1850, Democratic in 1884, Re-
publican in 1883. Democratic in 1892 and Re-
publican in 1896. on the electoral ticket.
while New York, going back further,
was Republican in 1864. Democratic in 1868.
Republican in 1872, Democratic in 1876, Re-
publican in 1880, Democratic in 1884. Repub-
lican in 1888. Democratic in 1892 and Repub-
lican in 1896. On the showing 1t would ap-
pear that the two States of New York and
Indiana, one in the East and one in the
West. were important if not pivotal States
in national elections and that by a study
of political conditions in them a view of
the probable results of a campaign would
be attained.
This view of the case, however, does not
take into consideration the fact that the
uncertainty of these two States does not
arise from ordinary, but from exceptional.
causes. They have been abnormally fav-
ored in nominations by the two parties,
the Republicans having had an Indiana
candidate for President in 1883 and 1892 and
the Democrats having gone to Indiana for
their vice presidential candidate in 1876,
1880 and 1884. In 1872 the Republican candi-
date for President. and in 1884 the Repub-
lican candidate Tor Vice President were
CI1OStl LIOIH lIlOl lQld - WtSlcIH
neighbor, and the Democratic candidate
for Vice President came from Illinois in
1892. Ohio furnished one or other of the
parties with either a presidential or vice
1896.
The politics of Indiana are to a great ex-
tent controlled by the sentiment Of the
voters in the two neighboring and more i'm
portant States of Illinois and Ohio. and IL
need be no occasion for surprise, therefore.
that the special efforts, made by either
party to secure success in Indiana should
have had the effect of keeping that State
for a number of years in the very doubtful
column. New York, though less influenced
| than is Indiana by the nomination to
elective office of candidates resident within
it's borders, had a presidential nominee on
one of the party tickets in 1858. a President
and Vice President in 1876, a President and
Vice President in 1880. a President in 1884,
and q President and Vice President in 1892.
Changed political conditions, arising from
the admission of new States and the larger
representation of Western commonwealth.
as well as from the new lines of political
division in the United States, have deprived
New York and Indiana of their former dis
tinction as pivotal States and in the presi-
Dental election of 1896 the two closer
States in the country were Kentucky. over
whelmingly Democratic for many years.
and South Dakota, admitted into the Union
as a State in 1922. Two other close States
in the presidential election of four years
ago were Kansas n Oregon. and two
probable uncertain States this year are
Maryland and Wyoming
There are no longer In important doubt
ful States any preliminary elections, such
as formerly made Pennsylvania and after
ward Ohio and Indiana pivotal States.
Rhode Island. Vermont and Maine. which
are reliably Republican, hole state cleo
tons in advance of the national contest,
and Louisiana. Arkansas and Alabama,
which are just as strongly tic.
hold their state elections in April, Scptem-
Der ami August, respectively. but the
/ withdrawal of the uncertain States from
the list of those in which disputed state
contests We're held in advance of the gen.
cral election. has restored to a great ex-
tent the political equilibrium between the
States. so that a vote counts as much in
one as another. and as shown in the pres
ent consideration of the names of vice
| presidential candidates by the two parties
| there is no undue preference for any State.