The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-01
Political Conditions i'm Indiana as
Shown by Letters from Numer-
Gus Correspondents.
IMPERIALISM A BOOMERANG
PoPoCRATS EVIDENTLY DID NOT
KNOW 1T WAS LOADED
False Cry Raised i'm the Paramount
Issue. Recoiiing on the Bryan
Party-RepubIican Pianss
.cial 70 the Indianapolis journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
CHICAGO, Aug 31.-That he might add
to his own fund of information and con-
tribute to the enlightenment of headquar-
ters. Captain Harry S. New, member of
the Republican executive committee AMI
national committeeman from Indiana, hit
unon the expedient of writing to two or
three hundred of his personal friends for
their opinions as TO the exact political
status In his own State. What he wanted
was facts, and the result of the obServa-
tions of men upon whom he could rely, and
who are not identified with any committees
or clubs. Captain New has as wide per-
Sonal acquaintance in Indiana as any man
in the State and from thousands of men
of affairs known TO him he made up
carefully selected list of men in every walk
of life to whom he propounded series of
direct questions calculated to bring out re-
plies covering every phase of the political
situation. In every case he asked his cor
respondent TO take the conservative side
of every proposition. 1t was not rosy views
that Captain New sought, but cold facts
and careful judgment based thereon. and
expressed by those on the spot. and there
fore qualified to form opinions that would
be of value.
Replies to these inquiries are nearly all
in, and the information furnished is re-
garded as very valuable at headquarters
as indicating the Indiana drift. They come
from every county in the State, and some
times two three from a county, and
should reflect conditions from a Repub-
liean point OF view as nearly accurate as
partisan bias will allow. The letters being
confidential in a sense, it is not allowable
to give the names Of writer's, but Captain
New permitted me TO run through stack
of them a foot deep. The feature that
struck me as being most significant was the
testimony relative to the return to the
Republican party of farmers who had voted
for free silver and Bryan four years ago.
Almost every letter mentions from two to
a dozen instances within the knowledge of
the persons writing the cause in every in
stance being given in substantially the
same language. 1 will quote from one let
ter, which is a fair sample of more than a
hundred.
EYES OF FARMERS OPENED.
"Seven farmers in one township of this
county (Clinton) who voted for Bryan four
years ago have announced their intention
of voting for Mckinley writes the cor
respondent. Three of these are old-line
Democrats and four are Republicans who
voted for Bryan because they were afraid
that ruin might follow the adoption of the
gold standard. They were honest in their
convictions then, but the history of the
past four years has satisfied them they
were mistaken. They have seen the utter
failure of the calamity prophecies of that
day and have seen prosperity on every
hand. Their own condition has i'm
proved. They realize that the conditions
which prevail in their neighborhood are
general, and they have no desire to be dis
organizing or disturbing factors in a salts
factory situation"
Another writes of the good feeling among
farmers in eastern central Indiana and
mentions the fact that they drive into
town now in vehicles adorned with rubber
tires, a circumstance which he deems wor-
thy of note as illustrating a comfortable
phase of rural prosperity. Still another
correspondent alludes to the fact that a
great many farmers in his section of the
State have been either paying off their
mortgages or refunding them al per cent
and putting the money into improvements.
tural implement establishment, with trade
extending through half dozen counties,
speaks of the increase of s12 to SIS per
acre in the value OF farm lands since 1896
and of the growing independence of the
agricultural classes. The hard times
taught them how to save money and the
result is general accumulation of surplus
cash in the country banks everywhere and
an enlargement of the number of depos-
itors.
Writing from Marion a correspondent
says: 81 have to note some dissatisfac
ton among not few of the working men.
based on the theory that they have not
shared sufficiently from a wage point of
view in the general advance in prices
everywhere apparent. They feel they
ought TO be getting more pay. I do not
believe, however, that this dissatisfaction
will lead many working men 10 change
over from the Republican to the Demo-
cratic party. In fact, / do not know of a
single instance of change Of front. al
though 1 have a wide acquaintance among
mechanics. They feel they have a right
to grumbie, but back of it ALL they realize
that while they may not be getting the
full measure of the benefit of good times
they are secure in regular employment at
living wages. whereas, up to three years
ago. throughout all the long period of dis
tress. work was uncertain and wages low.
Their condition is so much better than II
was that they will hardly carry their dis
satisfaction TO the point OF revolt against
the party under whose regime the improve
ment has taken place. which has put
clothing on the backs of their children and
food in their stomachs'
DANGER IN OVERCoNFIDENCE.
Many of the correspondents have a good