Evening star., 1900-09-19


to make any reasonable prediction as to
what the majority VIII be-" replied Mr..
New THAT the electoral vote of the state
will be cast for Mckinley 1 have no rea-
sonable doubt ] fully understand as does
every Indiana republican. that ours Is n
state where the battle for supremacy is
fought with the greatest energy by both
TIE great parties in every campaign.
Il notice in some of the papers that the
democratic leaders are indulgng in the
same eXtraVaGant claims that they have al
ways made thus far In advance of election
day. There is absolutely nothing upon
which they can be based. Conditions in In
diana do not differ materially from the
conditions which prevail the country over.
Our people are prosperous in the highest
degree, and are more nearly unanimous in
tIeir expressions of satisfaction with the
existing conditions than l have ever known
them to be.
Political History of the State.
Ma jorities I'm Indiana for the last TWEEN
ty-eisht years have. in presidential years,
with single exception, been measured by
] per cent of the total vote of the state
In 1876 Tilden carried II by about 5000; in
1850 Garfield had something over 5000; in
1881 Cleveland had it by about that figure:
in 1SSS Harrison won by 300; in 1892
Cleveland again won by something like
G,%1; all this i'll a total vote Of between
$50 600 and G70,NH. The great upheaval of
1886. which produced 1i2.WU in Illinois to
our west more than 1G2 COO each in Michi-
gan and, Wisconsin on the north; J0.G00 in
Ohio on the east. and which gave Mckn-
ley twelve of the thirteen votes of Ken
lucky on the south, produced a majority OF
little less than 1000 III Indiana. Hence
it may he seen by the most casual observer
that Indiana is to be classed rs a close
state. AS l said, conditions there do not
differ materially from the conditions else
T. * III
based upon long acquaintance with the pO-
ftical conditions of the state, that its cleo
toral vote viii be cast for Mckinley and
Roosevelt.
Indinnians Laugh at Imperialism.
AS to the issue Cf Imperialism, our people
not all alarmed or disconnected by it.
They Go not fear the establishment of the
empire. for they realize full well that that is
the veriest nonsense. and just as foreign to
republican as to democratic intent. The
same cry went forth from the throat of
every democratic orator in 1864, in 1865 and
In 1872, from every stump from which the
democratic gospel was proclaimed in In
diana. There is more danger of the
tablshment of an imperialistic policy now
lhan there was then. and our people are
fully apprecistive of that fact
Indiana is essentially and permanently
for tbe maintenance of the gold standard
and is irrevocably opposed TO the free COIN
age of silver at the ratio of 16 to J. 1t is
my firm conviction that il is now, and from
all indications that II will forever be, i'm
possible for any candidate to get the cleo
t0ral vote of Indiana who proclaims II his
purpose to overthrow the gold standard and
to establish in it's stead a debased and de-
preciated currency.
Bryan the Paramount Issue.
As to how the gold democrats will vote
it is true that some of them have returned
to hn %nll
them will vote as they did i'm 1896 and for
the same reasons. Those who voted for Pal
mer and Buckner then will vote for McKin-
ley now, and it is certainly true that those
republicans who voted for Mr.. Bryan in
1896, in the belief that there was some
merit in his financial theories, have learned
by experience that he and they were alike
in error, and have, with practical unanim-
ity, returned 10 the republican fold.
''As to the dominant issues of the cam
paign, Mr.. Bryan, who is candidate and
platform in himself, has asserted with all
the emphasis possible that Imperialism is
the paramount issue. believe as has been
well said by others, that Mr.. Bryan himself
is the paramount issue. He has not
changed. even in slight degree, since he was
nominated upon the Chicago platform
which was made practically at his own die
tatiOn, unless, indeed, II be that he has
failed TO learn by experience, and has there
by the more conclusively demonstrated that
he is utterly and hopelessly wrong on every
vital issue.
Republicans Opposed Trusts.
"As to trusts, / am in favor of their
proper and rational regulation by Congress
or by whatever means may be necessary.
The only steps In this direction that have
ever been taken have been taken by the re-
publican party, and at every point it has
been opposed by the democrats Trusts
have existed as far back as history makes
any record, and since they exist and flour
ish in countries where absolute free trade
prevails, ii is the height OF nonsense to at
tribute their existence in this country to the
protective tariff policy. / believe the repub-
lican House Of Representatives was right
when 1t attempted to provide for the consti-
tutional amendment under which these COM
binations could be regulated, and that the
democratic party was enthusiastically
wrong in opposing that important piece of
legislation That the republican party will
find the means Of correcting this evil In so
far as it Is an evil, l have entire conf
dence