The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-18
INDIANA SAFE FOR BRYAN.
editorial Correspondence.l


electoral vote of both will go to Bryan
iof the reasons have already written.
AS TO Indiana, they feel as confident of
carrying that State as they do of carry
ing NEBRASKA, which means that they
think the Republican claims are pure bluff.
IN 1896 Indiana gave a majority of about
lS'ooo to Mckinley. 1t was the head CEN
ire OF the Gold Democracy in that year
ana there is no doubt that the detection
OF gold Democrats by itself gave Me-
Kirley its electoral vote. All agree taat the
gold Democrats are nearly all in line now
for Bryan-more so than in any other
State of the Union. If Bryan could hold
all his 1896 vote, the return of the gold
Democrats alone would give him the
State. But there are other gains quite
as large The Quaker vote, which is very
large usually goes Republican. Mckinley
got nearly all that vote in 1896. This
year most Of it will be against him. both
because the Quakers are opposed to the
Philippine war and because of Roosevelt's
insult to this peace loving body. The
Prohibitionists had q big vote in 1892. It
fell off in 1896 This year it will be in
creased by Republicans who denounce
McKinley's notification of the anti-can-
teen law. This State was the storm
centre of the opposition to the Porto Rico
tariff bill which was in violation of our
plain duty Led by ex-President Harri-
son, the Republicans of Indiana were up
in arms against this measure. McKinley's
flop" destroyed the faith of the honest
men of the party. Many will vote against
him because that bill means imperialism
and others who, like Mr.. Harrison, will
vote for him will do so in a spirit of a
choice of evils The distribution of pat
ronage has left sore spots all over the
State and cooled the ardor of many 1896
workers. The scandals in Cuba in which
Indiana men figured conspicuously, has
been another nail in the coffin. Then
there are three greater sources from
which the Democrats will gain strength:
l. The organized labor vote. In 1896
most of this vote went to Mckinley. To-
day it is largely for Bryan. Can it be
co-erced or intimidated to vote for Nc
Kinley? If not-(and the Democrats say
there is no fear of its succeeding this
year)-Bryan will get enough votes from
this source alone to give him the State
by 10000.
2. The German vote. In 1896 the Demo
Gratis, who had hitherto had a large Ger
man vote, lost most of it. This year
practically, all the German Democrats are
in line and with them are many Repub-
lcan Germans. They are influenced by
the Republican policy of Imperialism. It
is believed by the Democratic leaders
1.
appears on the surface.
3. The antitrust vote. The people. OF
Indiana are opposed to trusts Public
sentiment is such that Republican speak
ers are forced to say they are against
trusts. The laboring men in the towns
and cities have felt the trusts in closed
down factories which had been taken
into the trusts. Within the last few days
trust factories, closed down for months,
have been opened in order to stop the
wholesale exodus of workingmen from
the Republican party. But the working
men believe that these factories are be-
ing run now in order to influence their
votes and they will be shut down after
The election. They know that trusts are
inimical to their interests and are fight
ing them. The farmers feel the burden
of the trusts in everything they buy,
and loudly complain of their exactions.
These are the causes that are operating
to give the Democratic party the lead
in this close State The truth about In
diana is that it is always a doubtful State
The honest voters are so nearly evenly
divided that unless some powerful infiu-
ence operates in favor CT one party the
result is always determined by money
The Democrats believe that this year they
have two powerful and several minor in
fuences that give them too great a lead
for money to overcome. This is not |
mere belief It is a conviction based |
en- an accurate poll of the State and
knowledge of conditions in every precinct |
While they are not letting up the hard
work, they are perfectly confident of sue
cess. The Republicans are badly scared"
and are seeking to recover this lost |
ground. But it cannot be done-so the |
Democratic leaders assert with assur- |
ance.
The Republicans admit that Bryan will |
gain 1000 votes in Marion county, in |
which Indianapolis is situated; that he |
will make big gains in Fort Wayne, Terre |
Haute, Muncie, and the larger cities of |
the State. The Republicans claim that |
they will make big gains in the farmer |
vote and thereby retain the State. That |
hope is liable to meet with the same |
result that attended the Democratic hope |
of carrying the farmer vote in 1896. 1t |
will be remembered that when it be- |
came apparent in 1896 that the great |
cities would vote against Bryan because |
they did not favor silver, the Democrats |
said, 20, we'll, we expected to lose votes !
in the cities, but wait till you hear from
the farmer vste. And when they heard
the subsequent proceedings interested |
them no more. Outside of a few coun-
ties, the farmer vote was about what |
it had been for twenty years. The farm |
er vote is the least changeable of any
vote in this country, as rule In 1895
the Republican farmer believed in silver
and talked for silver, but voted for Me-
Kinley Their politics is serious thing |
with them. They join party as they
join church and seldom change, belev-
ing that in the long run they do better
to stick to the party with which they
first voted. Therefore the party that
looks for radical change in this vote is
doomed to disappointment 1t is the city |
vote that changes from one party to the |
other from year to year. In Indiana |
this year the Democrats are confident |