Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-26
TRADING OFF BRYAN
Charge Against the Supporters Of
Kern in Indiana.
CANDIDATE DENIES THE CHARGE
Both Parties Claim the State and
Are Working Hard.
ATTITUDE OF COLORED VOTE
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
INDIANAPOLIS, October 25, 1900.
The burning question in Indiana politics
today Is this: Are friends of John w. Kern.
the democratic candidate for governor, Of
fering to trade Bryan for Kern? For sew
eral weeks rumors have been coming.
mostly from republican sources, that plot
had been formed by the Kern men to elect
their candidate at the. expense of Mr..
Bryan. These rurnors were becoming more
frequent until Monday, when Mr.. Kern is
sued statement to the public denying in
the most positive terms that such a plot
was afoot.
This declaration was couched in most Wig
orous language. Mr.. Kern said that no
friend Of his would be guilty of disloyalty
to the national ticket. He said that the
charge was the result of republican con-
spiracy, intended to influence populists and
free silver supporters Of Mr.. Bryan into
opposing Kern's candidacy. Mr.. Kern Of
fered s25 for proof of each instance to which
the republicans could point where he or any
supporter of his had made such offer
As soon as Mr.. Kern had made this en-
phatic denial the republican state commit
tee sent circular letters to every county in
the state. This letter asked the republican
agents to investigate. The committee
wanted evidence, if such could be secured.
of the alleged attempt on the part of the
state democrats to profit at Mr.. Bryan
expense. Chairman Hernly of the republi-
can state committee asserts that he has re-
ceived replies from Fort Wayne Terre
Haute, Princeton, South Bend. Logansport,
Lafayette, kokemo and a number Of other
Indiana cities, confirming the story that
democrats are willing to sacrifice Bryan in
order to obtain votes for the candidate for
governor.
Offer Two Votes for One.
Chairman Hernly declared that in some
instances there was evidence that the
democrats had offered to trade two votes
for Mckinley to one republican vote for
Kern. Friends Of Col W. T. Durbin Of An
derson, the manufacturer who is the re-
publican candidate for governor, has taken
deep interest in the reports which threat
en- the candidacy of Col Durbin, and they
are pushing the investigation. They are
making ready to protect their candidate If
state 1t is said that Durbin men are being
warned of the movement. Republican lead
ers profess to have no fear Of the outcome.
They assert that both their state and ma
tional tickets are safe: at any rate 1t Is
thought that they would be quite willing to
see Durbin sacrificed to insure Indiana for
Mckinley Secretary Hawkins and all the
other members Of the democratic state
committee, as well as Mr.. Kern, continue
to deny the story. Mr.. Hawkins says this
rumor shows the desperate straits to which
the republican party has fallen in Indiana.
Any one who knows John w. Kern knows
that he is incapable of such conspiracy
and every politician knows that If he were
to attempt such a plot 1t would insure his
defeat"
One of the most novel discoveries which
has been made in the campaign is the one
which the republican county committee has
stumbled on. 1t declares that as the result
of hard work for Kern among the coored
men of this city a Mckinley and Kern
Club has been formed. Both parties seem
to be nervous over the colored vote in this
city, which amounts to 5000 = =. = =