The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-08
THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK.

VIII carry this state and enough more to
elect him. They would hardly make as
large claims and confident predictions IL
they did not expect to win, for while bold
claims sometimes encourage the faithful
experienced politicians know they do not
influence the result. Mr.. Bryan would not
be making the arduous personal canvass
that he Is making If he did not hope to
be elected. and he has more than once ex-
pressed his belief that he will be. The fact
that after coming here twice, first TO deliver
his notification speech and then to address
the national Democratic clubs, he has
given two days to canvassing the State,
making twenty-five speeches, shows that
he hopes to carry Indiana. This being the
case ii Is worth while to inquire on what
the hope is based Combining the inquiry to
this State and admitting that the Bryanites
are honest in their expectations. the Jour-
nal thinks it can fairly state the grounds
on which their hopes are based.
First, they think Mr.. Bryan is more pop
ular than he was four years ago. Popu-
I
means. in this case, that Mr. Bryan Is bet
ter known than he was four years ago,
that his tri-party leadership is more dis
tinctly recognized and his personal follow
ing more devoted and enthusiastic, then IL
is true that he is more popular. That he
has strengthened and riveted his hold on
his admirers is undoubtedly true. But If
Ii means that he has a larger percentage
Of supporters or is relatively stronger than
he was in 1896 1t is not susceptible of proof
and there Is no reason to believe It. The
total vote of Indiana in 1896 was 637, 49, d.
vided as follows: For Mckinley S23 754: for
Bryan. 3o5.57s; for Palmer. 2145: for Lever
ing, Prohibition. 1866; for Bentley. Prohibi-
ton, 2,267: for Matchett. Labor. 324 The to-
tai vote this year will be considerably
larger. and while there may not be as many
scattering votes there is no reason to be-
lieve that Mr.. Bryan's popularity has in
larger percentage of the total vote than he
had four years ago.
The Journal has reason to believe that the
Popocrat managers are expecting to make
material gains in three quarters. viz.
Among the Gold Democrats of 1896. among
the workingmen and among the farmers
Every one of these hopes is groundless.
They are claiming that 80 per cent. of the
Gold Democrats of 1896 will vote for Bryan
this year. There is much better reason for
believing that 80 per cent. of them will vote
against him. and that they will be reinforced
by many more. OF the 2,145 votes cast for
Palmer in this State in 1896 fully 30 per
cent will be cast for Mckinley straight
wage-earners, they are very nearly as solid
for Mckinley this year as they were In
1896. Then times were hard, thousands of
men were out of employment, and they
voted for a change. Now times are good,
comparatively few men are out of employ
ment. and they do not want change The
Bryan managers claim that thousands of
workingmen who are ostensibly for Nc
Kinley are really for Bryan, and will so
vote-that they are incorporating as Nc
ers. This is nonsense There is no coercion
in this State nor any danger of it, There
is no reason why workingmen should con-
ceal their real sentiments or masquerade
in the interest of any person. To say that
they are doing so is a reflection on their
honesty. There is not corporation nor an
employer in Indiana that has ever tried to
coerce the votes of workingmen or that
would dare to DO so. The workingmen who
are enrolled as Republicans or who are
marching in Republican professions are
Repi blicans in reality. They are for pros
perity and full dinner pail in preference
to hard times and souphouses. There is
every reason to believe that the Republican
majorities in the gas belt counties and in
all the manufacturing centers of the State
will be larger this year than they were
four years ago.
OF all the hopes the Bryanites are enter
tanning perhaps the most unfounded is that
which counts on large gain among the
farmers. These greatly outnumber any
other single class of voters in the State
and very little drift among them either
way is enough to turn the political scale
Now there is every indication that the
drift among the farmers is in favor of the
Republicans. They are getting their full
share of the general prosperity, and most
of them are in favor of continuing the ad-
ministration under which it has come
about. Republican speakers say they never
had as large or attentive meetings among
farmers as they have this year. Governor
Mount, who is the most competent judge
on this point in the State. says the Repub-
lican vote among the farmers will be larger
this year than ever before.
Thus it appears there is no foundation fol
any of the hopes the Bryanites enter
tanning of carrying the State. They are
living i'm a fools paradise of false hope
Mr.. Bryan himself comes in contact only
with his own followers. and moving IN a
Bryan atmosphere he thinks everything is
| coming his way He will be worse beaten
| in this State and in the country at large
| than he was in 1896
BRYAN'S ADVISERS.