Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-03
VIEWS IN THE WEST
Difficult to Ascertain How the People
Stand Politically.
MANY, APPARENTLY, ARE UNDECIDED
What Men Say Who Have Quietly
Investigated.
ADMIT BEING PERPLENED

An unusual amount of individual effort Is
being devoted 10 trying to find out the
trend of public opinion in the sections of the
country where there seems to be most
doubt. There is a curious agreement be
tween what is reported privately by a num-
her OF men who have Travelled through sew
eral of the so-casled doubtful states for the
purpose of sounding the sentiment of the
people. 1t IS that the people generally are
either not taking a great interest in politics,
are purDCsely non-committal. or else are
actually unsettled In their judgment and
are waiting to consider little further be-
fore taking sides. These Investigations
have been made for various purposes. in
some instances for no other purpose than
to size up the situation II determine how
to make bets: in other instances for purely
political purposes, by partisans on one side
or the other. and in others to size up for
editorial judgment.
In Kentucky and Indiana.
One man with whom a Star reporter
talked has been since the Kansas City con-
vention studying the situation in Kentucky
and Indiana, in both of which states he has
wide acquaintance, his object being to
determine how to lay his bets. In politics
he is democrat, but his judgment is prob
ably very little influenced by that fact. He
said that he was utterly unable 10 form
an opinion from what he is able TO learn at
this time upon which he would be willing
TO base bet He found conditions in both
states which he could not understand. and
the people seemed very generally to be in
an unsettled state of mind about politics
He said lie met SeNTra. men OF some local
prominence whom ne knew personally, who
had voted for Mckinley in so. but who
would vote for Bryan this fail. He could
not. however. discover that this indicated
any general movement in that direction.
Where he expected to get positive opinions
based on some sort OF a study of the situa-
ton he found only doubt and uncertainty.
The impression made upon him. he said.
was that the people who were not irnmova-
Bile partisans were waiting to see how the
issues Of the campaign developed before de-
terminng what they should do.
In the Middle West.
Another man said that he had been In
twelve states in the middle west making as
careful study of the situation as he could
and that he had come back greatly per-
picked. This man is a republican but like
the other was not trying to take parti-
san view of the matter. The net result was
that he was satisfied that in some sections
Of the middle west where many republicans
were rather Inclined to criticise the adj
ministratiun and where there was more or
less discomfort in the rank and file OF that
PL4' 1t SyvtiJ NUMBER OF tne dlScontentcd
stan,ii,,s ~ - ~ -. - ineu IN favor OF
OF the Kansas civ convention in ra;tcra,
ing the IS 10 l plank. He said he did not
believe the cry OF imperialism made a yerv
great impression on the people of the mid
die west where the expansion sentiment is
quite general, but the discomfort with the
administration was on other and various
grounds
lie found the administration criticised Sc
Ncrely foT some things by men who spoke
with dissatisfaction Of the adherence of the
democrats 20 16 to !, and who did not take
any sort Of stock in the cry that the
country IS threatened with imperialism"
me term Imperialism did not describe