Evening star., 1900-10-17
But Neither Party is at All Sure of
State.
Was NEVER SO DOUBTFUL BEFORE
The Prohibition and Social Demo-
cratic Tickets Are Factors.
INTEREST IN THE CAMPAIGN
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star


Indiana was never more doubtful. Both
the republicans and democratic state COM
rnittees are hopeful in their prophecies but
1t is admitted that neither has firm ground
on which to base its claims. The campaign
in this respect is remarkable. Within less
than month of the balloting, it is impos-
sible for the closest political observers Of
the state to hazard a guess on the outcome.
The vote for President in 1896 was close.
but men were able to predict, with toler-
able certainty, by the middle of October,
that Indiana was going republican. The
vote In 1896 was:
For Mckinley. Observation-Disclosures. 323. i54
For Ievering prohibition p.......,... 1886
For Bentley, ational Observation-Disclosures. 2.26S
For Matchett socialist labor. ............ 329
FOR Islmer gold democrat. t..........-... 2-l41
Indiana has proved a reliable political
Thermometer for the past fifty years. IN
1S4s Indiana cast her electoral votes for
Lewis Cass. democrat, of Michigan. when
the successful candidate was Zachary Tay-
lor But since then Indiana has always
voted for the winner: 1852, Franklin Pierce,
democrat; 1856, James Buchanan, demo-
crat; 1850, Abraham Lincoln. republican,
1864; abraham Lincoln, republican; 1868,
Z. s. Grant. republican; 1872 L. S. Grant,
republican; 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes, re-
publican; 1850, James A Garfield, republi-
can; 1884, Grover Cleveland. democrat; 1888,
yer Cleveland. democrat; 1896, William Nc
kinley, republican.
Polls May Clear Up Doubt.
1t is probable that the thirty-day polls,
returns from which are now coming in TO
the state headquarters, will clear away
part of the cloud of doubt which covers the
state The sixty-day polls We're unusually
unsatisfactory. After they were taken the
committees knew little more than before.
The two committees reached almost the
same conclusions from the sixty-day On
rollments 1t is stated on good authority
that both the democratic and republican
polls agreed in showing mora than 5000
doubtful voters in Indiana. In which col
umn will this doubtful vote be found when
the ballots are counted? Neither committee
can tell, and both are merely guessing
when giving out their estimates the
state.
The third-party vote cut practically no
figure in Indiana in 1896, when Nc kinley' 5
plurality in round figures was 5000. This
year it is conceded that the prohibitionists
will probably poll 10uU0 votes and the social
democrats 10000 to 1000 These two third
parties will probably be responsible for the
way Indiana goes this fall.
1t is expected that the prOhibitionists will
gain most of their votes from the republi
cans on the canteen issue. Some estimates
have placed the republican loss to the pro-
hihitionists high 5000 but this esti-
mate may he extreme.
The republicans believe that two votes
out of three in the social democratic party
will come from Bryan. This is expected by
the republicans 10 offset in part their loss to
the prohbitionsts. IT is evident, however,
that the republicans regret the encourage
ment which they are said 10 have given the
social democrats earlier in the campaign.
They did not expect Eugene V. Deb's fol-
lowing to become as formidable as Ii prom
ises to be.
Gold Democrats for Mckinley.
The gold democrats, it is figured. should
aid the republicans by 1000 votes. which
went to Palmer in 1896. Practically none
of the gold democrats Of 1896 are support
ing Bryan this year, but will vote the re-
publican ticket openly.
The campaign has been gathering steam
rapidly for the past week Up to that
time there had been little enthusiasm Bry-
ans tour, followed few days later by
Roosevelts stirred the rival parties to ef-
fort and as the candidates followed almost
identical routes, each side tried to get out
the biggest crowd.
The result was In Roosevelt's favor. His
crowds were considerably larger than Bry-
ans The democrats however, say that
this has no political significance. The peo-
pie had seen Bryan many times before In
Indiana the rough rider was new.
When il comes to the state tickets and
the state committees, the two national tick
cts are about equally handicapped. John
w Kern the democratic candidate for gov
ernor is q skilled speaker and campaigner:
in his eectioneering qualities he Is thought
to have decidedly the advantage OF Col.
w IT D,Irbin a rich manufact of An
derson who is the republican nominee.
Kern is an Indianapolis lawyer.
Durbin, on the other hand, is backed by
the most complete political organization
which the state has ever known. The re-
publican state committee, under Chairman
Hernly, has extended a complete working
organization into absolutely every precinct
I'm the state. and it is In constant touch
with every precinct. This is in striking
contrast to the democrats, who are but In
differently organized In Indiana this year.