The Indianapolis journal., 1902-10-20
Coal Strike as an Issue Falls Flat
Since President RooseveIt's Cour-
ageOus Stand.
MANY ISSUES PRESENTED
DEMOCRATS PURSUE FLEETING
PHANTOMs IN EVERY DISTRICT.
Mr.. Overstreet Arrives Home to Take
Up Active Campaign WOrk-His
Itinerary.

arrived in Indianapolis yesterday afternoon
from New York. where Mr.. Overstreet has
been busy with the Republican national
congressional committee for several
months. Mr.. and Mrs. Overstreet will be
here until after the election and will stay
at the Denison. Mr.. Overstreet will speak
at the Shaw meeting tonight. and a num-
Der of other dates have been arranged for
him. Several noon meetings have also been
arranged. Following is his itinerary for
the next two weeks:
2ist-Irvington.
22d-Southport and the O. P. Morton
Club.
2ith-East End Republican Club and
Tuxedo.
25th-Bridgeport and Clermont
Nth-Haughville town hall.
2Sth-Cumberland
29th-North Indianapolis.
30th-West Newton and West Indian
apolis.
slst-Brightwood and Sixteenth and Yam
des street.
Nov 1-South Side Republican Club.
Concerning his work in New York Mr..
Overstreet yesterday said:
"I have been closely confined at our COM
mittee headquarters throughout the sum-
mer, and am delighted to be able to re-
turn home. 1t is my intention to remain at
home until Congress shall convene in De-
cember, unless L shall be called again to
New York on account of my work with the
national committee.
THE campaign has been an exceedingly
difficult one. The conditions have been
greatly similar to those which prevailed
in 1898, although at that time the inter-
est in the Spanish war played a promin-
ent part In the campaign.
The people have been exceedingly busy
much for for poIitics There p has been ,' no % re-
Taxation in any line of business, while the
immense crops of the West and the great
| ulated both domestic and foreign trade that
We have had much trouble in awakening
the people TO the real dangers of the politi-
cal situation In addition there have been
a number of embarrassing conditions in
| several States which have had no particular
relation to national politics, but have been
for Congress TO such an extent as to make
a number of districts quite doubtful. The
| absence of an overtowering question upon
which public attention would be centered in
| national campaigns has permitted the de-
velopment of great variety of campaign
issues In different districts, which neces-
| sarily adds to the complications of the gen.
THE leading issue of the Democrats In
some districts has been the attack upon the
which they still berate and criticise the
| army. In other districts the only issue is
the issue of the trusts In others free trade
and revision of the tariff. In some the
| money question Is still the leading subject
| end in a few districts we are advised that
| the Democrats are still insisting that the
hard times from SO to SO had their origin
| in the administration of President Harrison
| and cite a proof the old, hackneyed ar
| gument that the secretary Of the treasury
under President .Harrison's administration
| was upon the point of issuing bonds when
| the administration closed. This variety of
| issues and character Of contests has made
| our work very heavy.
SETTLEMENT OF STRIKE
Several weeks ago there seemed to have
| been concerted action to make the un-
| fortunate coal strike the one leading ISSUE
| and to use it as a means of arousing
prejudice against the Republican party
| This was notable in the effort of ex-senator
| Hill, of New York, who controlled the
| Democratic State convention of that State
| in it's declaration for government owner
ship of the mines This latter effort how
| ever, has completely collapsed since the
splendid and courageous work Of President
| Roosevelt in bringing about an arnicable
settlement of that situation. Republican
leaders worked faithfully to accomplish
that result, but the President is entitled
| to the credit of its final success. The set
| tlement of the strike has bewldered the
| Democracy, who had relied much upon it
for an issue.
Various embarrassments in the different
| districts have been very generally cleared
| away, and / have no heSitancy in claiming
the election of a safe Republican majority
in the Fifty-eighth Congress do not
| care to go into details, nor TO tabuate the
districts which we will carry. The present
| officers of our committee have never made
that character of forecast. / am abso-
lutely confident. however, that we will win
| by a very safe majority. This, however
is based upon the assumption that energy
and care will characterize our efforts
throughout the congressional districts i'm
the country during the remaining days
| of the campaign.
1.-The Pacific slope and the Northwest are
safe. We have more than an even chance
for gains in Kansas and Nebraska and
will certainly hold our own in the middle
West. The general healthy tone of busi-
ness and the settlement of the coal strike
clears the situation greatly in the East
where we will not suffer losses, which we
feared early in the campaign. The great
popularity OF President Roosevelt and the
courageous and candid manner in which
he has acted. has strengthened the Repub-
licans immensely. In the early summer
the Republican cause, but the sentiment
has unquestionably changed of late and
the opinion prevails there very. generally
that, not only will the Republicans win
but they deserve to win.
GOOD MEETINGS.
Governor Odell will be elected I'm New
York by very complimentary majority
and the Republicans will suffer no loss In
that State in the congressional vote
THE gentlemen who are engaged in the
speaking campaign for US are reporting
good meetings. and much better attendance
of late than at the beginning of the cam
paign. Interest seems to be increased
which indicates a reasonably fair vote The
inability of the Democrats to unite on SEN
sible issues and their tendency to take uI
with socialistic views continues to ALLEVIATE
| the business vote from that party, while
| the conservative attitude of the Repub-
licans toward all Of our political problems