The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-10
THE LONGER POLE AND THE
PERSIMMON.

The Louisville Courier-Journal. in an ed
itorial attempt TO educe light from dark
ness, calls the roll Of the States and gives
a reason for the Democratic defeat in each
of them. OF Indiana il says:
AS to Indiana, it is to be observed that
in the Hoosier State the longest pole al
ways gets the persimmon. and that in the
late election Senator Fairbanks took no
chances.
In the sense that the Courier-Journal in
tended, the sentence quoted is an insult to
Indiana. In another and a truer sense. it
is the highest compliment that Kentucky
editor could give a neighboring State
which has had so much to do with the
older State south of the Ohio. Location,
natural resources and some of the best
blood in the Nation should have given
Kentucky 'the longest pole" which al
ways gets the persimmon." Kentucky has
given Indiana thousands of immigrants to
whom the early institutions of that State
gave no home such as they found in the
newer State across the river. Long before
the older State had free school Indiana
had established one of the most complete
and progressive schemes for the education
OF all it's children that can be found in the
world. The result has been that while 15.5
per cent. of the population of Kentucky ten
years of age and over were illiterate in
1900, only 4.6 per cent of the Indiana popu-
lation of the same ages was illiterate by
the last census That is one of the longer
poles which gives Indiana the better
chance to get the persimmon. Indiana has
always paid it's teachers with money but
a few years ago Kentucky. because Of its
empty treasury, paid it's teachers with war
rants. The capital employed in manufac-
lures in Indiana has increased from $780,
4O2 in 1850 to 1924 SIS in 1900, while the in
crease in Kentucky during the correspond
ing period has been from 81, $40, 462 to s1O4,-
07O791. Not long ago the Courier-Journal
gave statistics showing the rapid growth
of the States which are neighbors of Ken
lucky in industrial enterprises and the slow
growth of Kentucky, assigning causes
therefor which were not complimentary to
the last-named State.
Indiana has a system Of free suffrage and
Idlr eleCtlOHS, WHICH, ACCORDING 10 the ueC-
laration of Mr.. Watterson in letter to Mr..
Belmont, of New York, Kentucky does not
have. In that letter Mr.. Watterson de-
clared that the Goebel election law was
designed to make the election of Republic
an state officials impossible. regardless Of
the majorities which might be given them
at the polls. The throwing out of the en-
tire vote of Louisville in an election in or
der to count out the duly elected Repub-
lican candidate for Governor proved that
Mr. Watterson knew whereof he wrote.
One of the most Intelligent common
wealths in the Union, in touch with the
industrial energies of the country, hostile
to the free-silver heresy which the Courier
Journal denounced, and favoring the Amer
lean policy OF protection. which the
Courier Journal has denounced for years;
in touch with the world of progress and
sharing the better civilization of such
States as Ohio, Illinois. Iowa, Michigan.
Wisconsin and Minnesota, Indiana has
passed into the Republican column with
them, and with them has the longer pole
to reach the persimmons of broader and
better civilization.