The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-23

Ever since the birth Of the Republican
party Indiana has occupied an important
position in national politics. This was
partly due 10 the fact that IL came near
holding the balance of power in national
PARTY divisions and partly TO the fact that
the State was generally a doubtful one.
Again. for long time the State election
was held in October, and n presidential
years that was an event of great i'm
portance. the result being not only indi-
cative of the political status of the State,
but of the political trend throughout the
country. This made Indiana a battle
ground for both parties and helped to bring
about condition which was described by
the statement that there was more politics
to the square inch in Indiana than IT. any
other State. Probably there have been
more close and hard political battles fought
in this State than in any other since the
Republican party was organized. AS long
as the State election was held in October it
was the scene every four years of battle
royal in which both parties put forth their
/ greatest efforts to win what was regarded
as the first round of the presidential fight.
! This condition continued until 1850, the
/ State election OF that year being the first
/ to be held in November That OF 1850 was
one of the greatest political contests ever
vaged in this or any other State. and the
result contributed materially toward de-
! termining that of the presidential election
,, which came a month later. The change in
/ the time of holding the State elections has
/ proved very beneficial and is OF the
valuable reforms which the people owe o
| the Republican party. The constitutional
amendment making the change received the
votes of many Democrats. but the party
leaders and organization were openly hos
tile to that and other salutary amendments
adopted at the same time.
One result of these conditions was to de-
veIop the fighting qualities of Indiana Re
publicans and another was to develop a
kind of a keynote tendency in State plat
forms. These qualities still survive. There
are no more aggressive Republicans any
where than those of Indiana, nor any more
apt to take advanced positions on new
questions. Their habit of being on the
picket line and opening the fight has made
them ready to take the initiative and as
have blazed the way for party progress.
They did in 1896 on the silver question. The
/ Republican conventions of other States had
adopted vague resolutions on the money
question. glittering generality resolutions
without any explicit declaration on the
vital point at issue. The Republican con-
vention of Ohio, McKinley's own State
which met two months before that of In
diana. had passed a mik-and-water resolu-
ton on the subject that was susceptible OF
/ almost any construction. The Indiana con-
vention was the first to make an unequivo-
| cal utterance on the subject and to declare
opposition to the free coinage of silver al
10 to 1. 1t was the best resolution of the
year on the money question. and had a
distinct influence in shaping the action OF
the st. Louis convention.
These things are worth recalling by In
diana Republicans. IL individuals have a
right to be proud of their ancestry and OF
the deeds of those who have gone before
them, so have parties. Indiana Repub-
| Ecans have a record and reputation to sus-
tain. for while the State has not all the
elements of pivotal State it formerly had
IL is still an interesting and important
factor in the political situation. The con-
vention that meets to-day is the first Re-
publican state convention of the year. II
will have to pass upon some new questions
of great Importance. and it should be care
full to take positions that will be advanced
tenable and truly expressive of the best
sense of the party. Its declarations On
rational questions may become the key
note of the congressional campaign of this
year and perhaps of the presidential cam
paign of 1904.