Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-22
4 4: :Qu! !!{ FIGHT HI! MADE |! D!
Little Red Fire Used in the
Indiana Campaign. =
p
PLANS OF CHAIRMEN
DEMOCRATS ENDEAvoRING TO
~ HARMoNrzE TIE PARTY.
Engaged On a Work Of Thorough Or
neutrality-suspicious. Endeav-
oring to Arouse Activity.
PLANS OF CHAIRMEN

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, october II. 1902
The political situation In Indiana bears
upon its surface today a character which
IL has never before assumed in the history
OF the political campaigns OF the state
With election day only a fortnight away
there Is little, If anything, to indicate TO
even more than casual examination which
way the current sets the stronger. Both par
ties are employing the closing days of the
campaign to further their interests, but the
manner of waging the battle, so utterly
without precedent in Indiana, Is blindfold
which prevents too sanguine predictions by
either side.
Heretofore in Indiana campaigning, at
this season of the year 1t has usually been
the custom of the. chairmen of both politi-
cal organizations to make public statements
regarding the outlook. AS a general thing,
predictions are snumerous-there has never
Deen lack of them even when the predic-
tons. in the face of the visible evidence, APP
peared absurd Such predictions and asser-
tions this year, however. have been looked
Tor in vain; they have not made their APP
pearance. And. neither privately nor pub
ilcly, has any official or semi official state
ment come from any of the campaign lead
ers OF either the democratic or the republic
can organization.
Quiet Fight by Democrats.
Chairman O'Brien of the democratic state
committee entered upon his office deter
mined to wage a quiet but nevertheless
thorough campaign. Party leaders and
party counselors proposed that speech max
ing be used as his chief weapon of offense.
The chairman, however after turning the
matter over in his mind, discarded this
counsel and announced that the campaign
on the part of the democratic organization.
at least. would be waged quietly, stubborn
~ and persistently without resort to oratory
ana the assistance of spell binders.'' No
extensive speech-making tours were 10 be
arranged for any one. no matter his repu-
tat1on or his ability. Chairman O'Brien
announced to his lieutenants that he con-
sldered 1t more essential to the strengthen
ing of the democratic reorga nization party.
winch had secured Che upper hand and the
control at the sta teaeonvention to establish
throughout thek counties and the thirteen
congressional districts of the state Solid.
substantial andsaggressive suborganization
that would fight through the campaign with
Determination a1d Vigor and yet without
noise. II $
Republican Plans.
Chairman Goodrich of the republican
state committees. on the other hand, had
practically COMPLETED his plans for a
speechmaking campaign. He considered
that 1t would pHeyertnore effective and serve
to arouse the sndherents OF his party from
any stupor or fanguor into which two sue
cesses might Nave aprecipitated them. No
sooner, however. had o Brien's tactics been
uncovered to him than he determined that
the democratic leaders' plans must be
fought with plans of a somewhat similar
character. II the democrats would offer no
Vulnerable point whereat his orators could
direct their efforts 1t would indeed be use-
less to dissipate the speechmaking on empty
seats. Therefore he abridged his carefully
laid plans Oratory would be used, but not
extensively. 1T would be employed merely
to create and maintain interest in the re-
publican ranks. OBrien and the democra tic
party under his leadership would be fought
with their own weapons.
The result of this has been that Indiana
has passed through the throeS of bitterly
contested campaign without more than a
tenth Of the voters of the state fully realiz-
ing that the campaign is fast drawing to a
close 1t has been vigorously contested
battle. but 1t has been waged without the
burning Of red lights and the din of tin
horns. Both parties have realized that by
far the greater part Of the battle lay in get
ting all votes to the polls on election day.
This has been the end of all the work and
the consequence. so far at least as surface
conditions are to be considered has been a
most perplexng situation for those prognos-
ticatorS who are pleased to deal with poiit-
ical predictions.
The democratic organization has been
handicapped from the start by the wide
differences of opinion exist ing among the
rank and file upon the vital questions at
issue. Indiana democrats have not all by
any means retreated from their position
upon the platform erected by William Jen-
nings Bryan. Bryan, no matter how he
may stand among the democrats of of her
states still has large and faithful follow
{y,cr In, T,II ,,crl,
of the Nebraskan have lost the leadership
and control of the party orga ANIMATION. for
this campaign at any rate, they have lost
none of their faith and very little of their
strength. Whatever of the latter they NAV
have seen sacrificed they have quite made
up In determination to circumvent as far
as rests In their power. all efforts of the
dominant reorganization wing which
wrested the control Of the party from the
Bryan contingent at the state convention
The reorganizers-the HilI-Cleveland wing
having gained their point are anxious to
placate the Bryan element and secure its
support at the election.
Without the votes Of the Nebraskan's fol-
lowers, even Chairman O'Brien has practi-
cally admitted, the cause is lost In order
to avoid stirring up the members of the dis
senting contingent the democratic campaign
leaders Cancelled the speaking dates and be-
gan vigorous fight to bring the secession
lists back into line and secure their support
and ballots. Various arguments have been
used but chief among them is the argu-
ment that the Bryan element, providing 1t
assists in rethFoning the democratic party
and overturning the republican sovereignty
in the state two years hence will be given
every opportunity to show its strength and
demonstrate the Wisdom of whatever advice
and counseFEit may propose for the partys
.rridanca tttG TSi = j 3 Hob q.
The repubIseaHsF on the other hand, have
s-e----@Estz-t3t-[ tte-:---=-----
.JutuE &c IL u req
IL 81
FiffpEf Fi0S