The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-26
HOTTEST POLITICAL
FIGHT in INDIANA
Next Few Days Will Develop Con
dition on Which Prediction
May Be Made.
By w. w. Jermane.

Chicago, Oct. 26--1ndiana is the
warmest state in the country, and it
will continue to be so until election
day. A few days ago Chairman Tag
CART of the democratic national commit
tee, arrived in Indianapolis to put the
campaign under full swing. The Bryan
tour thru the state has recently closed,
and the Watson tour, covering the Bry;,
an trail, is now under way. Money and
men from both sides will be poured into
the state with much prodigality from
this time on, and amid the blare OF
tizans it will be very difficult for the
observer who is after the real situation
to satisfy himself.
paign in Indiana did not begin in
earnest until the Bryan tour. Both
sides, as if by common consent, re-
Trained from activity during the SUM
mer and early fall. Now, however. tney
Senator Fairbanks is to 60 over the
state making twenty speeches a day,
and all the big guns of the party, will
be turned loose with him. The demo
Gratis will be equally active.
What Will Elecrlon Show?
s1 Wh bstaFsR this is Eens on fhs Snt
the state do on election day7'
The sixty-day poll made by the re-
publican state committee showed a re-
publican plurality Of 10000 The thirty
day poll is now being tabulated. Mean
while | have heard from a gentleman
who superintendent the thirty day poll
in that district which embraces all the
counties represented by Congressman
Crumpacker and two or three additional.
He says:
"The tabulation of the poll in my
district was completed almost week
ago. AS compared with the sixty day
poll of the same district, it shows an
increased republican plurality Of about
$50, on which basis Roosevelt should
carry Indiana by between 10000 and
$4,000. Our poll was made very care
fully. For instance, l cut out of the
republican totals more than 200 silver
democrats who have openly said that
they would vote, for Roosevelt. /
wanted to be conservative and to allow
for the probable influence of the Bryan
tour, which had been arranged for when
the poll was made.'
There will probably be no means of
ascertaining whether the poll as whole
includes the Bryanites, or whether they
have been left out, and so it may not
be as convincing as it ought to be. If
it should show plurality Of as many as
30 1000, Roosevelt ought to carry the
state, for the most liberal allowance for
the return of silver men to the party
and for the purchase of negro votes by
Taggart would not eat such a plurality
| away.
Admit Bryan's Influence.
The republican national committee
very frankly admits that the Bryan tour
| has done a good deal Of damage to the
Roosevelt cause in Indiana. Everybody
knows that many silver democrats who
previous to that tour announced that
they would vote either for Roosevelt OF
for Watson, are now in line for Parker.
1t is likely on the other hand, that the
Bryan speeches have caused slight de
lection from the gold democrats, many
Of whom decline to stand for the social
istic utterances with which Bryan S In
| diana speeches were filed.
[ have previously referred to the fact
that the president has a smaller personal
following in Indiana than in any other
handicap, however, is almost all re-
moved by the strenuous activity of the
five candidates for the senate seal
which Mr.. Fairbanks will vacate il
elected vice president. These five are
among the prominent leaders of the
party and their influence will do mucl
to awaken party interest and to stlmu
late such state pride as will give the
electoral ticket maximum republican
vote. These five will fight out ,thel1
differences after the election is over.
Leans to Republicanism.
Nothing has happened since
last wrote regarding the Indiana situa
ton to change the views then expressed
The state seems to be dou btful, will
leanings toward republicanism. | be
lieve that the circumstances which ar
to determine how it will go will be de
veloped between now and the close O
the campaign. The side which has tn
shrewder management and the. fatte
purse will have an advantage Of no or
binary character. Thus far the tw
parties have made a tie in the amour
of money expended. With such a con
dition continued to the close of the cam
paign, and with the democrats pre-
vented from their customary colonizin!
of voters, the state ought to go TO
Roosevelt. The time for making a def
mite prediction will not come for pei
haps a week, within which time tn
character of the campaign to be mad
OuUht tO he CLEARLY dave1ODad