Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-22
THE HOOS|ER STATE
Indiana Considered As Fight
ing Ground.
THE REAL CONDITIONS
DEMOCRATS HAVE THE ADVAN-
TAGE AS TO FUNDS.
Republicans Have a Pride That the
Vice Presidential Candidate is
From Their State.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO, September 20. 1904
In the middle west, by common consent
one area is staked off as fighting grouho
in this campaign. This is Indiana. nave
been through the state Two OF III &C
times, but find that here in Chlcaso Is
better chance to view 1T as whole.
While the republicans agree with the
democrats that it is political battleneio'
this does not mean that they concede 1t
as doubtful They do not. They merely
recognize that owing to a variety OF
causes their opponents are able to put up
fight, and, like wise politicians, they pro-
pose that since there is to be contest
everybody shall know it.
In taking the Indiana situation In It's
entirety force is given to the fact that In
1896 and in 1900 the hoosier state did not
roll up the tremendous majorities for NC
Kinley that were given by some OF It's
neighbors That is to say, the democrats
were not wiped completely off the earth,
as in Illinois, Michigan and ONO. But
Mcl<inley's majority of $4,000 In 19oo
would seem to be reasonably conclusive
evidence of Indiana being anchored SO
strongly in it's republican mornings that
an enormous tidal wave must come along
in order to wrench it loose and set IT
tidal wave is not yet in sight.
Some of the Conditions.
However, some of the conditions which
from the party standpoint justify the
democrats in making a fight worth
scrutiny. They base their hopes on re-
action without specific cause and on al
legged changes in public sentiment as well
as the shifting of voters in mass. The
claim is that Indiana now has reorgan-
lied and reunited democracy and that
thousands of gold democrats are back in
the fold, enough of them to shift the ma
jority.
l went through Indiana in 1896 with Mr..
Bryan in his whirlwind visits. In 1900
also spent several weeks in the state
studying the sections in which it was
conceded the votes necessary for either
party We're located if success was to be
had. 1t has been possible, therefore, to
make some comparisons.
In the present campaign it happens that
both republicans and democrats have I'M
usual incentive to activity. Senator Fair
banks being the running mate of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, the republican party in
the state feels that 1t is bound to give a
safe majority for the national ticket. On
the other hand, Tom Taggart-no one
would know who was meant by calling
him Mr.. Thomas Taggart-was made
chairman of the democratic national COM
mittee on the distinct pledge that this
would insure Indiana for Parker and Da-
Wis. His personal following consequently
Is intensely interested in making good
that pledge, and l am bound to say that
1t is LOCALLY seeking to do So
Where the Advantage Is.
But in the broader aspect there seems to
be greater advantage to the party which
has been honored by the nomination for
Vice President. Whatever their local bick-
erings may be- the Indiana republicans are
working heartily and earnestly for the ma
tional ticket. At the Chicago convention
fear was expressed that the nomination of
Senator Fairbanks might precipitate a bad
party condition because of the contest
which at once would spring up for the sue
cession in the Senate. The contest began
at once, but it has not divided the repub-
lican ranks. This admission was made to
me by one of the democratic managers He
deprecated his own party counting on re-
publican dissensions.
Another element in the vice presidential
situation is the spur it has given Senator
Fairbanks friends who looked upon his
nomination at Chicago for the second place
as the prelude to the first place in 1908. 1t
is not necessary at this time to go into this
phase of the situation, but already the evil
dences are apparent that the prospects in
1908 have strengthened the Republicans in
Indiana in 1904 With regard to other SEN
atorial matters, 1t also is undeniable that
the energy OF the friends of Senator Bev-
eridge is useful factor. They propose to
make the best possible showing for him,
and thus the two senatorial influences are
working in entire harmony for the main
purpose of making Indiana as solidly re-
publican as possible this year.
Another alleged drawback to the repub-
lican campaign, of which much was heard
a few months before lie Chicago conven-
ton, has not taken material form. This
was the supposed lukewarmness toward
President Roosevelt. Indiana the
state in which it agreed that If Sen
ator Hanna had decided to contest the NOM
ination he would have had his strongest
support. Nevertheless. it never was shown
that President Roosevelt lacked popularity
with the masses of the party. His Indian
apois meeting in 1900 was one of the
marked successes of that campaign. i
have seen no signs in crossing the state
that his popularity today is any less than
in the adjoining states.
Gold Democrats Returning.
With regard to the democratic prospects
| 1t should be said openly that some of the
gold democrats who were with Mckinley in