The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-05-24

of the ST. Louis convention. He is
do not believe that his name will even
so before the convention. believe
that this talk about him comes from
admirers who think that because he
was twice elected he is the only man
who can lead his party to victory. and
not from men Of political experience
who can see his weakness as a candi-
date as we'll as his strength with
certain element"
| When asked If he believed that
Judge Parker could carry Indiana,
Mr.. TaSgart said: .t l certainly be-
4 lieve that he can and will carry In
| diana. This is normally Democrat
| ic State The Republican majorittes
| in recent years are fictitious major
tiles. caused by the unusual condi-
tons in 1896 and 1900 when the gold
Democrats Joined the Republicans and
disinteGrated the Democracy- The
party is together again now, and the
fight this fall will be fought on the
old lines
John w. Kern, strong Bryan man
and the candidate for Governor in
1900 and who was with MIR. Taggart
in the fight for Parker this year. be-
ing chairman of the State convention,
expressed his belief that the Indiana
Democracy is practically reunited. He
regards Judge Parker as a strong can
didate although not going SO far as
70 hold that he is the strongest that
could be put forward in the State.
Indiana Dtmocrats," he said, are
practically all friends of Bryan. and
are opposed TO Grover Cleveland One
of the things which gave Mr.. Hearst
some strength he might not otherwise
have had in the late contest was the
fact that Mr. Cleveland had indorsed
Judge Parker | cannot help thinking
that that Endorsement was made ma
liciously. But Judge Parker is a most
excellent man. with clean party rec
ord, as was clearly shown in 1897.
when the New York Democratic State
committee. controlled absolutely by
Mr.. Bryan's friends, unanimously
named him as the party's candidate
for chief judge of the Court of Appeals.
That was done within less than year
after the Presidential election Of 1896,
and it would not have been done had
not Judge Parker stood by the ticket
the previous year.
Democrats Restoring Harmony.
The above views as to party harmo-
ny in Indiana this year are suDstaR-
italy those of other prominent Demo-
Gratis whose opinions We're had, and,
to a certain extent are admitted by
the Republicans. The latter say that
the Democrats have got together in
much better shape than at any other
time since the split over free silver
eight years ago. That all the Demo
Gratis who left the party then are now
back in the ranks, or will be found
there at the election, they positively
deny Dissatisfaction with the Dem
ocratic party began, they maintain. be
fore 1896, and on other issues than
the money question They point out
that in 1894, two years before Bryan
ism and free silver took possession OF
the Democracy, the Republicans car
ried the State by nearly 10000 inns
was rot done by Democratic "fuke
either. for the total vote was greater
at the Presidential election TWO years
before. wien Cleveland carried the
State by T.iS5 The Republican vote
increased about $4,000, while that OF
the Democrats fell OFF about 2i,oop.
1t was a change OF front by the Dem
ocrats on the tariff issue
IN 1896 Mckinley beat Bryan by IL
ISL, and in 1898 the Republican cand.-
date tfo:, Secretary OF State had plIi-
raIity of 1T,51S In 1900 Mckinley IL
creased MS plurality over Bryan %
2G.470, &nd in 1902 tne RepublicaE1
plurality for Secretary OF State was
;:5.554 All this goes 10 show that q
Very large proportion of the Demo
Gratis who have left the party since
1881. have LEFT it for good, and have
no idea Of going back to 1t again. Tic
opening mp a celebrated gas
belt" il. indiana brought Thousands
of new voters into the State, OF WHOM
a large majority were Republicans
when they came, and are so still. TIE
Increase in manufacturing. and the
greater development OF the coal min
ing industry, had the same effect On
the Republican vote, and, therefore,
they hold that Indiana, always close,
is now a safely Republican State, ana
M