The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-04
BRYAN AND THE TEMPERANCE
ISSUE m INDIANA.

lexicon Of Indiana politics 1t IL not Taft
who 10 running, Il Ia not Bryan-least OF ell
| 10 It Kern. poor John-it 10 the baleful figure
| Of the Demon Rum which stalks majesti-
cally through the headlines Of all the Repub-
ican campaign literature. Temperance
and TAFT; st..at IL the Hoosier Republican
ticket. For In Indiana the q. o. P. bad
O guilty conscience and naturally must
annex q moral issue-and now II can't get
rid Of either. Thus at last II IL made per-
fectly clear that the famous Fairbanks
cocktail was Q serious matter after ell.
Temperance In Indiana, the Pro-high
movement" as II il called. IN also b serious
affair. The whole situatton, the State pn-
MARTY. but the national oontingshtly.
depends upon the single solemn question,
Does the Hoosier really like his liquorf
II he does and IL he hss this courage of hlB
carnal appetite. when he gets 10 the balos
box and is alone with his conscience ard Q
lead pencil the Republicans tell you frankly
that IL will be q cad day for their ticket In
Indiana. But they albo tell you with
JUNCTION. these hardened politicians;
aThe people Of Indiana, sir. ARE moralis
The story Of the way that rum came TO
be injected into this campaign ID touching.
The local Republican machine va I'M
popular. It's record was anything but
savory. 1t had not merely TO repent but 10 be
oonvincingly contrite. % the whole outfit
climbed manfully up the steep and alp
perry side Of the water wagon. There they
sit ~virtuous but nervous, waiting for the
reward that the story books say always
comes to the truly good.
Having got firmly astride OF the moral
issue, however. the Republican leaders
in Indiana were suddenly sejsed with q
panic. Under their very eyes scores upon
scores OF voters. Republican voters, solemnly
marched away toward the camp Of the
Democratic candidates. The phisgmatio
soul Of the Dutchman seemed moved at
last, the danger TO his beer and his brewery
reused him. The wicked brewer too made
all his checks payable to the Democratic
campaign committee. vice and prosperity
were instantly to be deserted IN Demo-
cratic circles. For example. there 10 an
eight room State headquarters. where two
rooms had to do before.
At last--this ID a matter Of secrecy not
to be widely bruited about-the Repub-
lican politician began to suspect that his
virtue had been excessive. Speaking per-
fectly seriously. the Republican State lead.
ers are now trembling lest they shall prove
to have been hoist upon their own water
wagon.
Maybe we arc too damned good ode
cynical citizen suggested.
The rum issue ID not hard 10 elucidate.
The Republicans advocate q local option
by counties; the Democrats trail along
with q more tncoherent suggestion Of dis-
trict and ward local option. The voters
in the city, without much regard for pasty
lines. like the Democratic plan; In tho com.
try the reverse seems 10 be true. Ae3
cordinEly In Indiana IL is q plain oabe %
whiskers against whiskey. and the Repub-
.hcan party has staked its all upon the vkhis-
kers. There IL no exaggeration or frivoIty
about all this; the fates OF q State tac&et
certainly and a national ticket possibly
depend upon the ultimate decisiou 81 ne
Hoosier on the booze matter.
OF course, the Republican party odtsids
OF Its transcendent moral Issue ID weAh,
weak use Of its reputation, weak BE-
cause OF its State ticket. 1t Ii strongest
because its candidate Is not Bryan, only
accidentally because his name happsns
TO be Taft. There IL no great Affirmative
strength Of Importance Tor Nj. Taft 70 be
discovered upon the suffaoe 81 Indiana
poltics. All his strength b negative ana
founded upon the sad discredit and un-
popularity Of Mr.. Bryan In the WAbash
country. Even the Roosevelt 20 X
does not produce senuheoffon In Indiana.
As to national Issues. I asked q former
Republican Governor 10 name tbs national
issues, and he replied soornfully:
sBut there haven't been any national
issues in Indiana since 1885, No one h
about the tariff, no ons h Worked
UP about sthe interests Wan Street even
Is as unterrifying as an old ladies' home.
IL the fatal slogan Rum. Rum, Rum.
Now. It is no intentional breach Of con.
fdence to say that the Republican poll
ticians In their private tall are nightly
disturbed over the prospect. Their anxiety
about Taft IL not acute. Without 81
ception they believe Taft will pull through
unless the Hoosier's criminal and deplor.
able weakness for shard liquor his In
applicable 'wetnsss' In the face of . dry
issue surpasses all expectation. But
the. State ticket. that h surely hanging IN
the balance.
To be sure, the Republican politician has
his consultations other than his impeoosble
acquired. He knows that he
has q good machine. o united party and he
expects to have enough Of the necessary
No one even suggests that . Republican
will refuse to vote for Taft because OF his
devotion to Fairbanks. On the contrary. |
Mr.. Fairbanks seems to have been pefrna-
nently relegated to the political loo chest.
There is nothing In the situation from the
point Of view but rum. Night
and morning there ID q darf brown tsste
to his politics. 4 gina wing suspicion that he
has been intemperate In his very temperance
which disturhs him. ~
Once and for al II may be ssid that thsrs |
is no anxiety In Indiana over 4 stampede
the scolored brother to Bryan.
,.Mr. Niger wiIl come round TO get his
a. usual; In indiana he ts'oniy . Question |
of price,; this q the afnvAriable summary
Of this phase Of the question. TIE labor |
detection Ii more worrispfhA not because Of
Mr.. Gofnpers but because de labor element
prejudiced against tbs Republican |
Gubernatorisl nominee By his RIVAL for the
nomina don. Even hArdt tines exist only
In the cities, the farmer 10 a. happy In In. |
diana as In Iowa,
Over Mr.. Bryan there can b no quar-