The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-01
BY WILLIS j. ABBOT.

know, and particularly Chicago politicians
and public men. how closely this great
city impinges upon the Indiana line and
how vitality it affects Indiana politics.
: Right square up 10 the Chicago city
+ limits comes the Congressional district
now held by Edgar Dean Crumpacker,
Republican who is now serving his
seventh consecutive term in Congress. Mr..
Crumpacker's last majority in his dis
trict was 6,212. I'm earlier contests he
had held the district by much larger
lmajorities. approaching AT times 5000
Notwithstanding all this l find that the
1 Democratic State committee OF Indiana.
/ the Congressional committee in Chicago,
and particularly Mr.. Crumpacker's OPP
ponent. John r. Peterson. of Crown Point,
believe that the sitting member can be
defeated
The Crumpacker district is one of the
vital points in the Indiana Republican
armor Already the Democrats hold
eleven of the thirteen districts there As
said in an earlier letter, the sixth dis
trlct now represented by William o. Bar
nard. Republican is almost certain 10
be captured by the Democrats this year
This leaves the Crumpacker district the
real fighting ground.
Steel Company Elected Crumpacker.
In the ultimate analysis the outcome
of the fighting IN that district viii be
determined by the attitude OF the great
steel companies in Gary and the adjacent
manufacturing towns. Leaving out their
influence and that OF the packing houses
at Hammond over their employees. who
are In the main foreigners the district
would be normally Democratic. But the
great mass Of foreign laborers who have
been gathered about that growing in
dustrial center have been i'm the past
exceedingly susceptible e. the suggestions
OF their employers as 10 how they should
exercise their right 10 vote. In the past
these suggestions have been almost in
variably hostile 90 the Democratic party.
Not FaVoring Him Now.
Mr. Crumpacker has been kept in or
flee for his long term by the influence
of the corporations who employed
great majority OF the workingmen in the
manufacturing section Of his district
There is not the slightest doubt that If
in this election the steel companies should
exert their powerful influence in his be-
half, he would again be elected No pos
sible ability nor any arguments that
might be brought 10 the aid of his Dem
OCratic opponent could overcome that ire
mendous force But in Indiana two or
three days ago. and in Chicago later. l
have been assured by Democratic man
ayers that the steel companies are going
10 keep their hands off. even II they do
not throw their influence this time 10
the Democratic nominee
High Finance" for Democrats.
II is apparent TO any observer OF poll
tics. whatever his personal convictions or
party Affiliations, that the two parties are
largely changing ground They are much
like the two men Of whom Lincoln told.
who, after "a rough and tumble night,
wound up By discovering that each had
fought his wa out of mis- own overcoat
and into that Cf his adversary. The pres
ent Democratic tendency is toward con-
servatism, the present Republican ten
dency away from %. For that reason il
seems reasonable 10 believe that not
merely in Gary. but in other head cen
ters Of great business, the interests" are
more likely 10 cast their Influence for the
Democrat than for the Republican For
sixteen years this tremendous power OF
capital and finance has been employed 10
keep the Republican party in power II
seems to-day that il will be exerted To
accomplish precisely the opposite end.
steel Attorney as Opponent.
Il happens that Mr. Peterson. the
Crumpacker opponent. is an attorney for
one of the steel companies This fact Is
not being loudly proclaimed, but is new
ertheless one Of some Importance. Some
enthusiastic Democrats in Gary declare
that he will even have the active support
OF the corporations. The utmost the Re
publicans claim is that AT least this time
there Will be no corporation influence ex-
erted in behalf Of either candidate The
district includes, besides Gary, such man
centers as La Porte. Michi-
gan city, Valparaiso, and Hammond. al
normally Democratic. All to-day have
Democratic mayors and city govern
ments. II seems reasonable, therefore
10 believe that with the steel trust forces
quiescent. the chances for the Democrats
10 pick up the district for Mr. Peterson
to go triumphantly to Washington bear
ing the scalp of the standpat Crumpacker
are reasonably good
Fight I'm Barnhart's District.
As against this, the Democrats look
with some apprehension on the district
now by one of the ablest
of their party in Congress. |
Henry A. Barnhart Mr., Barnhart has |
been for years, and is now. a country |
editor, and has been interested aside from
that il such business affairs as local |
telephone companies and banks. His
election TO Congress two years ago was |
by the slender majority of go votes. the !
district prior TO that time having been |
normally Republican. While in Congress /
he has made a decided impression both |
on his party colleagues and on the body |
Of which he has been "A member for a !
term and a half.
The Barnhart plurality was won
wholly in Elkhart County. the chief town |
Of which is the manufacturing center of |
his district He himself lives I'm one of |
the agricultural counties; as, too. does
his opponent. John l.. Norman. Nev- |
erthless the fight will have to be /
waged among the working people i'm /
Elkhart the agricultural districts being
almost evenly divided between the two
parties. The fight is being made on the /
straight tariff issue; Mr. Barnhart |
that revision of the tariff |
downward is the cure for the high cost
IF living, his opponent insisting that the |
wages of the workingmen in that district
are maintained wholly because of the
protective system. 1t would be idle 10 |
deny that Democratic leaders, both In
he State and in the national organiza-
ion. look on this district with great ap-
Drehension. Indeed, II was one of the
districts into which Mr., Bryan was asked
10 go and exert his best endeavors in
behalf of the Democratic candidate
Mr RrUan'e Maaainn.