The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-16
le1nocratic Leaders Prepar- !, ed to Contest Victory Which Republicans Claim
 is Assured to Them Al ready Will Put !, More
 "Punch" in Campaign.
sx-A mbassador Henry Lane a Wilson Leader in Propa- { ganda Impugning Execu- tive's Motives in Mexico
 Labor Vote For Admin
 istration.

 cratic party in Indiana has apparently begun to fight for the victory In in- diana which the Republicans are claiming has been already won by them. The fact is that no permanent advantage rests with either side at present The Republicans are mak- ing the most noise and are, to some extent favored by local conditions and their admirable organization, of which they are making most effective use.
 The Democratic campaign has up to date been characFerized by a de- free, of timidity that is interpreted by their rivals to indicate resignation to q forexone conclusion. There is noth- lng in surface conditions, however, to Justify the assumption of the Repub- licans that the fight is as good as won.
 A little more f'puneh" on the part of Che Democrats than now exists would unQuestionably inspire a greater de gree of confidence among most of the voters who display Tendency to favor their cause. Whatever error of judgment, lack of initiative and bad luck there may have been until very recently in Demacrat tic conditions ctn- not be charged Spsts President Will oon. trs q fresadent's yrlit Helped.
 The visit of the President on Thurs day had an appreciabH beneficial ef- feet on Democratic prospects by i'm pressing the local leaders of his party with the obvious fact that he is quite as popular with the voters of Indiana as with those of other states which the Republicans admit he will carry
 The reception given to him reflected profound respect for him personally and approval of his course during the three trying years of his administra- tion Following his departure, Taggart end the, sotfiers Democratic leaders whose optimistic predictions in ad- vance of the Presidents visit. lacked conviction, began to wake up and go to work.
 sThey were visibly impressed by the proof spread before their eyes that. the Rresident is very much stronger than his party in Indiana as elsewhere. Ehes spontaneous indorsement of the 5bues provided by the ,Democratic President and Congress, as shown by the audiences addressed by the former, convinced the local leaders that these issues grip the people when intelli- gently presented
 Reliance of Republicans.
 F The ,RepubHcan plan of campaign has been predicated on the theory that with the assistance of the voters 6f Teutonic origin and those of the Catholic faith and 'sympathies, and X with the union of the regular and < Progressive factions of their party, I they are sure of victory in spite of the heavy handicaps imposed by MT. Hughes and Col. Roosevelt
 { 9 It is assumed by. the Republican leaders. who aressopenly courting the hyphenate and Catholic voters, that the yinfiuenees to which voters of those classes ordinarily respond will lead them to Jrebuke the Democratic Presid ent for his refusal to surrender to the dictati6n of either.
 Yet there Is mot lacking evidence { that the substantia1 elements that favor the President in other respects a will finally prove quite as powerful 4 bnD indiana as in other States.
 The lDemocratic, party is united( fl timidJ and the President is sure oi Ahe support of the regular adherents < bf 1t as he was four years ago, wher he boiled 2S1.e96 votes. He is further Assured of nfne-tenths of the organ. axed labor vote, which has hitherto been, controlled and intimidated by < the manufacturin& interests natural, 1avoring aprotective tariffI
 Can't Deliver Labor Vote. < This vote is not in the hands o1 these interests for delivery in the present contest. The Eight t-Hour Law which the Republican organization il attempting to sidetrack as an issue 4as brought to the Presidents sup bort a very considerable percentage of the vote ithat was distributed be tween the regular Republican ant Progressive parties four years ago, ol ht least the equivalent of it. < ! Added to this the Presidents peac' brogram is forcing it's way to the iron as the paramount issue which. vii .ventua1lv influence the snal resul favorable to the Democrats, iffull ust is made of the possibilities of it.
 , The trouble with the Democratic iplan in the Hoosier State appears tt Il be that the chief promoters of 1t art more interested in carrying out "a { rentlemen's agr rsement" to refrain rom dItdChlHS tHc OPPoSiAOA III ~ most vulnerabls spots than in devel oping the full strength of the inationa ticket. Tn the local view the contests for State and Congressional offices ap pears to be more important than tht struggle for the Presidency.
 Local Issues Engross.
 Each side seems to have somethinl on the other.Y In some instances thi "something'' is of a personal nature There may be instances where tn cases of "Jim" Watson. reactionar, Republican henchman and lobbyist fo corporations while in Congress aH' Thomas Taggart, his, Democratic op cz-ocnt, who is celebrated as' a pro fassiona1 political manipulator. Wat son and Taggart, being rarely sens1t1v
 men who now aspire to seats in tn
 Senate, are conducting a campaign
 "free from personalities" Watson ha i.he best of the deal and the Presi ~ dent the worst of it.
 The direct issue that engages tn
 attention of both parties relates t / scs rna,seeement ee state affairs dur ing the last four years of Democrat
 control The Republicans are mak
 ing effective use Of their charge thA
 the Democrats have skyrocketed tn
 tax rate and rolled up an unwarrante,