Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1908 — INDIANA’S VOTE. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA’S VOTE.

The small plurality for Mr. Ttft in this State (as shown at last by the official figures) seems to prove that our people were not terrified by the President’s talk of “industrial chaos,” or greatly influenced by his stump letters. Not since 1892 has there been so small a plurality. .The McKinley pluralities of 1896 and 1900 were 18,000 and 25,000, while that for Mr. Roosevelt in 1904 was 94,000. The Taft plurality is only 10,731. Here is a loss of 84,000, as compared with four years ago. The Democratic vote increased from 274,000 to 338,000, while the Republican vote fell from 368,000 to .349,000. The Democratic vote was the largest ever cast by the party in the history of the State. On the whole, it looks as though the parties were back on the old lines as they were drawn before the silver issue was sprung. The smaller ■ political organizations made a poor showing. Hisgen, Hearst’s candidate, polled in the whole State only 514 votes. This is quite as many as he deserved. Evidently the people of Indiana were not greatly impressed with the “arguments” of the Hearst crowd. Debs made a slight gain, his vote rising from 12,013 in 1904 to 13,476 this year. At this rate of progress it will be long before we are overwhelmed with the Debs type of socialism.

Nor did our Prohibitionist friends do very well. Four years ago they polled 23,496 votes as against only 18,045 this year. Though the cause of temperance is making great gains, that of political prohibition seems to be practically stationary. The old Populist party has all but disappeared, its candidate receiving but Z ,19 3 votes. The fight was thus a straight one, between the two old parties, and in no other State in the Union did the Democrats make as good a showing. Our people voted In the light of present-day issues, and on those the Democratic party won a practical victory. What decided the case against them was undoubtedly the feeling that Mr. Taft would be the safer President. The question of the personality of the candidates was evidently the controlling one.

But the slender plurality, the election of a Democratic Governor, the capture of the Legislature and so of a Democratic Senator, and the gain of seven Congressmen, all combine to Indicate that the people of Indiana felt that on the real issues of the campaign the Democrats had the better of the argument. The State of Indiana ought from now on to be a large figure in Democratic politics. It is to be hoped that the party here will feel a sense of Its responsibility, will appreciate its opportunity. Whether the ground that has been gained shall be held depends on two things, one of which is within the control of the Democratic party, and the other of which is not. Obviously the record to be made by the Republican party will have a large influence on the course of events. This the Democrats can not affect except in so far as they show themselves capable of acting as a wise and patriotic opposition party. . Much can be accomplished in this direction. »The other thing, of course, is the use that the Democratic party makes of its newly acquired power. The people do not want a mere narrow partisan government. A broad, wise and prudent administration of State affairs, a good record tn the Legislature and the choice of the right sort of man to be United States Senator will greatly strengthen the party and Insure for it a fair hearing at the Bands of the people when it again appeals for their votes. It must keep its pledges as far as it