The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-07
TAGGART'S PUPPETS
HIS PERSONALLY SELECTED COMMIT
rEEMEN ALLOWED NO VOICE.
A Farcical Meeting OF Them Last
Nfght-Convention t. Be Held
August IS.

last night, in the Superior Court room No.
3. and heard his report Of the action OF the
select few who have assumed TO manage
the affairs of the Democratic party in this
city. The meeting was called ostensibly TO
select the time for holding the Democratic
city convention; but those who went there
expecting to AVE a voice in the matter
were sorely mistaken. AT the time IL was
announced that the delegates elected at the
precinct meetings some time ago would
simply elect a chairman and then become
once more private citizens, a great howl
went up from the ranks of the ward heel
ers. but they were compelled to acquiesce.
The favored few who were then selected
by Mr.. Taggart to act as figureheads under
the name OF precinct committeeman were
In high glee. thinking 1t was their ex-
IRENE political wisdom that caused the
leader TO select them for his assistants.
They were undeceived last night, although
1t was not until after they left the court
room that many of them recognized the fact
that they had been called together and
amused like a driver of a spirited horse
amuses a little boy that wants to drive by
allowing him to hold the slack end of the
lines The slack end was all the committee
men got last night.
After considerable time had been spent
In securing the addresses of the committee
men (Which the secretary already had, but
something had to done to build up an ex-
cuse for calling the meeting). Captain Cur
It's arose and said:
A a meeting of the executice committee
held just before this meeting 1t was de-
cided that the Democratic city convention
making this plain statement that it had
already been decided that the convention
should be held at the time named, he
seemed to remember that the call for this
meeting stated that 1t was for the purpose
of Naming the date for the convention and
recovered himself sufficiently to add:
est approval of this committee" This last,
however. was not added until Captain Curtis
saw the wild contortions of Myron Kings
face, al he was attempting to communicate
in the sign language that the statement had
been indiscreetly worded- Myron King
then arose. and moved that the action or
the executive committee be concurred in.
The motion was seconded by automaton
No. 2, and was carried before the commit
teemen realized that they had no voice
the convention. Captain Curtis heaved a
large sigh of relief, while Myron King
mopped great beads of perspiration from
his brow. The strain had been great, but
the smoothness with which the scheme
went through was most gratifying to them.
After the favorable vote had been recorded
aAla SdRldi Ia q LAOlll tiC
fear that his truthful statement in the first
instance might upset the plans of the cam
paign, he remarked:
ton shall be held Aug. 20. ETC., etc."
The representation in the convention,
which he also announced. was the result OF
tee. He did not even ask the opinion of the
assembled committeeman. The representa-
ton will be two delegates-at-large from
each precinct, and one for every nifty Dem
ocratic votes or fraction of more than TWEEN
ty-five. This will make a convention with
a little more than six hundred delegates. A
out to know when the primaries would be
held.
THE executive committee will hereafter
primaries" said the chief automaton. sbut.
OF course" (this as an afterthoughD, the
precinct committeeman will be consulted to
ness was about concluded a buzz Of voices
was heard from all parts of the house. and
the chief automaton stood conversing with
tomaton in the assemblage called out:
When did you say the primaries would
cedine the convention" the chief auto
maton replied, forgetting his statement of a
m before, that this was a matter for
future consideration, and one In regard TO
which the committeeman would be con-
suited.
During the progress of the meeting Tom
4dS6dIt cntcItQ n Jill 1T a III AhOA
than put his head inside the door when a
great cheer arose. which plainly showed the
feeling of the committeeman on the ques-
ton OF a mayoralty candidate, and let some
light into the cause of the radical departure
OF the Democratic leaders in the manner of
selecting. the precinct committeeman. 1t was
not entirely for the purpose of turning down
the .'bieeders" that the precinct committee
men were named by the chairman, but so
as to be sure to get a committee Of auto
mata that would follow the leadership of
the chief without asking embar-
RAISING questions. The fact that Tom Tag
CART was not called upon for a speech, while
John r. Wilson was thus honored, seemed
significant of the organization. the main OBJ
ject of which is to bring together a conven-
ton of delegates in which there will not be
a single voice raised against the nomination
of Taggart for Mayor. Mr.. Taggart was
not ready to come squarely out as a can
last night, therefore he was not
asked to make a speech, for fear 1t might
with his plans of keeping the au-
tomato guessing and wondering If he could
be prevailed upon to sacrifice his other in
terests for the good of his party.
John r. Wilson was called upon to say a
few words relative TO precinct organization,
on whic subject the chief as
Sired the committeeman Mr.. Wilson was an
authority. He began by complimenting the
committee on it's good looks. and closed
without mentioning the subject of precinct
organization, more than TO say that on it
the votes of about 1900 people.
He advised the committeeman to secure
these 100 votes, but did not tell them how
1t was to be done.