The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-26
TOM" WINS IN A WALK
MAYOR DRAWS FIRST BLOOD IN THE
CONTEST WITH THE ..PUsH.v
His Man Spencer VIII BE Made Chair
man-Hovv Champion Was "Trun
Down" in the Tenth.

the city last night by the Taggart Demo-
Gratis to select delegates to the meeting
in the Criminal Court room tonight at s
o'clock, when w. w. Spencer is to be de-
clared elected chairman of the city COM
n1ittee. Everything moved off last night
just as the mayor and his machine had
planned. In some precincts there We're
instructions for Spencer. Motions to in
struct delegates in others were hooted
down with derision, ward politicians yell
ing that Spencer was as good as elected
already 1t was given out yesterday that
Victor M. Backus had withdrawn from the
candidacy and that he would himself place
Mr.. Spencer's name in nomination tonight,
with motion TO make his election unan-
imous. So confident were the "trooly 10y
ar that everything was going through just
as Taggart wished that scarcely any inter-
est was taken in the result of the prima-
ries. Some of the boys" came down town
after the primaries to tell the mayor how
they had fixed things for him, get an ap-
proving slap on the back and perhaps "a.
They were disappointed. Early in the even
ing Ibis Honor went off to a lodge meet
ing. Some of the boys grumbled when
they marched up the steps of the Grand
Hotel and were informed that Tom was
not there. They went the rounds of the
places where Democratic statesmen are
wont to gather to receive returns - the
Cleveland Club, the Gray Club and the
Hendricks Club rooms, but they were de-
serted. In the main it was an uninterest-
ing and perfunctory occasion. In some
of the South Side wards, where jealous
leaders always strive to be delegates to
everything that has a political SAVIOR, there
were some lively tussles for personal rea-
sons, but it is not likely that the creden-
tails committee will have any business to
do when it meets in the Hendricks Club
rooms to-day at noon to decide contests.
Speaking Of that credentials committee, a
bit of snobbery has been observed in con-
neetion with the mention of it made in the
official call, which said it would be COM
posed of the Hon" John w. Kern, the
Hon" Charles NJ. Cooper land William
Flynn"
One of 'BilPs" Fifteenth-warrud dyes
got hopping mad when he noticed the dis
tinction that had been made against the
boss. Said he:
"Shure, Bill Flynn's jist as honorable a
gintlemin as eny av thin sthuck-up, foine
gintlemin, wild his bein candidathe fur
councilman-ut-large. Fawt did he do?
Didn't he go up to the Irun Hall and swipe
thin push fellers aft the earth? But fer
him Taggart would have no chance at cleo
ton, at all, he wouldn't. It's a bonded
shame - that's fawt it is. He's a bully
boy and jist as honorabr as John Kern
and Charlie Cooper-that's fawt he isl
In the result of the primaries last night
Taggart Democrats declare the passing of
the push" appeared. That was a great
trick, they say, when silver men were des-
ignated to call the meetings to order in the
different precincts. 1t fattered them and
won them away from the statesmen who
have been posing as leaders. The deter
mnation to hold the primaries at such an
early date caught them mapping. There
are still threats that if silver men are not
treated fairly in the selection of precinct
committeeman something desperate will be
done and that steps will be; taken to cap
ture the convention and WreSt it from Tag
CART and his machine
1t is said that when w. w. Spencer is
formally elected he will select Victor NJ.
BaclIus to be secretary of the city commit
tee, as a reward for his consenting to serve
as dummy candidate. For some time
BackuS has been hobnobbing with city Off
Gals He is the representative of the new
asphalt company that promises to partici-
pate in an asphalt war, and naturally would
business in the event the next adminiStra-
ton is Democratic if he We're on friendly
terms with the officials. number of sill
yer men were talking over the situation
last night.
"Vic Backus," said one Of them, "only con-
scented to become a, candidate for chairman
when he was promised that if he would
do so and keep up a stiff fight to the last
moment and then withdraw in faVor OF
w. w. Spencer, he would be rewarded with
the secretaryship. He was to stand in
with the push. get their support by posing
as a silver candidate and then either place
Spencer's name before the primary con-
vention or withdraw his own name for
the sake of harmony Taggart thinks we
are all blind but he will learn that it
takes something more than a slap on the
back and little jollying' to get elected.
You mark what l tell you; silver men are
getting their eyes open, and when the
proper time arrives another candidate will
be sprung, a popular man and an undoubt-
ed silver man"
who will it be?''
Thomas L. Sullivan. That's all right"
he continued, when one of his hearers be-
gan laughing; you'll find that municipal
politics are mighty uncertain this year"