The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-08
Mr.. Hnrding Addresses Largest Out.
door Audience Ever Gathered in
Municipal Campaign.
HOT SHOT INTO TAGGARTISM
TELEPHONE AND PARK SCANDALS OF
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION.
Strong Arraignment of the Evils
Under Last Two Years of
"Syndicate' Rule.

prised themselves and they certainly sur
prised the candidates and campaign man.
ayers last night with the magnitude of
their turnout at the first meeting Of the
campaign. Seats had been built for some
thing over 1000 people, but the crowd
packed itself closely up about the stand,
ran away over at the sides and stretched
up beyond the last row Of seats to the top
OF the hill. In addition to all these there
We're enough people in buggies and vehicles
Of various sorts to make a respectable
turnout for a county fair. The lowest esti-
mates fixed the crowd at from $500 to
5000 1t would have been a good big rally
for national campaign, but for a munich
pal campaign it was a record breaker, and
Robert Senour, the ward committeeman,
under whose direction the excellent ar
engagements had been made, was about the
proudest man in town when he opened the
big meeting.
1t was a graceful thing Mr.. Bookwalter
did when he asked of the city committee
the privilege of introducing Mr.. Harding.
He did it in such hearty fashion and made
such an earnest appeal for support for the
candidate that the Republicans of the city
are to-day prouder than ever of the gal
liant fight he made in the convention.
1t was a beautiful night and the circum-
stances of the meeting could not well have
been more suspicious. At the spot chosen
on Hillside avenue, just above the engine
house. the great hill curves inward and
forms a natural amphitheater. AT the foot
of this had been erected an ample stand,
which was tastefully decorated, and rang
ing up the hillside were seats, while
stretched over the top of the hill was a
line of Japanese lanterns. cannon
planted at the top of the hill began boom
ing at o'clock and the Oak Hill band
discoursed excellent music while the crowd
was gathering. The great crowd was en-
thusiastic but orderly, and While literally
applauding the points made by the speak
ers, gave close attention to all that was
said.
Mr.. Senour called the big assemblage to
order shortly before o'clock and in a few
words introduced Mr.. Bookwalter, who
was received with applause. From the
great size of the crowd here he said, II
am led to believe that the rule among Re
publican candidates for nomination requir-
ing them to first get the favor of the First
ward will hereafter hold good among can
didates for election. No man who sees
this outpouring can fail to believe in the
triumphant election of the Republican
nominee on the 18th of October" He said
this big attendance declared plainly that
this city administration which had given
so much free coinage of promises with per-
formances upon worse than a gold basis,
in spite of it's pretensions, had been
weighed and found wanting. That smile of
THOMAS Taggart had lost it's efficacy. 1t
had formerly been said that this smile was
meant particularly for the colored voter,
but now there was an effort to cover the
whole city with it. However, the Demo
Gratis would discover that they could not
make a campaign with no other asset than
a smile, no matter how expansive. Il now
have the pleasure" he said, "of introduce
ing man who needs no introduction. If l
have a friend who desires to do me a
favor that / shall remember through life,
If have a partisan who desires to put me
under the greatest possible obligation, he
will do SO by taking off his coat and as
sisting his precinct committeeman and the
chairman in order that we may rejoice to-
gether in the triumph of the party, whose
candidate is one of the best friends 1 have.
Though L was candidate before the con-
vention in August, 1 feel no hesitation in
saying that 1 believe the choice of that
convention is ratified by the overwhelming
it will be ratified by the overwhelming
choice of the people"
MIR. HARDING INTRODUCED.
Mr.. Bookwalter was loudly applauded,
and as Mr. Harding stepped forward he
was given an ovation. He spoke as follows:
Fellow-citizens and Neighbors When I
was made the nominee OF the Republican
party for mayor at the recent city conven-
ton | then said, in accepting the nominal
hot NOT IA % mn Qfcrf1 on
local issues alone and not attempt to drag
any questions of national character into
this contest. l meant by that that l would
discuss only those municipal questions
which, in my judgment, concern the inter-
ests of every taxpayer in the city. do
not believe that state or national politics
have any place in this campaign, although
Mr.. Taggart, the Democratic nominee for
mayor, did, a few days before his nominal
ton. issue manifesto. to the silver. wing
of his party in which he declared his I'M
dying love and devotion for the devoteeS
of that cause, and by so doing tried to
inject into this municipal contest all the
bias, prejudice and political partsanism
that usually follow in the wake OF ma
tional campaign. But when Mr.. Taggart
performed this great act of political flnesse,
with all the adroitnesS or a poltlcal mas
ter, he did not then know with what rapid
ity prosperity was travelling the highways
of the Nations commerce.
But the real question that interests the
people of the city Of Indianapolis is good
city government. The best means in my
Judgment, IcT bcllSt municipal
government than this city has heretofore
and is now having is not a question for the
North Side or the South Side nor for the
people who reside exclusively within the
limits of our city. But 1t is question the
solution of which affects the interests OF
all the people. l reliably Informed by
those who have studied the population of
this country that the proportion which the
town and city bear to the country IS as
one to three, and therefore il Is safe to
say that city life, in its political social
ard religious aspects, determines 10 very
large degree the national life or our people.
In this view of the matter, then, i submit
to you that municipal government becomes
more than matter for merely local conSld-
Grafton.
Not long ago the Legislature of the state
of New York extended the limits OF the
great city of New York and at the same
time gave TO that city a new charter, when
v as calculated at the time TO embrace the
nest advanced ideas of municlpal reforms
Al the same time or shortly after, met
rcpoltan journal Of that city calico TOT q
1seneral expression of opinion from the pub
lie regarding the new charter and its de-
signs and purposes, and 10 this the people
IN great numbers resp T ded from every ul-
rection. And why was this so? IL was
because a great representative city. by
making a new departure In government.
was Of vital importance 10 all the people,
and all our people are deeply interested In
the final solution Of such questions. Amer
lean cities all resemble each other IN the
spirit. enterprise. aspirations ana genius OF
the people. The improvements made and
the reforms inaugurated are rapidly taken
up and communicated from one city 10 the
other. And the growth and development OF
the business Of a city depends, IN very
large measure. on tho facilities for trans
pOrtatiOn which il embraces within It's I'm
4 mill