The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-03
THE SILVER INTERVIEW
WAS DICTATED TO TAGGART BY
HOLT EFT AL, SAYS VAN vORHIs.
Citizens Ticket Meeting at North In
zeal SensatiOn-Creosote Contract.

against the Democratic silver platform ana
denounced Mayor Taggart's celebrated in
terview was responsible both for the pub
hcation of the interview and the promul-
cation of the silver plank in the platform
according to F. j. Van Vorhis. In a speech
Mr.. Van Vorhis made in the interest of the
citizens ticket in North Indianapolis last
night, he disclosed the facts that led to the
adoption of the silver platform and the
publication of the interview. A week be-
fore the Democratic convention Mr.. Van
Vorhis was notified by W. w. Spencer,
chairman of the Democratic committee
that Mayor Taggart was anxious for con-
ference. 1t was arranged for and held at
Mr.. Van Vorhis's office on the Saturday
before the convention. Beside the mayor,
Chairman Spencer and Mr.. Van Vorhis,
there were present Silas NJ. Sheppard, Clar-
ence E. Weir and 'Talky Bill" Patterson.
For some time there had been talk of
third ticket in the event OF Mayor Tag
CARTS denomination. The purpose of the
conference was to head off the third-ticket
talk.
Mr.. Van Vorhis and Mr.. Sheppard pro-
pounded a question to the mayor after Mr..
Van Vorhis told him that he thought 1t
would be extremely unfortunate for MIN
to be candidate, because silver Demo
Gratis and Republicans were alike suspicious
of his relation to the gold element of the
party. They asked him if he could assure
them that he was Independent of that ele-
ment and free to follow his professed sill
yer views should he be renominated. Mr..
Van Vorhis and Mr.. Weir say that for the
life of them they could not tell i've min
utes afterward the exact reply the mayor
gave. He began by saying that 1t was
probable that they would look upon his
answer as an evasion. He closed by oe-
cIaring that he was a Democrat and
silver man. On the main point, whether
or not he was under the influence and con-
trolIed by the gold element, he hedged as
only he knows how to do when in tight
corner. Both Mr.. Van Vorhls and Mr.;
Weir say that after the conference ended
they were as much in the dark as before.
Now comes the interesting fact Ihat same
night according to Mr.. Van VOrhis, con-
ference was held at the Grand Hotel, at
which Sterling r.. Holt, John r wilson.
Albert Lieber and other gold Democrats
conferred with the mayor. The suplect OF
discussion was whether there should De a
silver platform adopted at the convention,
then about to be held, and whether the
mayor should come out IN an interview Qe-
claring himself a silver man. MT van
Vorhis was not present at that meeting, but
&C vs that he was Informed of what took
place q short time afterward. Ihe Soid
leaders decided for the mayor that he should
openly a StalWart silver Democrat, anu
that at the convention to be held the next
week silver plank should be emoraceG a, IN
the platform The iterview, commonly sup
posed to have been written by JACOB I.
Dunn editorial writer of the sentinel, duly
appeared in that paper tne me conven
ton was held and an out-and-out silver
platform adopted. 800 es.o,,
asked Mr. Van Vorhis last night, STEERING
r. Holt, Albert Lieber and John r. wilson
head and shoulder of the goia e oe M
Marion county Democracy should go before
the people on silver platform? Think or
i'll When we know that the power PACK OF
the olatform is the gold element OF the
party. what nonsense to be caught by the
glare of the words in the platform, When,
as Sterling r. Holt says tney op baIa of the
a d-n for the platform SO they nave the
candidate"
NEWS WOULDN'T PRINT 1T.
The meeting last night was attended by
nearly sixty voters, who gave close atten-
ton TO the arraignment of the present ad-
,ninistra4ion. c.. w. Conrad acted as chair
man. Mr.. Van Vorhis spoke for an hour,
repeating many of the startling Facts IN
connection with the acknowledgement OF the
city's affairs and the corruption in politics
that he gave at his opening speech OF the
campaign on Rural street Tuesday night.
On that occasion he referred to the rela-
ton of Mayor Taggart to the ice ring ana
of Michael A. Downing president or the
Board of Works to the creosoting company.
The official" Taggart organ denied the
charges the next day for the mayor anu
Mr. Downing. Last night Mr.. Van worms
said that the News refused to publish an
omen letter he had written In reply, III
which he asked If Mayor Taggart ana ana MI;
Downing are not interested IN Ice ana
creosote why do they not tell VINO Isl 1hey
know They should clear their own skirts.
He predicted that they VIII not ue4y me
flnfYs f.XNrT0
letter he asked why it was that property
owners on Michigan street were denied per
was being made if there was nothlh a.s
wrong? Mr. Van Vorhis said last night
that he was but repeating common ruI I
and that the people are enutleu 70 NAYS
an authorized declaration as to the rela-
ton Of the administration to corporations
if their vote is expected;
Mr. Van Vorhis said that he met Mayor
Taggart yesterday at the Grand Hotel,
where he had gone to attend meeting OF OF
exercised. He told Van Yorhis that he had
said the severest things about him that had
been said Mr.. Van Vorhis assured MN
that he did not mean to be personal put
was in earnest in believing that 1t was
against the city's interest to elect nm. ;,
Il have no personal feelings IN tn1s llsllt,
didates in this fight represent nothing put
The spoils system in politics. Talk about
rule the politicians IN the Dem 9
cratic party upholding. the gold stand
ard don't care for anything except TO I'LL
their own pockets. l know that there are
some who have honest convictions, but as
a rule the gold-standard men IN the Demo
cratic party are so because 1t brings money
into their pockets, not because they care
for the good of the people.
Referring to an, editorial IN the Sentlnei
yesterday headed, The Goid-pqg ION Con
nal. Mir Van Vcrhis said last night that
that editorial ought to have been in quota
ti0n marks as 1t contained just about what
he had said to the editor of the Sentinel
thirty days before the convention. He as
serted that the gold element cares nothing
about Taggarts election. If he is elected
thew will say that they did it, and ii he is
defeated they will say: It's your d-n silver
nIatform that defeated you There is the
same money power at work now he de-
cIared to capture the Democratic party
that worked for two years before the last
campaign to capture the Republican party.
He said that this is true all over the coun-
trv referring to recent events in Penn
svlVania and New York. The force he
said is at work IN localities. For this rea-
SON no one that wants to see silver ult-
mateIv triumph should vote for Taggart.
If he is elected the SOlu elelheHI VIII cOh-
troll, he said.
MAYOR TIED UP PARK QUESTION
Touching on local issues, Mr.. an Vorhis
condemned the unbusiness-ike policy Of
the administration in tying up the park
scheme in a lawsuit after borrowing $780,
900. which must lie idle while the people pay
the interest He declared that the park
debt would reach more than $1,000 900 be-
fore it was finished. He asked why the
mayor did not give the appraised value of
lands that are already proposed TO be pur-