The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15
THE PLATFORM.
Decided Improvement on the Dem
Ocratic Document.

The rules, submitted by a committee
headed by F. L. Littleton, were adopted
without dissent. Their chief feature was a
rule making impossible any such muddle
as the Democratic convention fell into in
its effort to nominate councilmen at large
The platform, submitted by j. B. Healing,
chairman of the committee, was received
with applause and adopted with a whirl.
1t reads as follows:
I'VE, the Republicans of Indianapolis, in
convention assembled, reaffrm our stead
IaSt allegiance to the principles of the Re-
publlcan party as enunciated by the last
national Republican convention at ST.
LOUIS and we heartily indOrse the admins
ratlon OF President William Mckinley.
Street Railways
I'VE most heartily indorse the action of
the late Republican Legislature for its
splendid work on behalf of the CITY of Ins
dlanapo1s in fixing the rights of street
railway companies in this city, and giving
TO the people, as far as legislation can, g.
cent car fares, including transfers; and we
pIeage ourselves not to grant to any street
railway corporation any franchise that
shall provide for a fare greater than 8
cents, and that shall fail to provide for
streets which they occupy We denounce
the dilatory methods of the present city
administration, in its failure to prosecute
to termination the pending street-railway
litigation.
Gas Rates.
I'VE commend the Republican minority
of the City Council in originating and press
ing to a successful and final conclusion a
SeVenty-fVe-cent gas ordinance; and we
condemn Mayor Taggart for his efforts to
smother preliminary legislation so intro
duced until twenty-five months of his ad-
m1nistration had gone by, and until after
his denomination, when public sentiment
compelled him to take action.
The Water Question
1--WE favor cheaper water rates and
pledge q 10 Nv oh
legislation, both state and municipal, as
shall bring about such result.
Telephones
I'VE favor cheaper telephone rates We
denounce the present city administration
for granting franchise to the present
company, providing for a higher rate of tolls
for service when lower rates were offered by
a competing company; and we charge the
city administration with imposing upon the
citizens of Indianapolis the present eXtor-
tomato telephone rates.
Public Parks
I'VE are in favor of parks for the people.
To that end favor such distribution of
parks as Will render them accessible and
beneficial to the people in every section of
the city alike. We especially favor a park
in the northeastern part of the city, on
account of the natural beauty and location
of grounds in that section of the city for
that purpose We demand that parks sha II
be purchased from time to time by the is
sue of bonds bearing a low rate of interest
for long term; the payment of such bonds
n.
denounce the weak and Vacilating course
of the present city administration with re-
spect TO public parks. 1t has borrowed $780, =
600 and issued bonds therefor and allowed
the proceeds thereof to lay idle, thus i'm
posing the additional burden of high inter
est charges upon an already burdened peo-
pie. 1t has purchased real estate al enor-
nous prices in undesirable places for the
benefit OF favorites. 1t has created unnec-
essary park offices for the benefit of poht-
ical friends 1t has adopted an unwar-
ranted and oppressive method of assess
ment of DEMENT'S whereby the rich and the
political faVOriteS of the administration are
ty holders, a method so universally con
demned by the people as to compel the may
or to suspend all operations until after the
election, when the burden will again be i'm
posed upon the backs of the taxpayers.
Public improvements
1--WE favor public improvements We de-
nounce the present city administration for
its patchwork method of paving public
streets We believe, when consistent with
the best interests of the city, that the
wishes of the property owners on the streets
to be paved should be respected by the
Board of Public Works
South Side Market
I'VE favor a South Side market This
will place within the reach of q vast num-
Der of people residing on the South Side
the practical benefit of public market; and
we hereby pledge ourselves to secure the
establishment of such market at the ear
Hest practicable moment
Enforcement of Law
1--WE favor an honest just and impartial
enforcement of all laws. We denounce the
present city administration for its PARTIAL
ity in so enforcing the laws as to advance
its personal and political interests, and TO
punish the business rivals of its political
ana personal friends.
Increasing Indebtedness
I'VE condemn the present city administra-
ton for increasing the public debt without
compensatory benefits. Within twenty
two months it has increased the public debt
of the city 500 600. We charge it with
wasteful extravaganza of public funds 1t
has placed upon the pay rolls a large num-
Der of supernumerarieS for the sole purDOse
OF advancing the interests Of the
members of the present admins
tration. 1t has built up poHtical
machine with the money of the people To
control the nominations of these candidates
it has swelled the pay rolls of the street
and other departments and paid for the
same out of the pubic treasury. 1t mas LET
contracts to the highest bidder when bids
have been received from equally response
BILE companies that would have saved the
city thousands of dollars. Bribery in the
letting OF contracts has been so openly
charged as TO require investigation by the
grand jury.
I'VE favor an honest economical and bus
inesslike administration of city affairs. and
rila randidafaS