The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-23
NO WINKING AT SCANDAL
MIR. DEWAR REFUSED TO BE
HUsHED BY THE TAGGART CROWD.
His Experience in Stirring Up the
tration-The Democratic Campaign.

readin' to men who enjoy standing back
Of the political footlights as spectators of
the political farce or drama, which you
please. In Mr.. Dewar's life the political
play has been on the comedy order. 1t has
had its dramatic touches, as all real COM
edies should, but as the curtain falls at the
end of the play ne stands before the spec
tatorS with smiling face.
Duncan Dewar is a man of unique person
ality. He has the deep-lined features, quiet
sense Of humor, directness of speech of the
sturdy, honest Scotsman that through all
time has lifted his voice in favor of re-
ligious moral and political integrity. Hav-
ing lived III many countries he has cosmo-
poutan ideas, and his large experience has
made him broad in his views. He has been
successful in business, and, while not con-
sidered wealthy by men whose fortunes are
numbered with six ciphers, he has enough
of this worlds goods to be utterly indie
pendent Of pecuniary considerations. Two
years ago he made up his mind TO add to
his experience little knowledge of politics,
ana made the race for councilman from his
ward. He was elected. AS might have been
expected of such d man, his seat in the
Council at once plunged him into the fore
OF all the intrigueS and small chickering's
Of municipal administration that has
from the start been tainted with scandals.
He would not permit himself to be domi-
mated by Taggart and the syndicate, and
consequently incurred the hatred of the
ring that knows no end to meanness and
pettishness when any man that stands in
its triumphal march is to be got out of
the way. Threats and cajoling were alike
advanced to bend the councilman from the
Eighth ward, but he was not to be moved.
Steadily ana without talterlng he has pur-
sued the course that his conscience dictated,
although at times 1t must nave been ais
tasteful to him TO arouse antagonlsm and
hatred.
The first open clash came when the Board
of Works undertook to establish an electric
lighting plant IN 1omlinson HAIL. Mr.. De-
war mas been practical electrician all his
lie, and saw at once that the. old boilers
i'll the hall were unit Tor the service that
would be required OF them. An interesting
chapter OF his book, II he were to write one
might be devoted to this occasion, when
he first got an insight into municipal mat
ters that convinced him Ed A. Austin, at
that time a member of the Board of
Works, was violating the charter. His
stand on that occasion aroused the ire OF
the mayor. Hints of Mr. Austins COM
promising position reached the public
Mayor 1aggart tried to create the impress
sion that IL was personal matter between
Mr.. Dewar and MIR. Austin. He called a
secret caucus of the Democratic members
of the Council and represented to them
that it would bring discredit upon the adj
sign. Just what happened at tnat caucus
has never been fully told, but 1t is known
that MIR. Dewar would not consent to gloss
ing over the shortcomings OF any Official
who violated his oath of Office. Afterwards
the records of Justices court showed
conclusively that Mr.. Austin was a MEM
Der of a firm interested in city contracts
and he was permitted to resign.
Since that time MIR. Dewar has been
a thorn in the flesh of the administration,
his refusal to overlook and hide lapses of
official duty eXasperating the administra-
ton. He was abused ana inSulted by petty
clerks connected with the mayor S various
departments because of his views on the
tional issues last summer and fall and no
opportunity was allowed to pass to make
things unpleasant for him. Ii he had con-
suited his own desires he would not have
gone into the ante-primary campaign for
denomination, but a city employe openly
boasted that he could not get nifty votes
and it was more to show that the admins
tration could not turn his many friends
against him than anything else that he
tered the campaign. 1t was only by bring
ing two candidates into the field against
him and by using the entire machine TO
defeat him that Mr.. Dewar was turned
down." He had more votes than one of the
machine candidates who had 10 to T. print
ed on his tickets.
HIS CITIZENSHIP QUESTIONED.
Mr.. Dewar is not sore. He knew that
there would be immense opposition to him,
and was not much surprised at the result.
Finding that their enmity did not phase
reached the climax of persecution by ques-
tioning his citizenship and expressing
doubts as to his right to the seat he oc-
cupies.
A chapter of Mr.. Dewar's book might be
devoted to Pogues run. That subject is of
particular interest just now, inasmuch as
the machine wants to use this improve
ment of public necessity for campaign pur-
poses a year ago Mr.. DeWar advocated
the building of q big sewer to afford relief
to the much-inundated Eighth ward. This
project was seized on with avidity by the
administration. A big sewer would be
lasting monument to the Taggart admins
tration, it was thought. Estimates were
made of the work, and 1t was found that
it would cost $500, 900 or more. Examining in
to the question it was found that if the sew
er was built and the city paid its just pro-
portion from the general fund the scheme
for parks would have to be abandoned, or
that there would be little margin left. False
impressions were then created for the pur-
pose of arousing public opposition. A mass
meeting was called. Mayor Taggart sent
his man Friday Spencer to announce that
talk ended had the talk of purchasing
the water works. Then there was talk of
spending a large sum of money for dig
ging out the sand and weeds of the run. MIR.
Dewar opposed this, saying that money
thus expended would be simply wasted, as
it would have to be repeated in a very short
time. While his position on this question
has been consistent, his colleagues are no%
trying to create the impression that he is
opposed TO the Improvement when he
found that the sewer would not be built and
that the administration had decided to sim
ply clean out the channel he went to the
engineers office time and again to push the
work along, but it was delayed from time to
time. Not until the last few weeks has a
pick or shovel been used because the may
or saw in this makeshift Improvement an
other chance for strengthening the machine,
and he delayed the work in order that
men might be employed at the time when
it would do the greatest good to his am
billions for another term. When Mr.. Dewar
told the truth about the Pogues' run cam
pagn fund he was branded "sorehead."
During all the time that Mr.. Dewar has
been in the Council he has never missed
meeting of that body, and he
has missed but one committee meet
ing. That time he was sick. 1t was
unfortunate for him. The committee was
considering the petition of certain East
Sders to be disannexed Mr.. Dewar could
not convince them that he was not volun-
tarily absent, and the circumstance was
used against him. Many Of the other coun-
cilmen neglect Council meetings and COM
mttee meetings without good reason and
nothing is thought Of it-that is, unless the
machine wants to turn them down.
There - many other interesting topics
that Mr.. Dewar might write about if he
were to choose his two years personal OBJ
servations of municipal government for a
subject.
CAN'T DISPROVE FIGURES.
DOmocrata SJunDIv TenOra w l.. Tav-