The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-08
HAUGHVILLE IS IN LINE
REPUBLICANS HAVE A BIG TURNOUT
AT THEIR MEETING.
Candidate HardinE's Talk to His Old
Orators-Fourth Ward Meeting.


w. n. Harding, the Republican candidate
for mayor went into his old neighborhood
last night and talked over the issues of the
campaign with his friends. The meeting ar
ranged for him by the people of Haughville
was certainly indication of his popular
ity in that quarter. 1t was one of the sue
cesses Of the city campaign The meeting
was held in the large reading room of the
suburb. The hall will accommodate between
four and five hundred people, and every
available foot of space was taken. Those
who stood up did not grow impatient, and
there were few who left the hall until the
close of the meeting at 1920 o'clock.
1t was an earnest, orderly audience of vot-
ers with their wives and families that
greeted Mr. Harding most heartily when he
arrived about Q o'clock. For an hour before
the arrival of the candidate other speakers
entertained the audience. When Mr.. Hard
ing stepped upon the platform he looked
into the faces Of many he had known in his
boyhood days. AS he said, The had come
to have friendly talk with his old neigh
bors." On the stage was a large and ex-
cellent portrait of Mr.. Harding, and all over
the hall were decorations of patriotic colors,
the emblem of the party the candidate rep
resents Throughout the meeting there was
the best of attention, and bit one Interrupt
ton occurred. A Democratic saloon keeper
came to the meeting and was so insistent
on creating a disturbance that the police
had to lead him out. He was not arrested,
but was prevented from returning to the
hall. The incident was deplored by the
Haughville citizens. In addition to the
speeches there was fine entertainment by the
Marion Glee Club, which gave several
catchy songs and became popular at the
start.
Frank Conner, candidate for Council in
the Fifth ward, was the chairman, and in
troduced c. A. Bookwalter at s o'clock Mr..
Bookwalter made a number of telling
poinIs that were we'll received. He reiter-
ated many of the charges he has made
against the Taggart crowd and its connec-
ton with the park scandal. He spoke of
the Grand Hotel meetings, where, 1T is al
legged, the deal for Taggart's bog land was
closed, and referred to the recent telegram
Of Mr.. English denying certain stateme ntS
made by Mr.. Bookwalter. Mr.. English
came back from New York to-day" said
the speaker and he now says that when
he sent that telegram he had only heard
of my first charges. He had not seen the
thing have said concerning the park mat
ter The only point on which we differ IS
that Mr. English declares he never author
lied Mr.. Taggart to act for him. | have
never charged that. l have said Mr.. Tag
CART claimed he had authority from Mr..
English, and if there is a falSehood out it
does not lie at my door" Mr.. Bookwalter
went on to speak of the White river sewer
scandal and Sterling r. Hollis connection
with it. He declared the leaders of the
Taggart administration are building up a
Tammany in this city to control the poll
ties and the business of the city. He re-
ferred to Joseph Flack as a man well
known to his audience and to Mr.. Flacks
connection with the appraisement of Tag
CARTS real estate on the South Side.
HEALING AND SPOONER.
Joseph B. Healing made happy hit at
the opening of his speech. An individual in
the audience facetiously cried out: How
about Holt?"
Hes in the sewer" was the apt retort,
and there was laughter and cheers. Mr.
Healing thought no one could say that the
mayor is unacquainted with everything
that Mr. Holt has done in connection with
the White river sewer. The two men have
been confidential friends for years and
must know Of each others affairs. Mr..
Healing showed up the shortcomings of the
present administration, beginning with the
affairs of the city when Mr.. Taggart took
hold and coming on down to the resigna-
ton of Mr. Austin as a member of the
Board of Public Works, the withdrawal of
Thomas f. Colbert from the service of the
city and the recent retirement of Sterling
R. Holt.
Samuel H. Spooner, who was introduced
next, devoted most of his speech to the
street-railway litigation and the attitude of
Mayor Taggart toward the legislation on
this question, He did not charge that Mr..
Taggart worked against the 3-cent-fare
law but he claimed the mayor laid down
on it. If he was not for it he was against
it. On the other hand, according to the
speaker, the majority of the Democratic
members of the Legislature who lived at
Mr. Taggart's hotel voted for the bill ter
minating the street-railway franchises aft
er 1t had been amended to suit the COM
pany and voted against the 3-cent-fare bill.
On the question of the 3-cent-fare law Mr..
Spooner produced figures that showed the
Company which would undoubtedly con-
tinue under Scent system. In concluding
Mr. Spooner read from an editorial printed
in the Indianapolis News on April l6, 1887,
in which Mr.. Taggart, as far as his polit-
ical views are concerned, was, accused Of
balancing on the fence" AS Mr.. Spooner
was closing Mr., Harding arrived and he
was recognized and applauded.
MR.. HARDINGS ADDRESS.
GIVE us something on 7o-cent gas" sang
out voice during the candidates intro
ductory remarks.
i've talked 7O-cent gas many times" was
the response, land I'll give it to you after
Oct. u, and cheaper gas too, my friends.
I'll do whatever / say I'll do. will open
the streets of Indianapolis and give you gas
as cheap as it can possibly be made Mr..
Harding directed a part of his speech to
the sewer scandal and to Mr.. Holt and his
resignation. If said the speaker, there
has been fraud and matchmaking and flch-
ing in this business why has it been neces-
sary to call the administration to the
Grand Hotel in the hours of night. Con-
troller Johnson is my neighbor and friend,
but Mr. Johnson as the controller and Mr..
Johnson my neighbor are two different peo-
pie. Why should Mr.. Johnson telephone
Mr.. Holt a day or two ago to meet Mr.
Denny at the Grand Hotel? Why should
the administration take on itself the re-
sponsibility of settling up this filching
There is not a child that can read the in
terviews of Mr.. Taggart and Mr.. Holt on
this sewer question that Will not come to
the conclusion that they all knew about
this thing. The question is when did they
first know about it? I'll not answer that
but Will leave 1t to the voters on election
day" Mr. Harding declared that if he was
elected mayor there would be no double
dealing in his administration of affairs
When men come to invite me out in a
my Board of Public Works will be called
in. The press will be invited-the whole
world may know about it," Mr.. Harding
promised If elected mayor to give the peo-
pie a clean and honest business administra-
ton. He believed no man could promise
more than that He said he would adj
minister the laws fairly and without par
TALLY He would make every effort in his
power to treat every man, woman and