The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-28
POLITICAL AsININrrY.

The capacity of portion of the Indian
apolis Democracy which gets into local
conventions to make itself conspicuous for
that quality which the word asininity best
applies is boundless. a portion of that
brainless but vicious element was per-
mitted by the Taggart machine to occupy
seats in the convention Saturday night
which was called to ratify the mayors Sc
lection Of chairman of the city committee
If there had been an opportunity, this elo-
ment would have voted against the mayors
man. That opportunity being denied these
persons, they were compelled to publish
their asininity by cries and shouts. Just
now they have but two words, silver"
Bryan" and these they bray on every
occasion. Captain Curtis rose to speak,
and they brayed silver, silver, silver"
When another of the mayors officials
sounded the praises of Mayor Taggart and
asked for harmony, this coterie cried sill
ver," Bryan" So from beginning to end,
the little crowd attested it's long-eared
origin by braying silver"
The chairman whom the convention was
called to select is to conduct the Demo-
cratic municipal campaign. Not national
or state issue is involved 1t is a campaign
which has simply to do with the affairs of
the city of Indianapolis at a very important
period in its existence. 1t is an election
which will affect to some extent the large
and increasing expenditure of money which
is raised by taxation imposed upon the
property, the industry, the business and the
labor of Indianapolis Among the issues is
the future of the proposed park system,
for which $3.50, 900 has been borrowed, and
to construct which an assessment has been
made upon basis which is meeting with
serious objection. In the result of the cleo
ton may be involved the future of the
street-railway policy, so important to tens
Of thousands of the residents of the city.
By that election a mayor will be chosen
who will appoint boards and ether officials
who will have the power to extend street
improvements, to control the police and fire
departments and all CT the branches of the
public service which touch the interests and
the safety of all the people. A Council will
be elected upon which will be conferred the
power to lay taxes, vote money and legis-
late upon the interests of the people of
Indianapolis Many important questions in
volved in the park system will be settled
by that Council, and it is more than posi-
BILE that it will take action upon the status
of the street railways.
And yet with these varied and important
issues involved in the city election this
coterie of stupid and vicious shout, silver"
They have not a silver mine; there is not
one in the State or within fifteen hundred
miles of Indiana. Except that a few per-
sons have shares of alleged silver mines
which might have value for speculative
purposes should so cents worth of silver
bullion be stamped one dollar by the United
States, no one here is remotely interested
in silver values. They always are on the
vicious side in politics. These men who
shouted "silver" in the mayors conven-
ton are those who encouraged the Debs
conspiracy to paralyze the transpor-
tation system of the country three
years ago. Could their wishes
control industry and business would
languish because Of the dissensions and vi
cious policies they howl for. OF this asinine
element, the Democracy of Indianapolis
has larger share than any city of its size
in the country.