The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-28
This Republican Meeting the Largest
Ever Held in a Municipal Cam
paign in indianapolis.
HOT SHOT At Mr.. TAGGART
REPRESENTATIVES, OVERSTREET
GIVES FIGURES IN HIS SPEECH.
Talks by NIessrs. Harding, Beveridge
Taylor, Healing and others Com
pIete the Evening.


when they looked forward to last nights
meeting at the baseball park as the banner
meeting of the campaign. 1t would have
| served very well as the banner meeting OF
a state campaign. 1t was originally in
tended as a meeting for the Eighth ward
but the rest of the city must have con-
tributed to the immense crowd that filled
the grand stand to overlooking, packed itself
between that and the speakers stand which
had been pitched over the home plate, and
| flushed away on behind all over the dia-
mond. 1t is difficult to estimate a crowd
particularly when the majority of the peo-
pie are standing on foot, but the holiday
crowds at ball games, when the gate re-
ceipts showed 1900 and 5000 people present,
have seemed no larger than that of last
evening. 1t was an earnest and orderly
crowd with the exception of a well-known
Democratic ex-reporter, who was in I'M
usually lachrymose condition and seemed
impressed with the notion that he was a
whole bouquet instead of a single flower.
Some wicked person ensconced safely be-
hind the tier of boxes on the roof of the
grand stand tossed over the roof an egg,
which exploded in front of the Sentinel re-
porter and soiled his clothing somewhat.
1t was a Democratic egg. AT least it had
about it the odor of the 1aggart administra-
ton. The incident passed unnoticed.
The When band was stationed in one of
the boxes and discoursed excellent music
during the half hour that the great crowd
was gathering. Numerous delegations
marched to the grounds with a drum corps
at their head. and the air was full of all
kinds of music. The crowd was agreeably
entertained before the speaking began with
q wagon load of fireworks that made a
beautiful display.
The crowd was enthusiastic to a degree,
and Mr.. Harding was given an ovation when
he appeared upon the stand and took his
place among the speakers. Edwin Pugh,
the chairman of the meeting, called it to
order promptly at o'clock and introduced
Representative Overstreet, who re-
ceived with cheers His speech, dealing with
the financial shortcomings of the admins
tration, was listened to with close interest
and the telling points applauded.
When Mr.. Overstreet had finished there
were loud cries for Mr.. Harding and he
was given an ovation when introduced by
Chairman Pugh. He called attention to the
statements of the evening Taggart organ
that this was a spiritless campaign, in
which the people were displaying no in
terest, and remarked that the writer of
these statements had probably not attended
any of the Republican meetings of the cam
paign. He asked how many people of all
this vast audience had been thinking about
the issues Of the campaign, and suggested
that those who wanted cheaper gas raise
their hands. Thousands of hands went up
Now, how many believe they will ever
get cheaper gas under Mayor Taggart?" he
asked, and not hand went up.
This same newspaper" he continued
declares that 1 have given no definite
promises to better the conditions of the
people. 1 pledge you my word, and my
word is as good as my bond for every dol
lar am worth, that If l shall be elected
and 1 shall be elected--I shall appoint a
Board of Public Works pledged to obtain
cheaper gas by opening the doors to fair
competition; pledged to obtain cheaper tele-
phone rates by the same method, and
pledged to conduct its department without
favoritism to any corporation or body of
men. pledge myself to administer the law
fairly and impartially, and to give you a
clean and honest administration, keeping in
mind the principle of the greatest good ac-
compliShed at the least expense to the peo-
pie. / shall enter upon my work untram-
meled by any pledges other than those
made to you, the people, and with no other
object than to conduct your municipal af-
fairs horfestly and without bias. l have no
friends to reward enemies to punish.
Mr.. Harding devoted some time to dis
cussion of the financial operations of the
administration showing that the expendi-
lures Wre exceeding the revenues, and called
attention to the Democratic habit of issuing
bonds.