The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-29
FOR SEVENTY-CENT GAS
PERTINENT TOPIC DISCUSSED AT
MORTON CLUB RECEPTION.
w. N. Harding and C. A. BoOIxyyaIter
Made Speeches-CIub Receives
MayoraIty Candidates.

At a reception TO Republican mayoralty
candidates given by the o. P. Morton Club,
on Shelby street last night, w n. Harding
explained why he has announced himself as
in favor Of seventy-cent gas He said that
he was not making a bid" for the nomina-
tion, as was facetiously suggested by an
afternoon paper when he made the an
nouncement, but declared himself in favor
of gas at that price on account Of the fact
that he knew outside capital was seeking
an opportunity to invest 50. 000 600 in a gas
plant and would guarantee to furnish it for
10 cents. After the meeting Mr.. Harding
was asked for further information.
About three weeks ago we CHarding &
HoyeD received inquiries from foreign cap
italists. who asked US to ascertain whether
the present company has monopoly to the
streets of Indianapolis, or if there was a
chance for another company to establish a
plant, lay mains and compete for the bust
ness. / am not at liberty to give all the
facts, but in the communication we received
figures were given showing that large
profit could be made on gas at that price.
Indeed, l was surprised at the percentage
Of profit to be made on seventy-cent gas"
Who are the capitalists"
Il am not at liberty to state that"
Are they Eastern people?"
We'll, no." said Mr. Harding. smiling at
the effort to get more information. IAN
can say is that they are not more than 500
miles from Indianapolis"
I'VE were also asked to ascertain condi-
items with regard to electric lighting, and
we have been looking up the franchise
given electric companies. We have found
that the companies here do not have exclu-
sive privileges, and that a competing COM
pany would have the right to lay mains
Until we made a report to our correspond
ents it would not be fair for me to say
more 1 would not have spoken now if
had not been twitted for making a bid 1
simply said 1 was in favor of seventy-cent
gas knowing it to be possible to get it at
that price
Have any negotiations been opened with
the city officials as to a franchise for your
clients?"
mot yet. We have just been making pre-
Hminary Investigations for them.
Other things beside cheaper gas were dis
cussed at the reception last night. Joseph
Dynes, who presided first introduced
Charles A. Bookwalter, who is engaged in a
friendly contest with Mr. Harding for the
mayoralty nomination.
Mr. Bookwalter discussed the platform
adopted by the Democrats in their recent
city convention, exposing some of the
shams and makeshifts it contained, and re-
forred to Mayor Taggart's inconsistent talk
and actions. He spoke of the efforts Dem
ocrats are making to steal the honor of
agitating the gas question from Repub-
leans, reminding the audience that a res
olution directing the city attorney to ascer-
tar whether the Council could by ordinance
lower the gas rate had been introduced by
Councilman Allen, a Republican, who had
made repeated efforts to get something
done. He predicted that the Democratic
Council committee would not report on his
ordinance until after the election.
Speaking of the. plank in the city plat
form declaring in favor of three-cent fares
he said that it was in direct conflict with
the conduct of the city officials, whose in
fiuence was cast against three-cent fares
when the subject was before the General
Assembly last winter. On the west side of
the House, he said on the day when the
DILL came to u final vote, Democrats, with
few exceptions, cast their ballots against
the bill
Referring to the city convention which
nominated Taggart, a convention OF which
20 per cent was on the city pay rolls. "a
'boo-gang' from all the city" he remarked
that Mayor Taggart had said in his talk
that he would try 10 make his coming adj
minstration, if elected an Improvement
over that OF the past twenty months. This,
Mr.. Bookwalter declared. was direct ad-
mission on the part of the mayor that inn
prOVementS were necessary.
Mr.. Bookwalter good naturally spoke of
the rivalry between himself and Mr.. Hard
ing for the nomination. He declared that
If either of them. or some other good Re-
publican were chosen by the convention the
lieved and receive its rights.
Il extend a hearty invitation to you to
call on me in the mayors office the Thurs,
day after the election, when you will all
receive a hearty welcome from me. II !
am not there you will find some other good
Republican. Newt Harding will be there
to welcome you"
Mr.. Bookwalter was heartily appauded.
Mr., Harding joining in the laughter and
applause from the back part of the room.
When Mr.. Harding was called on he mod
estly arose in the rear of the room but
4
ne had not come there to make speech.
Abiding to the friendly rivalry between
himself and Mr.. Bookwalter, he said
IF he shall be chosen by the convention
In Tomlinson Hall no man will throw his
hat higher or do more to secure the cleo
ton than l. Ii 1 thought my candidacy
would leave sore spot in any Republican
heart 1 would step aside"
This statement was loudly applauded.
When l said yesterday that | would be
q candidate" continued Mr.. Harding, Il
simply wanted to show the people Of In
dianapolis that there were two men not
afraid to meet Thomas Taggart."
Mr.. Harding said that until the Republic
an convention he would not attempt to SO
into issues in which the people of the South
Side were interested. but would now speak
of only one or two things. First, he said,
was the mayors action in permitting rail-
way company to put down tracks the next
day after the convention. This action was
a deliberate reputation of the platforms
declaration against granting additional
privileges to corporations without adequate
compensation. Mayor Taggart dismissed
the entire subject when his attention was
called to it, Mr.. Harding declared by an in
different wave Of his hand and the remark
That's all right" Mr.. Harding inquired
what right Mayor Taggart had to grant
such privileges to railroad. He said that
the power lay only in the Board of Works.
He asked why it was Taggart, in the
twenty months of his administration, has
done nothing to get cheaper gas
Mr.. Harding went on to say that when
he expressed himself in favor of 10-cent gas
he did it not knowing what MIR. Bookwalter
intended to say. II was on the bid of a for
eign corporation with $1,000 900 back of it
that he had spoken.
After the speech making the club enter
tanned the candidates in a social way. \
large audience of men and women was in
the pleasant and tastefully decorated club
rooms until late. enjoying ice cream and
other refreshments that had been provided
by the ladies. A feature of the evening was
the voting for the most popular candidates,
the voters paying nickel for the privilege