The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-22
COUNCIL DECLARES WAR
INSISTS THAT SPAIN IMMEDIATELY
EVACUATE ISLAND OF CUBA,
Then Mayor TaEgart Gave Council
man Clark Another Little Toy he
cause He Was a Good Boy.

Jingoism of the widest and most yellow
type broke out in the Council last night
when resolution was introduced and
passed virtually declaring war with Spain.
From the wording of the resolution, it
would appear that it's author, Mr.. Harston,
has more information with reference to the
explosion of the battle ship Maine than any
one else in the country inasmuch as his
resolution recites that. the fact has been
established that the explosion was due
either to official or individual Spanish in
trigue." The resolution passed with but
slight debate, only Messrs. Allen and Grail,
Republicans, protesting against such non
sense, both declaring it to be premature
pending an official report of the court of
inquiry, and both expressing the utmost
confidence in those who are to act when
the time comes, and who should be relieved
in the hour Of their grave duty from ILL
advised and untimely suggestions. The
resolution is but in keeping with the gst
of measures that have been introduced since
the present administration began last Octo-
Der, including the effort, to regulate the
Dingley tariff bill and things of that ilk
which have been attempted The resolu-
ton is remarkable document in its way.
1t reads:
Whereas, In the destruction of the bat
tie ship Maine, and in the death of so many
of her gallant crew, the United States gov
eminent has suffered an irreparable loss,
and
Whereas. Recent developments have es-
tablished the fact that these results were
due either to official or Individual Spanish
| intrigue; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Common Council of
indianapolis, Indiana, urge upon the gov
eminent the necessity of Insisting upon the
evacuation of the Spanish army from Cuba:
and a suitable indemnity for the loss OF
Resolved, That should the court of in
curry develop the fact that the disaster
was the result of a plot of the Spanish
moral assistance to the executive in a
declaration of hostilities, and be it further
Resolved, That copy of these resolu-
at Washington"
CLARK HAS A NEW TOY.
Councilman Frank S. Clark has a pen
chant for armorial bearings, and if he lived
under a monarchical form of government he
might be knighted and decorated with gar
tiers and various gaudy orders But while
living in democratic America, where no
such royal favors can come to him, he has
found means of circumVenting fate and
acquiring decorations of as gaudy, If less
renowned, character through his position as
city father. He has succeeded in less
than two years in comforting two distin-
guished honors upon himself. Something
over year ago he introduced a measure in
the Council providing that badges of gold
be provided for each councilman. His con-
freres. realizing the ridicule such course
would bring upon themselves, refused to
sanction his idea, but after a persistent
plant from the Ninth ward statesman they
consented to vote for cheap and inexpen-
sive badge to be provided by City Clerk
Ssr Ra Xes connc WITH
handsome gold badge on which Mr.. Clark
has cast loving and ervious eyes ever since:
not play unless he had Just such a badge.
So last night he was publicly honored in the
Council chamber, Mayor Taggart lending
dignity aad eclat to the occasion by making
presentation speech when handing to Mr.
Clark gold star, in the center of which
was diamond fit to grace the court jewel
of Queen Lii of Hawaiian renown. Mr.
Clark assumed an expression OF complete
surprise, and said that he could not find
words to express his gratitude at the conf n
serve his constituents to the best of his
ability etc. Many had Toasted their eyes
on the badges loveliness as long as week
ago. Lee Finehout, a detective on the Big
Four Railroad. who owes his position to Mr.
Clark, showed it around quite extensively,
and down in the Ninth ward enc mean
Prohibitonist said that Mr.. Clark himself
contributed most of the money, the balance
coming from the railroad which employs
him as an electrician. and that the golden
star has lain safe in his inside pocket most
of the time Be thatIas it may he pinned
the badge on his breast after it had cir
culated through nineteen pairs of council
manic hands for admiration After the long
and windy session. Commodore" Higgins
further consplred against Mr. Clark, invit-
ing everybody out at Mr.. Clark's expense.
"If Mr.. Clark continues his march of
bauble collection said one of his asso-
ciates, 'he will soon have as many medals
on his breast as q Russian grand duke" a
statement no one cared to controvert.
Mr.. Clark declared that he had absolutely
no idea of who started the movement to
honor him. ut was some of my Democrat
ic and Republican friends down in my ward.
There's Mr. Finehout, for one," said he
pointing to the rear of the room.
None of the other councilmen living south
of the viaduct admitted they had ever seen
the badge before last night, although 1t
was shown to Messrs. Mahoney. Bernauer
and others, even getting. as far north as the
Police Court, where Judge Cox and others
ii. rlt--