The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-24
THE AvowAL OF CAPTAIN ENGLISH.


Months have passed since the Journal
published an article that attracted as much
attention as will the letter which Captain
William K. English has addressed to
Mayor Taggart. While it is true that some
of the personal friends of Captain English
accord with the new Democracy, whose
better name is Organism, and that he has
been an outspoken advocate of the doc
trine of expansion, nc one was prepared
for a declaration from him such as his
letter contains. Captain English makes 1t
very clear that the Democratic party, I'M
der the present regime, has departed from
the teachings of Jefferson and Jackson,
and those of Tilden in later years. Those
teachings made it a conservative party,
the champion of sound money, Of terri
torial expansion, and the foe of that pa
ternalism in government to which the Pop
ulism of Mr.. Bryan tends. If the Demo-
era tic platform to-day were the same as
that OF 1892. Captain English would be in
the front rank of its advocates, but now
lidl the lOity Ol 1oJO has DcCn lCpcdtc0 ahu
Democrats of the Altgeld type and ex-
Republicans and Populists of the Towne
brand are the chief counselors Of Mr..
Bryan, Captain English feels that to make
his record consistent and to be true to his
convictions. he must declare that he can
not go with the Bryan party.
More frequently than otherwise those
who leave one party for another can be
charged with being disappointed place
seekers. This cannot be said Of Captain
he had sought the honor he could have
been the Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor OF Indiana. He has repeatedly de-
clined the honors of his party. He has no
personal i'll will toward any leader.
He leaves the party organization
the ancient faith to follow after
strange gods. In view of such facts there
is no possible ground to question the mo-
tives of Captain English in taking the
course he has indicated in his letter to
Mayor Taggart. He may be assailed. but
the assaults will be the abuse of the ep-
ithet-finger.
Few men in Indianapolis have better
records as public-spirited citizens. Few
men nave done more in the past few years
to promote the welfare of the city. He
was president of the Commercial Club in
1899 and declined re-election; he is presi-
dent of the Park Board, serving without
salary; director of the Commercial Club
and member of the Board of Trade; during
the Spanish war he was captain of volun-
teers and aid on the staff Of General
Wheeler. serving without compensation;
he is a friend of Governor Roosevelt, and
was near him at Ell Poso hill during the
battle of July ], when a piece of shell
struck the hand of Colonel Roosevelt and
caused Captain English's horse to fall.
He is department commander of the Span
ish-Ameriean War Veterans of Indiana;
he is junior grand warden of the Grand
Lodge of Masons of Indiana; he is colonel
on the staff Of Governor Mount; he has
been a Democratic member of the Legisla-
ture and of Congress; he has been chair
man of the Democratic city and county
committees: ex-vice president and member
of the national committee for Indiana OF
| the National Association of Democratic
Clubs, now headed by w. r. Hearst; he
made the speech for Indiana +seconding the
nomination of Grover Cleveland in 1892
he was urged to accept the Democratic
nomination for Congress in this district
two years ago. A man who fas beer
recognized so fully as has Captain Eng.
lish in the commercial, political, military
and social life of the State and city 1:
a person of influence whose determine.
ton as expressed in his letter to Mayor
Taggart will lead others to follow his
example.
The avowal OF Captain English is manly
and courageous. There is no note Of
apology in his words. but rather of de
fance when he says: az care nothing fol
office; 1 love liberty, L love equality o.
rights. and 1 love justice. and when tn,
party 1 belong to is too cowardly to make &
stand for the right. L leave it, and 1 leav,
it for good"