The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-22
IN THE FIFTEENTH WARD.
Republicans Hold a Big Meeting and
Listen to sound Speeches.


of the best attended and most enthusiastic
meetings of the campaign in Hoffman Hall.
SAC South Meridian street, last night. The
greater portion of the audience was obliged
to stand, on account of the scarcity CT
chairs, but no one left the room during
the two hours of speechmaking. nor for
some time after the list of speakers had
been exhausted. The meeting was opened
with brief addresses by Joseph r. Morgan
and William Ragan, candidates for the
Legislature.
The principal speech was made by A. n.
Grant, who discussed with logic and force
the various national issues of both parties.
Mr. Grant showed that the Democratic
party has rejuvenated and put into the
present campaign all the issues of 1896 By
reaffirming their national platfrom of that
year. He declared that the principal rea-
son politics was discussed more In 1896 than
ii is this year was that so many men were
out OF employment and had plenty o.
leisure TO stand on street corners and talk
over the issues. The speaker said, in
touching upon the issue of Imperialism,
that Mr.. Bryan may talk aa much as he
Iieases about our lack of stle to those
islands, that he may urge us to withdraw
our troops from them and pull down the
American flag, "but he cannot choke that
kind of stuff down the threats of Demo-
Gratis, much less Republicans" Mr.. Grant
declared his confidence in Republican VIC
tory this year, saying that the German
vote will be cast solidly for Mckinley and
SOUND money and that 80 per cent. OF the
Jews will vote the same way. He paid
high tribute to Capt. William f. English.
whose war experience, he asserted, had
shown him the error of the Democratic
partys position. Mr.. Grant paid his re-
spects to Candidate Burke, and asked how
laboring men could vote for Burke for
Congress when they knew that he was u
steadfast enemy to their interests while ne
served in the Indiana Senate.
When Mr.. Grant concluded his speech,
the soundness and eloquence of which were
heartily applauded, the crowd seemed TO
want more speechmaking and calls for Col.
Harry b. Smith came thick and fast. Col.
Smith insisted that he is no orator, but
nevertheless gave short, concise, simple,
earnest business talk. which seemed to
please his hearers greatly. His subject was
Marion County Affairs" and Colonel
Smith said in part:
after ten months of expert accountants
in the auditors office-and one of them
was as good Democrat as there is In
the county of Marion in the State of
Indiana, and he got his experience and
knowledge under Green Smith, the ex-
attorney general of the State of Indiana
l want to say that the books are absolutely
correct to penny, and / am proud of il.
liz is record of which am just as proud
as you are of the Republican party. 1
want TO say that when the Republicans
took charge of the county of Marion
there was greater bonded debt and float
ing debt than there is at this time-Mr. l..
L. Harlan Notwithstanding. 1 want to say
that that debt has been decreased, and
that new bonds have been sold at higher
premium than any county bonds were ever
sold, with the exception, possibly, of bonds
of Hamilton county, Ohio. / want to say
that the present Board of County Commits
sioners have saved the taxpayers of this
county thousands and thousands OF dol
lars in interest alone. and they have been
called upon TO put in more permanent i'm
provementS and TO meet more extraordi-
nary expenses during the last five years
than have been placed on the county in
fifteen years before. They have put in
more new bridges at a less cost than ever
were put in in the same length of time
Colonel Smith declared that the present
County Commissioners have built two
bridges, each with floor space equal to the
Kentucky-av bridge, for the same
amount of money expended upon that
structure. He said that the Democratic
commissioners levied an assessment on
account of the new Jail, and, when the
money was paid in, put Ii into the general
fund and spent every cent of Ii, but that
the Republican board has made 1t all
good without raising the tax levy one
cent. He referred to the rebuilding of the
poorhouse, which was burned down, and
the erection of the asylum for lncurable in
sane at Julietta by the present commits
sioners. Colonel Smith declared that UNI
der the new county and township law the
Marion County Commissioners turned over
on the 1st day of last January $214, 000-more
money than was ever turned over by
Board of County Commissioners in the
past twelve years. He also said that the
present board found temporary loan of
between 100000 and 100000 confronting
them when they took hold of the county's
affairs, and that they have paid part of
that loan and refunded the rest in bonds
bearing interest at and Sis per cent, in
stead of per cent, receiving a premium
of the bonds. Colonel Smith extended a
cordial invitation to any Democrats present
to visit his office in the courthouse and
verify his figures from the books kept
there.
Otto Hoffman, president of the club pre-
sided over last nights meeting and said
that, while there was great deal of in
terests shown, the clubs meetings are al
ways characterized by that feature.