The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-18
REVOLUTION E OUT
IN THE CAMP OF KEACH
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE)

tempted to show how the Democrats of the
city had grown dissatisfied with the old
Taggar ring and had finally turned the
ring down and put In a new organization,
the one now In control. Mr.. Reach made
several uncomplimentary illusions 20 his
rival, Thomas Taggart. He said that he
had openly fought the Democratic ticket
in 1896, because he did not believe the party
stood for the right principles, and insin-
uated that Mr.. Taggart had fought the
ticket In an underhand way while pretend
ing to support 1t.
TELLS LIFE STORY.
The present city committee, said the
chairman. had fought the last city cam
paign and won it, and the committed would
have the fighting to do for the party in
future campaigns. Under the circumstances
he thought the committee should say who
should be the member of the State commit
tee from this district. In order to get the
sentiment of the members, he said. he
would call OF each committeeman In turn
to state his views of the matter. n he
called on the First ward.
Before the others expressed their views,
however. Mr.. Reach said that Tom. Clarke,
the Eighth-ward committeeman, had come
to him several weeks ago and said that he
wanted to be a candidate for district chair
man, and he (Keach) had promised to sup
port him. Since then Charles Polster had
also come to him and said he wanted to
Dt a Cd1ldlOdhNs - NN " 1919 ~
ganization men should be candidates and
believed that the committee should decide
which should make the race.
and agreed with everything Chairman
Reach had said. He believed the COM
mittee should name the candidate and make
the fight for him. This started things on
right. and Chairman Reach smiled broad
ly. The smile changed materially, how
ever, at the first words of Millard p Cox,
who represented the Second ward, in
SnaakinO for Charles Cox AR Cox QX-
ploded a bombshell and, in the anguage
of one of the awed and somewhat SUBJ
dued Reach men, Gave US particular
HI"
Mr.. Cox declared emphatically that the
city committee had no right whatever to
take a hand in any primary fight and dis
criminate between two or more Democrats
who might be candidates for any position
within the gift of the party. Mr.. Cox was
unqualified in his denunciation of the Reach
programme and said that the
could make no worse break than by put
ting out a candidate for district chairman
as the organization candidate.
SPEECH TAKES BREATH.
Mr.. Cox's speech rather took the breath
of the other committeeman and when
George Wolf arose to speak for the Third
ward he didn't kno just what should be
| done" He was willing. however, to abide
by the will of the majority.
Henry Warrum, city attorney, spoke for
the Fourth. He made one of his character
istic, fiery speeches, in which he declared
that the committee not only had a right to
indorse a candidate for district chairman,
but that it ought to do it and would make
the gravest mistake If it did not do so. The
old Taggart ring was in control here for
years, said Warrum, and had everything
it's own way. 1t had not done the right
thing by the rank and file of the party,
but was run for a little gang of half a dog
en- or so who stood in with Taggart. The
Democrats of indianapolis turned the Tag
CART ring down and out and put in a new
organization, the present committee. 1--WE
have the whip in our hands now said
Warrum, al We will be fools If W. don't
crack it,"
ter. who represented the Fifth, showed his
gratitude to the organization by agreeing
to do anything the committee wanted him
to do.
Charles Polster, of the Sixth, said that
he had concluded that he would be a can
didate for district chairman himself, but
that he had learned that Tom Clarke, an
other organization man, wanted to make
the race and he did not know just what to
do. He thought the committee should de-
eide who should make the race for the
organization.
Theodore Dammeyer, of the Seventh, was
somewhat noncommittal. He did not in
dictate that he would antagonize Reach,
hut asked some pointed questions as to
whether it was customary for the party
organization to take a hand in the manner
proposed.
Committeeman Clarke, of the Eighth, re-
hearsed his story of having decided weeks
ago to be a candidate for district chair
man and getting Chairman Keach's prom
Use of support. Then Polster had come out,
he said, and he didn't know what to do. If
the committee wanted him to run, he
would do so, but would get out of the way
if another man should be agreed upon.
DIR. Spencer. city sanitarian. spoke for
the Ninth. and sided with Reach and War
rum. He said the city had the
power TO name the next district chairman
and should use It..
ANOTHER BOMB EXPLODED.
The Tenth was not represented. but Fred
! Grossart, who spoke for the Eleventh, said
enough to do for two members. Mr.. Gros-
sart doubted the wisdom of the proposed
action of the committee. He said IL would
only bring about a bitter factional fight
among Democrats and ruin the party. He
said the city committee. instead of stirring
nm trouble of that kind, should try TO reach
an agreement with Mr.. Taggart and Mr..
Tanning and unite the party on some good
man.
Committeeman Kribs. of the Twelfth,
said Chairman Reach had voiced his senti-
ments, and sat down.
Frank Straub. member of the Board of
Public Safety, was there as the representa-
tive OF the Thirteenth. but said thai an
other man would speak for him. His