The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-14
Effort to Crane Things Up" for John
w. Kern for City Chairman
Met with Failure.
TANNING DECLINES TO RUN
KEACH MEN CLAIM A BIG VICTORY
OVER TAGGART FORCES.
Machine Met at Denison House, but
Did Not Accomplish It's Purpose
-Taggart Absent.

ocratic committee met with total failure
last night. During the day word was passed
out to the members of the Taggart machine
to assemble at the Denison House to dis
cuss the interests of the party. 1t was
quietly intimated that any step toward
impressing Kern as candidate for chair
man was to be received with a spontaneous
expression of approval. The result was a
decisive victory for James l.. Reach in the
camp Of the Taggart forces.
The one hundred men who attended were
mystified at being sent 20 the Denison
House. Most of them, from force of long
habit, went first to the Grand Hotel, from
which point they were sent TO the Denison
House. At the Denison some of them SHE'D
and ran away, remembering the many
years that this hosiery was Republican
headquarters. The notice of the meeting
was sent out by Elliott r. Hooten, secre-
tary of the Indiana Club. There attended
the practical strength of the old Taggart
machine, minus Taggart, Joseph z. Bell
and John w. Kern. Albert Sahm, Green
Smith, w. w. Spencer and C. H. Stuck
meyer seemed to be the leaders of the ma
chine forces.
Those who came earliest found Jerry Fo-
ley on guard at the door of the dining room,
in which the meeting was held. They also
found Sim Loftn, the remaining evil
dence of vitality of the famous push of
1896, acting as steersman in the corridor.
1t was after o'clock before Elliott Hooten
called the meeting to order. Newspaper
men, who were excluded, stood like Paris
at the gates of Paradise, looking through
the transparent curtains on the doors, but
could not get within earshot. This is what
they saw:
Hooten called the meeting to order. Then
Green Smith spoke. Those who thought a
thunderstorm had broken were mistaken.
did take time While he was speaking
Joseph t. Tanning entered. He stood in
the rear until Smith ceased. Then he
went forward and spoke.
TANNING DECLINES TO RUN.
Fanning's speech was the first big step in
the programme to bring out Kern against
Reach. He said he had held the office of
chairman for four years, and he now found
himself with his private affairs so pressing
that he could not without a great sacrifice
serve longer. For this reason he deemed 1t
just to say to the Democrats that he was in
no sense candidate for the Craftsmanship
again, and would positively decline to ac-
cept it. He also expressed gratitude for
the honors the party had given him and
wished IL harmony and success. He pledged
his further efforts in the coming city cam
paign.
Former Judge Leonard ]. Hackney, as
sistant general counsel for the Big Four;
Hiram Brown, w. w. Spencer, chairman of
the county committee; Albert Sahm, Frank
p. Baker, John E. Sullivan, Michael A.
Ryan, who moved here several months ago
from Delphi: c. II. Stuckmeyer. James
liam Beatty and NJ H. Cain spoke in
order. Some were not pleased TO hear John
F. Sullivan speak three times. The tenor
of most of the speeches was the same as
Smith s-party harmony. the office seeking
the man. that the chairman of the COM
mttee should be drafted and not be one
who seeks the place "a hit at Keach), that
the chairman should be a party leader, a
big man "a forerunner for Kerns presenta-
tion.) Things were going along swimming
ly until Frank T. Baker proposed a motion
that a committee be appointed to wait on
Mr.. Kern and endeavor to secure his con-
sent to serve as chairman.
KERN MOTION TABLED.
Then the situation changed rapidly. Hi
ram Brown spoke against such action, say
ing 1t was improper and directly contrary
to the sentiment expressed in the speeches.
James Gavin and others supported him.
The point stampeded the machine takers
and they shifted to Browns position and
joined in supporting his motion to lay the
Baker motion on the table. When Chair
man Hooten put the question Bakers mo-
ton was tabled overwhelmingly, only half
a dozen voting against it. The meeting
| then adjourned.
After it adjourned most of those who, at
| tended wondered what on earth they had
met for and where they were at They
came prepared to spring Kern. and had
| ended by practically declining to even ask
| him to become chairman. The machine
| leaders sought to allay fear by asserting
| that the motion was i'll advised and that
| it was not proposed to ask Kern to run for
| several weeks yet. Then all would be
smoothed out. They also gave out that he
| will surely accept The expressions in favor
| of harmony. the office seeking the man, and
| so forth, were construed to mean that
| everybody favored Kern.
But the machine had too well educa ted its
| individuals for that to go down, even with
machine oil. The trick was soon disclosed
Kern's name is to be kept alive as blind
| as dust In the eyes, until the machine car
/ find some one who will stand a show OF
/ beating Reach. The workers could not be
deceived enough not TO remember that Mr.
/ Kern, who was Democratic candidate fol-
Governor in 1900. was city attorney -four
4 years, and is the leading candidate for the
| United States Senate should Indiana &c
Democratic. is not likely to become chair
/ man of a city committee They quickly
/ recognized that the machine was desperate
| and was looking for means to keep Intact
/ until Ii could get IN ngntlng shape. Gradu
| ally they recognized the fact that the power
/ of Taggart over the Democratic organiZa
i ton is broken and that he is likely TO get
| the same drubbing in the primaries he go
| in 1896 when the silver element beat him fol
| nine-tenths of the county delegation TO the
/ state convention.
| KEACH CROWD CLAIMS VICTORY.
| The Reach element was not strongly rep
| resented at the meeting. Probably twenty
| OF the one hundred men present were hi.
friends. They found no occasion to dis
/ close their attitude. and so far as the ma
chine leaders are aware they are still in the
machine ranks. When ii comes time L
separate from the machine they promise t
take a few important wheels away. TIL,
| Reach men boosted OF the result as thei
coup and full demonstration that Taggar
has lost his grip.
There are those, however. who feel tina
the oily boss is playing a deep game. Fan
ming is still chairman Suppose Fannins
! should defer the primaries for two or thre.
| months is asked. That this will be the poi
/ icy of the machine seems evident But tn,
| Reach men say this Will not save them. al
| Reach will continue at work. and his lieu
| tenants under cover and out of IL. will no
| cease. The machine will have TO figh
| sooner or later, and the longer delayed IN,
/ worse the rout will be.
Chairman Tanning said last night that h,
| had no announcement To make as 10 whel
i the primaries would be held