The Indianapolis journal., 1903-09-14
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.
John w. Hoffman, Democratic candi-
date for mayor. sat in his new home the
million dollar stone palace at the north
west corner of Illinois and Washington
streets, last evening, smoked a fat cigar
and talked of the campaign to few friends
and newspaper representatives. The upper
most question with all was as to when Mr..
Holtzman will open his campaign so far as
the speaking end Of 1t is concerned and he
intimated that, contrary to the general ex-
pectation, the opening meeting will not be
held this week. He admitted, however,
that he is already giving considerable
thought to his Keynote and said that he
would begin actual work on the prepara-
tion of his address to-day II may not
have my speech prepared before the end
of the week." ne said. "5ut 1 shall begin
putting 1T together and working on the out
line Tomorrow"
What will be your slogan"
"Decency and honesty as against Book
walterism," replied the Democratic can
didate, after moments thought
BY that you mean to make the issue a
personal one from the outSet?"
Not necessarily so, and no more so than
would be true of any campaign against an
administration in power" he answered.
not so much Mr.. Bookwalter himself as the
things for which he and his administration
stand that We are fighting.'
Mr. Holtzman said that while his "key-
note will not be altogether an answer TO
Mayor Bookwalters opening address, yet he
expects TO devote some little attention to
1T and limited thtat he would take the
mayors slogan, stand up for Indianapo-
lis and handle it in a manner that would
make the Republicans sick of it before the
campaign is over. Asked if he did not
he replied noncommitally:
Charley can make a pretty good
speech.
The Democratic candidate said several
other things about his campaign, among
others dropping the assertion that he was
going into the fight without having made
any promises as to his appointments, if
elected, and that he would make none
Charles Polster chief of police?
nave made no promises, l said," he
replied. Il shall not appoint Polster chief
or police or anything else
This IN the face of the fact that Mr.
Holtzman has just moved into Polsters
ward for his headquarters during the cam
palgn. 1t Will be severe blow, undoubted-
ly, to the Democratic boss of Indiana ave-
nue..
1t was suggested that while Mr. Holtz-
man himself may have made no promises
Chairman Keach might be looking after
that end of the campaign, but the candi-
date replied with some spirit that he had
authorized no one to make any promises for
him and that he would not be bound by any
pledges which any zone else might make
xxA
1t is anticipated that Mr.. Holtzman's
opening speech, as well as others which he
will deliver later, will be decidedly Dunn
colored. That gifted writer, whose versa
tile pen is turned readily from the field of
history to that of highly imaginative cam
paign fiction, is devoting all his powers at
present to furthering the Holtzman candi-
Gacy. lie is the confessed author of the
Democratic platform, although acknowl-
edging assistance from the editorial minds
of the anti-Bookwalter organ, and it is but
natural to expect that he will be called on
10 collaDorate In the production of the
Hoitzman keynote. The temporal
ward for which he is understood to be
striving is the city controllership which
he held once just long enough to learn to
love 1t.
The city election, by the way, comes just
one calendar month from yesterday and
there is every prospect that the thirty days
to come will be the busiest Indianapolis
politicians of both parties have known for
several years.
The fact that yesterday was Sunday did
not deter some of the precinct workers who
are taking the thirty-day poll from max
ing a house to house canvass in some sec
tions of the city. Both organizations are
anxious to have this work completed not
later than to-day noon and that accounts
probably for the Sunday work.
ID. ]. Terhune. of Linton, one of the men,
bers of the board of managers of the In
diana Reformatory and an active Democrat
of the Second district, has been in the city
attending the Methodist Conference. His
name has been mentioned in connection
with the Democratic gubernatorial
nomination, but he will have '' nc none ne
of it. 1t is out of the oues-
tion he says, to consider him i'm that CON
nection. Asked who, in his opinion, will
be his party's choice for first place on the
State ticket, he would not even venture
guess and, indeed, he did not seem to take
much interest in either State or national
his lack of interest being due, apparently.
to his belief that there is little prospect of
Democratic success.
Unless the Democrats can get together"
he said, land stop their foolish chickering's.
there is absolutely hope of success for
the party, so far as L can see. There seems
TO be a populistic element in the party that
is bent rule or ruin. and that is suicidal
for the party Now, if ever, it is incumbent
upon Democrats to forget factional differ
ences and get together in earnest if they
hope to accomplish ANYTHING As long
the present prosperous time continue IL will
be difficult for even united party to make
a successful campaign against the Repub-
licans, for the party in power always gets
credit for the prosperous condition of the
country, or the blame. If the condition is
the reverse.
Mr.. Terhune expressed the belief that
Representative Miers. of bloomington will
be renominated by Second district Demo-
Gratis.
81 do not believe much of fight can be
made against Mr.. Miers. unless Senator
Davis. OF Bloomfield. is a candidate" he
said 'and under any circumstances | re-
gard il as practically impossible to defeat
him. l suppose. too. that Judge CLANCY. of
Sullivan. will be the Republican nominee
again. Judge CLANCY is a fine man. and l
like him. although 1 differ with him on
political questions.
Mr.. Terhune says that affairs at the In
diana Reformatory are progressing salts
factorily under the new management of
Will III. Whitaker.
u was very glad that 1t was possible to