The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-21
RESENT THE BOSS's USE OF THE
DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION.
Every Move james Leroy Reach Has
Made Has Been I'm the Interest of
John w. Hoffman.

cratic city convention Saturday.
He displayed his irritation last evening
when the Journal asked him for the names
of the precinct committeeman he has sum-
marily removed and supplanted with men
who will do his bidding in the Hoffman
conspiracy.
Now you're trying to get some inside in
formation, aren't you?" he said. and the
sarcasm in his voice was whitening.
He manifested his peevishness when he
was asked the number of committeeman he
had kicked out of his organization.
well. there's not half as many as you
seem TO think" he snapped.
He showed that he is as mad as the afore-
said wet hen when a well-known Democrat
went TO him yesterday and asked him TO
explain his action in removing these COM
mitteemen. A representative of the Jour-
nal was not on hand TO hear what he had TO
say, but il is had reliable authority that
Mr. Reach said some things that the Jour-
nal would not print under any circum-
stances. After few preliminary remarks
10 show that he was in deadly earnest the
Car unbosomed himself to his Democratic
friend. to the effect that he hadn't removed
any committeeman. except four or five who
ment of the organization. =.
Last night, when the Journal urged Reach
to furnish some figures as to the number
of committeeman he has removed, he finally
conceded point and replied:
lit is estimated that from fifteen to twen-
~ committeeman have been removed. and
when l tell you that the number does not
exceed fifteen I'm telling you the truth
ISSUING NO BULLETINS.
MIR. Reach. the fact that you have made
these changes in the committee has pro-
voked considerable criticism. Have you
anything to say in regard to the matter?''
I'm not issuing any bulletins on that
subject
when and where can the Journal get the
names of the committeeman removed and
the men appointed in their places?"
Now you're asking for inside informa-
ton again, aren't your
'Do you mean by that that the Journal
cannot get the names from you?'
AS matter of fact the Journal has made
no estimate as to the number of commit
teemen displaced by Car Reach, point
which he evidently overlooked when he
said that the number was not half as many
as the Journal seemed TO think. The Jour-
nal yesterday gave the name of but one
committeeman, Bill kissel, who had been
Car is fighting Councilman Andrew VAIL.
who wants to be returned to the Council.
But the article served to stir up large
sized hornets nest about the head of the
chairman of the Democratic city commit
tee, for ii showed him up in his true light
as rabid partisan of John w. Hoffman.
Reach made his campaign for city chair
man and was elected on the oft-repeated
declaration that he would see that the or
ganization was not used in the interests of
any candidates for places on the city ticket.
He assumed a holier-than-thou attitude
toward all the other Democratic politicians,
especially toward those in the Taggart
camp, and was so insistent in his promises
to keep hands off that he actually pulled
the wool over the eyes of hundreds of the
party workers who were old enough and
experienced enough to have known better
The moment he was at the head of the ma
chine he proceeded to use every power the
position gave him to further the candidacy
of Holtzman- He worked quietly at first.
II Is true, and managed to keep his under
hand methods a secret, but as the date of
the convention draws near he is throwing
discretion to the winds and is riding rough
Snod over large element OF the party.
BITTER CRITICISM
While his action is wholly satisfactory to
others of the Hoffman ring, it is needless
to say that it has provoked bitter criticism
from all fairminded Democrats and has lost
him many friends. Many of the men who be-
lieved his professions of disinterestedness
are turning on him, and while II is believed
that he will be successful in his purpose
and secure the mayoralty nomination for
Hoffman, ii is conceded in many quarters
that he has seriously jeopardized whatever
chances OF success the party might other
wise have at the polls.
A well-known Democrat, who is prominent
In State as well as city politics, and who,
thirty days ago, was warm friend of
Reach, said last night:
trtrhf
one-man domination when we elected
Reach chairman, but i fail TO see now
where we have made any Improvement. On
the contrary, il is the old story of out of the
frying pan into the fire. Tom Taggart never
used the organization to further his personal
ends a whit more than Reach is using il
now TO bring about his purpose and nomi-
nate Hoffman TagSRrt was an easy boss;
Reach is a car, and he proposes TO rule
with an iron hand.
"Anothing thing-Taggart never made
false pretenses. When he was running the
machine there never was any attempt to
carry water on both shoulders Everybody
knew just what he wanted to do and would
do If he could. Reach, on the other hand.
has been guilty of the worst kind of du-
plicity He has had himself interviewed
every few days as to his fairness and i'm
partiality. while under cover he has worked
every ba wire ne Ps arm IGr hGltzman That
Hoffman might have won the nomination
in fair and square contest, and in that
event i believe he could have been elected,
for the party would have rallied harmoni-
ously and unitedly to his support He'll
probably be nominated Saturday. 1t looks
now like IL was the worst kind of folly To
think that he can be defeated. But Reach
will find that he has a harder job on his
hands when Ii comes TO electing his man,
for there are a whole lot of good Demo-
Gratis who will not stand for his methods.
MAKES HIM SORE
The thing that makes me sorest, when
think about the situation. is that we
turned down a man who has always been
good Democrat and consistent one, to
elect Keach--a man who but few years
ago was doing everything in his power to
defeat the Democratic ticket. We might
have known that a man who would turn
traitor TO his party once was not to be
trusted with the control OF the organiza-
ton"
The Democrat who said this talked freely
and meant every word he said. but il is
obvious why his name cannot be used He
is not the only member or the party who IS
talking and thinking in this vein. They are
not making any avowas as 10 what they
will do. bat il is a foregone conclusion
that they will not tear their shirts" IN
their efforts to help Reach elect his ticket.
and IL Is altogether probable that they will
determine TO give the Car a rebuke at the
polls that will teach him that honesty is
not only the best policy but the best poll