The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-18
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS.

1T is to be war TO the finish, a fight to
the last ditch with no compromise. arbitra-
ton or surrender; one of the opponents
must be annihilated. Such is the situation
between James l.. Reach and Thomas Tag
CART, the Democratic leaders and rivals
for supremacy i'm the party in Indianapolis
Marion county and Indiana. The parties to
the impending conflict are not equally hos
tile and bloodthirsty, it is true. Taggart
the great mollifier and exemplifier of the
doctrine, HE who fights and runs away,
lives to fight another day." does not want
to fight, and will avoid an open and deci-
sive conflict as long as possible, seeking
TO accomplish his ends by "gum-shoe'
methods; but Reach must have war. Every
drop of fighting blood in his body is thor
oughly aroused and he is dominated by
the single purpose to put Taggart out of
business, politically. Taggart is for peace
and Taggart. Reach is for war and Tag
CARTS scalp, and he has registered a great
vow never to rest or take a moments
peace until he has accomplished his pur-
pose.
so thoroughly is Reach aroused, so Bit
terly incensed at Taggart, that he has been
doing great deal of talking, denouncing
Taggart and indulging himself in the lux
ury OF threats-a bad break for him to
make, for it is almost a foregone conclusion
that practically everything he says will
reach his enemy's ears sooner or later.
Developments in the situation have been
rapid within the past forty-eight hours.
keach's talking has Embossed the tongues
of his friends and things are under way
ha 4.h
Gratis have ever known here Reach is
lining up his forces for the first contest,
which will come within the next eight
weeks, over the district chairmanship while
Iaggart, forewarned and forearmed, is at
work none the less actively, although much
more quietly, and will be we'll prepared for
the clash when it comes Since the pub
LEGATION in yesterdays Journal of the scheme
TO bring out Charles Polster as the Reach
candidate for district chairman II is under
stood that Reach has slightly altered his
plans and will sacrifice Polster, if necessary,
TO the furtherance Of his game. He now
elsavows any connection with the Polster
deal and claims that he is not tied up with
any man on the Craftsmanship. On the
contrary, IL Is said, he has indicated that
ne Will walt until Taggart has brought out
his candidate and will then decide on the
best man to beat him. The personality and
political affiliation of the man Taggart
selects will have much to do with Keach's
choice of a candidate. Polster does not
like the new attitude of his chief, feeling
that he did much to make Reach and that
In common Justice Reach should help make
make much OF a roar, and as an aspir-
ant for political advancement must take
his medicine and like it, Reach could
worry along without Polster, but Polster
is not yet able to walk alone.
xxx
As has been said, Reach has not hesi-
tated to speak his MIND" and to several of
his friends has spoken unrestrainedly, de-
nouncing Taggart in unmeasured terms
His ire has been especially aroused because
Taggart has been given the credit for elect
ing Hoffman, thus robbing him of his lau-
rels and perquisites, and, to cap the eli
max. because Hoffman has been con-
vinced apparently that Taggart elected him
and has turned over to Tagsart all the
powers that go to the victorious political
general.
Tell me that Taggart elected Holtz-
mani" Reach is reported to have said to
several people. why, / know just what
Taggart did. 1 know every move he made
and l know that he was a traitor and that
ne old everything he could to beat our
ticket. l know that the Republicans saw
every one of our polbooks that he could
get his hands on and that he tried every
way he could TO break into our Organiza-
ton. Holtzman is fool enough like a lot of
other people, TO believe that Taggart elect
ed him, but my time will come and when
cratic leaders around these diggings. I'll
| square books with Taggart, and don't you
| forget ii. I'll put him out of politics If Ii 8
the last and only thing 1 ever do I'll see
that he never gets a piece of political ma
| chinery In Indianapolis or Marion county.
| Hell never get delegate to a convention
| tional convention from this district who'll
| vote against Taggart for national commit
| teeman and help beat him for national
| chairman, If he's a candidate for that They
| can talk all they want to about Taggart's
being the boss in this city, this county
! or this State. I'll show 'em how much OF a
| boss he Is before l get through with him. -
| You can't blame Jim for being sore
can you?" asked one of Keach's friends
| last evening. HE got about the fawest
deal in this city election that was ever
| handed a man. He beat Taggart in the
fight for control of the city committee and
then elected Hoffman In the hardest cam.
| paign this city has ever known. He elected
Hoffman without Taggart's help and in
spite of Taggart's active efforts. to beat
Taggart-'Oily Tom,' as usual-is smooth
| enough to get all the credit for electins
| Hoffman. makes Holtzman believe it. oil
| makes a deal with Hoffman to turn dOwr
Reach, and dictates all of Holtzman's ap-
| pointments. Reach hasn't q word to say
| in anything that has been done since Holtz
| man Was lUduSuIdtcu, anu has DccI
| laughed at and discredited by everybody
| You bet he's Sore and he has every reason
| to be. And you can bet, too, that he's go
| his knife out. with both edges sharpened
| anG is going to square accounts with thu
| whole Taggart push before he's a year
| older. He's got enough friends, and he:
| Just smooth enough a politician to do II
| or at the worse he can raise so much h
in the party that Taggart won't be able t.
| do any good"
And Taggart-well, Taggart isn't talking
except to laugh at the suggestion of figh
| between Reach and himself and to asser
that Reach and he are on very friendl!
| terms.
"Keach had better be careful" said
| Taggart man last night, "or he'll get 81
| worked up in one OF his RACES that he'll
| burst blood vessel. and then it'll be Keacl
to the happy hunting ground. We know
| where to put our fingers on Reach at ever,
| stage of the game and don't you forge
| that"
In view of this diverting fight between
| Taggart and Reach, the talk of Democrats
harmony I'm Indianapolis and Marion coun
~, as a result of the recent city election
which was to spread all over the Stat
| and line the party up for next years cam
paign, becomes a huge joke. Taggar