The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-16
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS

ship OF the Seventh district, was opened IN
earnest yesterday, and a merry war will
be on for the next three weeks. Joseph T..
Tanning. the present chairman. who is the
Taggart candidate. followed up the formal
announcement of his candidacy. made Mon
day at = meeting OF the Democratic State
committee. by beginning an active canvass,
while Thomas J. Clarke, Democratic city
committeeman from the Eighth ward, who
is backed by James l.. Reach, announced
that he would enter the race and started his
campaign. Mr.. flaming called on a large
number of his friends during the day and
last evening. at the Grand, was in consulta-
ton with a few Of his l~ieutenants. He adj
hered to his resolution not to talk for pub
LEGATION concerning the race, but he seemed
well satisfied with his first days work.
Clarke's campaign was opened by Reach
Monday. The city chairman's declaration
that he was against flaming and that
Clarke was the only candidate against the
Taggart man, was taken as an official no.
tice to all the henchmen in the Democratic
city machine, now under Keach's control,
that they were to peel off their coats and
get into the fray to down Taggart. Yester-
day Reach was busy with two tasks-frst,
to see as many of his lieutenants as possi-
BILE to give them definite instructions as to
the course they should pursue, and. second,
to mollify Charles Polster and hold him in
line.
Charley is so sore over the way Reach
has treated him that he bowls if you point
your finger at him." said one of Polster's
friends last evening, and he followed up this
statement to Polster's frame of mind by
adding that it is not to be taken for grant
ed that Polster will not be a candidate for
district chairman, even If he does not have
Keach's support. This confirms the inuma-
ton that the break between Reach and
Polster is to be complete. and strengthens
the belief that Polster will go over to the
Taggart camp. 1t is conceded that Polster
could render Taggart and Fanning no
as a candidate for district chairman ana
putting up a vigorous fight. Ostensibly
Poster would in this be acting solely on his
siderable following already, principally
among the Reach faction, and by making it
his plea that Reach had not given him a
square deal' could make such further in
roads on the forces Reach expects to mus
ter for Clarke that Clarke's election would
be an utter iinpossibility and the election
of Tanning assured. There has already
been some little "murmuring" among local
Democrats who, while they are not especial
ly fond of Polster and would not line up
with him under ordinary circumstances, say
tlidl IL IAtdCn WOuiu Ill dONh "a III
the way he did, he would sacrifice any 9TH
ers of his friends to attain his own selfish
ends, and claim that a man should be as
square" In politics as in business or pro-
~fessional affairs. On the other hand. Keach's
friends assert that their leader has played
fair with Polster all along: that Polster
has more than repaid Polster any obliga-
tons he might have been under to him.
If Polster has determined to go back to
Taggart, politicians who affect to know
yrhtn1 rrnx tho 4i1A IN lAan1 NV &c
turning say that he could have made no
wiser move. Before he makes any alliance
with the willy boss Polster can name prac-
tically his own terms and can establish
himself as an important part of the win
ming machine, assured that he Will be
taken care of for the immediate future at
least.
X
The attitude of Indiana Democrats
toward the several prospective candidates
for the Democratic presidential nomination
next year has been the subject of no little
speculation, both in and out the State.
German, Parker, Olney, Hearst and one or
two others have their admirers and advo-
Gates among leaders of the Hoosier Democ-
racy and German and Parker have each
been touted as the favorite. However, it
has been apparent that a considerable per
cent. of Indiana Democrats are in the atti-
tude best described as waiting and watch
ing for the band wagon, or a band wagon,
just so 1t is a real-for-sure band wagon.
With this as the situation it Is of unusual
interest that a decided Parker movement
should appear simultaneously with the
meeting of the Democratic State commit
tee. Prior to the meeting on Monday IL
has been generally understood that the
German sentiment was slightly in the as
c~endancy In Indiana, but there seemed to
be no one who was especially interested in
advancing the cause Of the Maryland SEN
ator. Monday, however, appeared the first
evidences of a decided movement in the in
terest of any of the prospective candidates
and 1t was Judge Alton b. Parker, of New
York, who was pushed to the front. The
tip was quietly passed around among the
members Of the State committee and other
party leaders who were here that Parker
is the choice of the more powerful of the
Democratic forces in the East and that In
diana was to be lined UP for him The
source Of this tip was said to be none other
than Thomas Taggart, national committee
man from Indiana and candidate for chair
man Of the national organization. and,
coming from such a source, 1t had the inn
mediate effect of bringing out strong
Parker expressions on all sides.
Mr.. Taggart has not declared for Par
ker-he is far too astute a politician to
make any such break at this stage of the
preliminary campaign-but men who are
close 10 him are making vigorous avowals
for the New York man, and 1t Is under
stood that Mr.. Taggart has spoken a few
words where they would do the most good
Mr.. Taggart Is Indiana's candidate for ma
tional chairman, and IL is extremely sig
nifcant if he has formed any sort CO an
alliance with Judge Parker. 1t may be
taken that the national leaders of the party
have agreed upon Parker as the only man
with whom they can hope to carry New
York, and that they have likewise agreed
Upon the Indiana boss as the most desirable
man to direct the campaign as national
chairman.
The attempt to line I'D Indiana for Par
ker will not prove successful without hard
work early and late. There is a consider
able Bryan element in the State, and as
Senator Cyrus E. Davis, of Bloomfield, said
in Mondays Journal, the Bryan Democrats
look upon Parker as Cleveland's legatee
and consequently have as little use for him
as they have for the former President. TIL
campaign of education has already beer
begun, however, and the State is being
flooded with Parker literature, sent Out
from headquarters in Kansas City. In the
meantime, however, the educating infiu-
ence of Mr.. Taggart will probably prove
more potent.
The Bryan Democrats in Indiana do not
know just whom they do want for the pres.
idential nominee next year, and they arr