The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-11
aHe Must Win His Spurs Before He
Wears Them" He Tells Sixth
Warders.
POSTERS CLUB IS LINED UP
TOM TAGGART WOULD NOT KNOW A
POLITICIAN ON SIGHT.
Democratic Anti-Machine Fight Is
Bringing Out Bitter Feeling
Tanning VIII Not Run.

James l.. Reach. the Democratic Ajax,
struck a Titanic blow at Democratic ma
chine domination last night at the meeting
of Charles Polster's Democratic Club of
the Sixth ward. at $685. Indiana avenue. T.
Taggart, who was counted as one of the
members of the club who would be present,
gracefully. He did not appear
Consequently the seventy-five men who at
tended didn't see the contest they expected.
Reach didn't come early. He was evil
IDENTIFY expecting 7. Taggart to drop in with
his smile early. for he did not come himself
until after 9 o'clock. BY that time r. M.
Coleman had worked the monograph to the
limit and the refreshments in the rear
room of the fiat occupied by the club had
been consumed literally. The meeting was
in all intents and acts a Reach meeting.
His supporters from several other wards
were there. Even John j. Rockford, who
was the county chairman of the Bryan
Democrats in 1896. when Reach was chair
man of the gold Democratic committee,
was there, friendly to the Reach pro-
gramme. p. j. Ryan, Charles Polster, pres
ident of the club, Frank b. Ross, secretary
of the Democratic county committee, for
mer Mayor Thomas l.. Sullivan, James
Renihan, Salem d. Clark and a number of
others were there in his interest. Rockford
made a speech, in which he said he looked
not to the past with its petty differences"
but to the future with it's hope. He said he
favored new deal all around Former
Mayor Sullivan declared that any Demo-
crat had right to seek the craftsmanship
Of the city committee or to be candidate
for hot bo ~ he IL
tempered i'm all its acts because, with the
developments since the last election, it was
a party of the majority. He said it's appeal
should be made to the citizens and tax
payers and not to the "black clouds that
Indiana avenue.
Then President Polster interrupted
"Dick" Coleman's continuous performance
with the monograph and introduced Reach.
Keach's speech had no introduction and
no peroration. His meaning was not soft
ened by diplomatic indirectness.
REPUDIATEs HOLTZMAN.
"I want to apologize to my friend Holtz-
man and my friend Polster because my
name has been linked with theirs in refer
ence to the use of my name for chairman"
he said. II want also to make myself clear
as to my position. 1 recognize no man or
set of men and 1 have never been any,
body's man. am not now. am no mans
candidate and / have no candidate up my
sleeve. If Mr.. Holtzman is to be the candi-
date of the Democratic party he must win
his spurs before he can wear them. l con-
scented to let my name be used because L
want TO see fair play. pledge myself now,
as plain as words can make Ii, that my
comprehension of a city organization is not
TO set up states for candidates, but to see
that every candidate, even the lOwlieSt,
gets credit for every ballot that is cast
for him.
Then Mr. Reach proceeded to pay his re-
spects to William +. Moore, Democratic
candidate who, two years ago. he declared,
was an "illegitimate candidate"
al see a certain dignity in the office of
chairman" he said. 1T is not something
TO fight for. / don't believe in fighting for
several reasons. One good one is that ii is
date intimates that 4 am trying to engage
in scent politics by cheating him or any
one else out of a few votes he indicates that
fair play is not all he is after. l am will
ing to put up a certified check for all the
salary that the mayor is entitled to in two
years and forfeit 1t If /, as chairman, do
one unfair thing TO prejudice one candidate
or to advance another. If that is not suffi-
Gent then know there is some other mo-
tive than a demand for fair play"
Moore, in his speech before the Four
tenth Ward Democratic Club said all he
wanted was fair play.
IF you are looking for man who will
make a machine" he concluded, "and give
candidates more than fair play, then / tell
you plainly, so there viii be no mistake,
don't be for me-"
DEMOCRATS ARE MIXED.
The Democratic situation is becoming
strenuous. So far as the Taggart machine
is concerned 1t seems not to have recovered
from the paralysis of Keach's first blow
when he announced his candidacy. Thomas
Lick Joe Bell. the machine candidate fol-
mayor, and Chairman Tanning expected
him the night before and looked into each
others eyes at the Grand Hotel while wait
ing for him. They saw him last night.
Mr. Taggart was blithe last night and his
smile was radiant.
Politics." he said; with feigned look
poiitics. Really, Il / met politician or
| the street / wouldn't know him. Now, yoJ
know there hasn't been any meeting anC
| he laughed at the question.
1t was reported that the machine element
would meet to discuss the outlook. Mr.
| Taggart said he knew of no meeting. anC
| that all he knew of the local situation wa:
what he CLEANED from the papers. Mr.
| Taggart Is regarded as careful reader
sometimes even reading between the lines
| So far as il is known the machine is des
perate. If ii is to fight Ii out with Keacl
| tributing strength to Reach. 1t is now an
nounced that Chairman Tanning will no
permit his name to be used for reelection
! This means that a new candidate must b,
| found. The machine is also censuring 30
| seph e Bell for bringing up the 1896 cam
| paign in a speech in the Eight ward re
| Gently. Some truly loyal" Bryan men {?
/ of the machine dread this subject. Jus
| where the party will end is past the com
prehension of the unaligned ward workers
| who fear that between the two faction
| they will finish in the dead lists.
| John w. Hoffman has been 'touted' a
the Reach candidate. Keach's Reputation
| of him at last nights meeting Is not likel,
/ TO make his friends run into the Keacl
/ camp il they glance over their shoulder
| and find the reckoning hand OF Il. T. call
| ing them TO the machine camp. Some silen
| spectators wondering. after all. If
| is not a large product OF political theatri
| Gals from the resourceful T. Taggart.