The Indianapolis journal., 1903-09-24
A PERPLExING CONUNDRUM.


TO the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
| am in trouble OF mind. have been for
a month or more wrestling with one of the
most perplexing conundrums that 1 have
had TO tackle for many day. There are a
great many good Republicans who, for one
cause or another. are opposed to the re-elec-
tion Of Mr.. Bookwaltcr, and | confess TO be
one of them and that 1 signed the pledge
not TO vote for him. with the distinct un-
derstandng that every member of the
league was to exercise his own judgment
to the best method of expressing our pro-
test, never dreaming that the league was to
open headquarters and to solemnly re-
solve to so solid for the Democratic party,
issue literature and conduct a vigorous cam
paign to restore the Democratic party to
power after such exhibition of genuine
and Interchangeable Democracy as we had
had for six years under Mr.. Taggart. who
II yet the manager of the party. though NOT
in official position. My only objection to MT.
Bookwalter's administration is his lax en-
forcement of the laws that relate to the
saloon and it's accessories, but i'm this he
was only walking In the footsteps of his
predecessor. the Democratic party incarnate
in the mayor. All this pOther about grade
crossings. street sweeping, high taxes and
the like is mere filling in; there is nothing
in it, and the News and the Holtzman Re
that never in this world was any relief
found for wrongs in that direction, or in law
enforcement in the Democratic party, which
they are seeking to restore TO power
My perplexity is especially intensified by
the attitude Of some Republican preachers,
who, while they do not apologize for every
detail of Mr.. Bookwalters business man.
agement- yet lay stress only upon the open
saloon and the disregard of law which he
inherited from the Democratic party, his
immediate predecessor. Not one Of them but
would rather see Mr.. HitZ elected than Mr.
Holtzman. but they hesitate because they
fear nc cannot be elected. and Mr.. Book
walter may succeed himself instead of his
being succeeded by the well-known Demo-
cratic party. bossed by Reach and Polster
and Taggart. These good men do not preac ch
that way TO others When doubling broth
er. almost discouraged, comes to them sing
ing mournfully:
Satan tells me I'm weak. my hope is in
The good that seek. 1 shall never obtain
they do not say give it up. brother. and
take any port in the storm, but they ex-
hort him to do his duty and trust the Lord,
and they tell him the stories of Gideon and
Samson and David. and how Mr.. Lincoln
kept pegging away till he got there. Posi-
bly, Mr.. Hitz may not be elected. but he
will receive the largest vote any independ-
cnt candidate for mayor ever received and
from the way the tide is running since the
so-called executive committee of the anti
Bookwalter folks declared for HoltZman.
he may be elected as he certainly will be If
all who desire a faithful enforcement of
law and who have no confidence in either
party, as a party. shall vote for him.
OF course L expect all the Democratic
preachers To vote for Mr.. HoltZman. They
cannot be consistent and do otherwise, for
they desire that Marion county shall so
Democratic next year and thus make the
Legislature Democratic, and then Mr.. Kern
may succeed Mr.. Beveridgc in the Senate.
The election of Mr.. Holtzman means this,
but the election of Mr.. Hitz, stanch Re-
publican. does not, while the election of Mr..
Bookwalter with fifteen, even ten thou
sand votes for Mr.. Hitz. will mean greatly
improved administration from him, for he is
not specimen of total depravity, nor is he
insensible to such a rebuke of his present
policy.
My perplcxity is this: ] cannot. for the
life of me, how these Republican
preachers can tell who elected MIR. Holtz-
man. il heaven has in store for us such a
calamity, whether il was the preachers or
the saloon men. for with the growing pros
pect of his election since the anti-Book-
walter people have opened a headquarters
and entered the field uumasked these are
flocking to the Democratic standard. for
they. like these preachers. want TO be on
the winning side Unless. therefore, there
can be some device through which we may
tell which from the other there will be
troubles after the election. whereas fifteen
thousand independent voters will hold rod
over any administration. How 10 find out
the relative strength of the preachers and
the saloon keepers is what bothers me. Who
can help me? L. l.. SEE.
Indiana polls, Sept %.