The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-26
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS

loT the leaders and henchmen OF the rival
Democratic machines. The contest for the
district Craftsmanship is altogether too ex-
citing, and there is too much at stake for
either side to take day off, even though
that day be Christmas, and from early
morning until late last night there was a
scurrying to and fro OF the men who do
the legwork, while those who do the head
work held numerous conferences, issued
orders and mapped out the campaign to be
followed during the next four days. Pre-
vases TO line up the voters, and on the
whole the day was by far the busiest one
since the campaign was opened. Both
sides are loudly claiming the victory, the
Taggart-Fanning forces being especially
confident. but neither is taking any chances
of being defeated through overcontidence,
the thing that lost the city chairmanshlp
to Taggart and Tanning several months
ago.
Mr.. Taggart and Mr.. Tanning. with two
the Grand Hotel practically all day. di-
recting their forces and devising new plans
of action. From time TO time they re-
ceived reports from various parts OF the
city. and on several occasions their hearts
were made glad by calls from men whom
they had considered as Reach men in this
fight
City Chairman Reach had more men at
work yesterday than his rivals. as he had
the call on every employee of the city adj
ministration as well as the ward and pre-
cinct heelers who stood by him during the
city campaign and are still loyal to him.
However, the Reach henchmen found
wherever they went that the Taggart-Fan-
ming people had been there In advance or
them and had perfected organizations that
cannot be shaken, and they were COM
PEELED to make dscouraging reports TO
their chief. Reach himself devoted sew
eral hours during the day to calling IN
person on saloon keepers in the downtown
district and endeavoring to line them up
for his candidate, Wallace Names. In
some instances he was successful and
caught one or two waverfng ones just as
they were about to go over to the enemy:
Reach is said to have made all sorts OF
promises to the saloon men; holding ah out
will be given much more latitude by the
administration from this time on. the
spasm of reform" being about over
Reach was far from successful with
many Of the liquor dealers, however, al
though they did not tell him in so many
words that they would not be with him in
his fight on Tanning. They listened to all
his arguments and made no promises. but
after he had made the rounds number
of them held a meeting In the afternoon
at one OF the saloons in the heart OF the
city and after long consultation decided
they would cut loose entirely from keacn
and give their active support and encour-
agement to Tanning and Taggart- They
were led to do this, they said, because they
have learned that they cannot depend upon
the assurances given them by Reach.
''Jim is long on promises when he wants
something" said one of them, who asked
that his identity be concealed because he
of the administration. He'd make you
think he's the best friend you have in the
world. when he wants you TO do something
for him, but after he gets what he wants,
after you've delivered the goods, he doesn
know you from the guy who always comes
around with his hand out.
1t must by the way, be highly gratifying
to the good citizens who foisted the pres
ent Democratic administration on the city,
to know that their knight of reform. Holtz-
man. and his boss, Reach, are depending
so largely on saloon keepers to attain their
ends.
One of the interesting developments of the
| day was the apparently Northumberland
report that Col. NJ A. Downing, president
of the Board of Public Works. is to resign
shortly after the first of the year and that
Henry Russo. the Capitol-avenue feed store
proprietor, Is to succeed him. Less than a
week ago Russo was regarded as one of Fan
ning's supporters, but yesterday 1t was
| learned that he had made a change of
| front and was out working for Keach's man,
Names. The only explanation offered for
| his action was that he had been promised
| the presidency of the Board of Public
| Works. Russo was a candidate for the
place when Colonel Downing was appointed,
| and he is said to have sought revenge for
| the turning down by going over TO the Tag
| man fight. He was too valuable an ally TO
lose, however, and Reach found, the
story goes that the only way he could get
Il ii y \.
| Colonel Downing's tenure would be exceed
| ingly brief and that when the colonel re-
| tired he. Russo. should have the place.
The administration forces, of course, are
| denying that there is the slightest founda-
| ton for the report and claim that Colonel
Downing will retain his present position
| circulation of the report and the Taggart-
Tanning people are using 1t to the best
| advantage.
| Another story that is being sent the
| rounds to inture Reach with Democrats
who are inclined to stand by him, is one
of his alleged interference to prevent the
| appointment of Tom Dugan to the vacancy
/ on the detective force created by tho re-
movai of Tom Colbert. The story is that
| after Colbert's dismissal Dugan received
the Endorsement ofsaMyor Holtzman, Chief
| of the Board of Public Safety, and would
| have been appointed had not Reach gone
| before the board and ordered that no such
action be taken. Dugan was retired from
| the detective force during the Bookwalter
| administration and has large number OF
/ friends who want TO see him reinstated
and who are now arraying themselves
| against Reach because Reach is said &c
| have given Dugan raw DEAL
Capital is also being made by the Fan
ming faction of the activity of employees OF
the Board Of Public Safety in this fight
| The city charter stipulates expressly. they
| claim, that members of the Board oil
| Public Safety, and all appointees of the
| board, shall not take active part In
| politics, and they point out Market Master
| McCrossan and Ed Mclaughlin, secretary
| of the obard, as two of Keachs most ac
tive lieutenants in his efforts to elect Wal
lace Names district chairman.
Mayor Hoffman Is coming in for a fail
share OF criticism for permitting Maine,
to be known as the administrators can
didate, and the statement is frequentl,
heard. "Holtzman has cooked his politica
goose; he might as well forget that he eve
wanted to be the Democratic candidate TO
| Governor or anything else"
| While Names claims that he Is not tn
candidate for any ring, clique or faction
| the fact remains that his candidacy wa
| announced Immediately after a conference
Of r.,r,stration leaders in Mayor Holtz
mans Office. and that the tip that he wa