The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-26
The Former Dares Enemies of Admin
istration to Drop InnuendO and
Fight in the Open.
HIS APPEAL FOR FAIR PLAY
IMPORTANCE OF CONTEST ON STATE
POLITICS EMPHASIZED.
The Mayor Warmly Greeted by the
Crowd and Speaks from the ShOul-
der-ReceptiOn Held.

The Republican campaign tent was pitched
last night at the corner of College avenue
and Nineteenth street, and citizens of the
Second ward were given some straight-from-
the-chest talk by Representative Jesse
Overstreet and Mayor Bookwalter.
Fully four hundred people rallied about
the platform, and the most enthusiastic
meeting the Republicans have yet held in
the present campaign was held. Throughout
the speeches of both Mr.. Overstreet and
Mayor Bookwalter there was continuous APP
plause by the crowd, which seemed to be in
perfect sympathy with the speakers. De-
spite the fact that Democratic leaders boast
the Republicans will lose forty votes in
every ward north of the monument, IL is
safe to say, judging from the meeting last
night, that the Second ward will be one ex-
ception at least. From the expressions
heard among the crowd one would never
have known there was Democratic voter
in the ward. Mayor Bookwalter was inter-
rupted in his speech not less than twenty
times by applause and spontaneous express
sions of Endorsement of his statements. At
the close of his speech some one shouted,
Whats the matter with Bookwalter?" and
the hearty response of Hes all right"'
seemed to come from every throat.
OVERSTREET SPEAKS.
T. j. Yount candidate for city clerk, pre-
sided over the meeting. Representative
Overstreet was introduced first, and he
spoke In no unmistakable manner The
crowd cheered Justify when he arose. He
began by showing the conditions that pre-
vailed in the city during Mayor Denny's
administration, and later during Mayor
Taggart's three terms. Mayor Dennys ad-
ministration, he said, was good one and
il could not be denied, but Mayor Taggart
left the city in deplorable condition. which
Mayor Bookwalter has had to remedy and
which he has remedied TO the best of any
mans ability. But he said ii was not neces-
sary to count the dollars saved by Book
walter. If he started with a sunken treas
ury and has been able 10 pay as he goes,
he must necessarily have departed from
the business methods of his predecessor.
And he continued. Mayor Bookwalter
has changed the methods that were in use
during his preceding administration. He
has stamped out the bad practice of tenn
porary loans and can point TO improved
conditions in business affairs. But our
opponents are wont 10 cloud the success
of his administration by an exaggeration
OF the lack of enforcement Of law. Be-
cause lawlessness exists, does not prove
that the administration is in sympathy with
of the law are all punished, but | do sub
NIT to your fair judgment and knowledge
whether or not in city OF this size and
developing with its rapidity. il isn't far
more difficult thing to enforce all the laws
than in some city of slower growth / de-
fy any citizen anybody to point to a city
with a population of 100000 in which the
maximum punishment for the violation of
the law is higher or greater in degree than
in indianapolis Such conditions are equally
so of every great, rapidly growing city.
The growth of rapidly developing cities.
you all know, is faster tnan the fire depart
ment, faster than the extension of the
water mains, faster than the police depart
ment Ii Is impossible to expect perfection
i'm the administration of any great city in
the world And / say that the efforts TO
enforce and exercise the laws in Indian
apolis have been equal To those of any other
city OF its size in the country.
SOME ALWAYS GROWL.
Il don't know why, but il is. human
nature for some people TO always be prone
to point out defects rather than successes
i'm affairs. Criticism is now on a rampage
i'm this city, but they hesitate to speak out
specifically. They must needs inject the
innuendo that "grafters" have charge of
CONTINUED ON PAGE .. COL. %