The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-16
His Errand Will BE to Take Up the
CudgeIs Against His Former
Ally, James l.. Reach.
PROGRAMME AS MAPPED OUT
LATEST NEWS MAKES THE TAGGART
MACHINE JUBILANT.
Edgar A. Perkins May COmplicate the
Situation for the DemOcrats-Keach
Laughs Over the Prospect.

ThomaS Taggart Will wipe his mouth on
one of the Spanish lace handkerchiefs of
the Iroquois Club at Chicago tonight and
soon after leave for Indianapolis. Mr..
Taggart's friends expect him to reach here
not later than tomorrow night. From that
on there will be something doing" AS to
what this particular something is James
L. Reach is probably most anxious to find
out, and there is just the fullest belief that
he will probably be the last to hear.
What is ST. T." going to do? In the past
when he took up campaign work he found
things mostly his way. Two years
ago he encountered the most serious op-
position he ever had in William F. Moore,
candidate for mayor. Moore was not per-
sonally an obstacle, but he became the in
strument of all those who wanted to show
Taggart that his dictation was not relished.
Now he finds as an adversary the very man
who did most to thwart Moores plans for
the nomination, the man who forced Joe
Bell, Taggart's candidate, off the ticket
Reach. Reach has an early start and a
good one. too. But the meeting of the ma
chine crowd at the Denison House Friday
night indicated that Taggart can still COM
mand- strong array of political friends
men whom Reach cannot get along with
~-N---~~~
out.
is IN FIGHTING TRIM.
In his first rally Taggart showed that he
is in lighting trim. The question bothering
the Reach men now is, did Taggart merely
clear the decks for action in that meeting?
Reach men can figure no distinct gain for
them in the meeting, but see the elements
of strength of Taggart. If 1t means any
thing to them il means fight
If there is going to be a fight, what kind
will it be and when will it begin? ask the
Reach men. Those not aligned with either
the Taggart machine or the Reach cru
saders see where Taggart can save am
munition by merely putting himself nomi-
nally against Reach for chairman and then
forcing him to either abandon his neutral
ity as to candidates and fight Bell, Tag
CARTS man, or to accept Bell and fight the
campaign for him. In other words, Tag
CART is going to fight. but only in the NOM
mating primaries. While Reach is follow
ing his mirage of precinct committeeman
who do not set up states, Taggart will slip
In his cut-and-dried programme and win
in the nominating primaries. Taggart is
regarded as a thorough seven-up player,
and one of his strong playing systems is to
save the jack of trumps to capture game
with. The spectators wonder whether
Reach can catch the jack.
Taggart Is also gifted with great recuper-
alive powers. Witness, 1896. He painted his
golden wings silver and scared with the
push" and the silver hordes, while Reach,
who had worked with him in the State
primaries to beat the silver crowd, stuck
to his colors and backed away from the
push" Taggart recuperated rapidly
enough to secure reorganization for mayor
in 1897, but to do so had to put a silver
and Bryan plank in the city platform.
Reach supported him in spite of this plank,
well knowing that ii was mere dust In the
eyes of the Bryan element. Reach has fol-
lowed Taggart closely ever since, working
with him and absorbing much of his
strength. Now Taggart finds that Reach
is in revolt and likely to take him from
| under the calcium light of public notice
and the position of political boss" The
Taggart and he will probably rest on his
arms long enough to train for the next
encounter.
THE MACHINE JUBILANT.
The Taggart machine was jubilant last
| night because Taggart is announced to be
| coming here tomorrow to start some
! thing" They say it means that the integ-
| rity of the machine will be maintained and
| that Bell will win in the primaries. With
| Tanning in position to announce the pri.
maries whenever Taggart says so the ma
chine thinks Taggart has all the best OF
| the fight and whenever the call is issued il
will indicate that Tagagrt is ready to fight
/ 1t out. To make his programme effective
| be will have to elect a majority of the
COMMITTEE. The plan is TO support all the
men who favor Reach for chairman and
| Bell for mayor in some precincts and &c
| favor anti-keach men where Ii Is sure
they can be elected The Taggart pro.
| gramme is to give. Reach the office, but tc
he SrIrQ IF f1rr1if foo af ha ic OH
| When this plan was told to Reach hi
laughed. He said he did not think Tag.
| CART had any such plan. He said he was
not conducting fight against Tagagrt OF
| had not been born within the last twenty.
four hours and that if he were chosen
! chairman it would be by committee that
flor sure" wanted him.
MOORE AND PERKINS.
| An impression has gained ground tha
Bell will have only John w. Hoffman fol
his antagonist in the Democratic primaries
| But this is mistake. William F. Moore II
| still a candidate, and his friends are work
ing hard for him. Moore received nearl,
| 1900 votes of the 1900 cast in the Demo
cratic primaries two years ago. This year
however, he must go into a convention
Last year he had to fight Mcguire only
This year he must not only oppose Bell an,
| Hoffman, but Edgar A. Perkins, presiden
| of the State Federation of Labor who ha
! been a candidate for the nomination 70
several months. Perkins occupies a pecu
liar position. He might have big support /
| he could convince the Democrats that h
| is Democrat, but they speak of him
| Socialist" and a "Populist." Perkins wa
the Populist candidate for secretary of stat
| in 1896. He is strong with organized labor
and before the manipulators of the faction
get through he is likely to give them mucl
| concern.
Edward w. Little has announced his can
| didacy for the Democratic nomination 70
| police Judge. He was the candidate tw
| years ago. August Tamm will. ii is under
stood, again ask the nomination for cit,
clerk. Ex-City Clerk Geckler also contem
| plates another race.
Lecture by Robert Grant.
Robert Grant. of Boston, will read from
| his own writings before the Contemporar,