The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-28
DEMOCRATS IN A MIDDLE
CHAIRMAN TANNING BLOCKS THE
GAME FOR BOTH FACTIONS.


Democrats who are preparing for the tug
of war between the Bell and Reach fac
tions over the control of the city committee
are trying to find a way to have their pri-
maries. Efforts to bring from Chairman
Tanning an announcement have failed.
Both sides admit their inability to bring
about a call, and some of the machine men
said yesterday they doubted if the pri-
maries would be held this week unless the
chairman appeared and issued the call.
Both factions have been preparing for
primaries to be held this week, and yester-
day there was serious investigation of the
election law TO ascertain whether power
could be found vested in any other officer
of the committee to issue a call The in
vestigation, which was meant to find au-
thority for John ]. Appel, vice chairman
of the city committee, to make the CALL re-
suited in a unanimous opinion that Mr..
Tanning alone is vested with authority and
that he may call the primaries at any time
not later than twelve weeks before the
election.
The attitude of the chairman is not re-
garded as most beneficial to the Bell or
ganization. Fanning's unfriendliness TO
the Reach crowd removes all possibility of
an attempt to help its work. If the Bell
organization is to accomplish anything ii
must be now, because its work has all been
calculated with view to primaries about
May i. Tanning has not helped the Bell
organization to any appreciable extent. al
though ii is conceded that his assistance
would be most welcome.
TAGGART EXPECTED TO-DAY.
Thomas Taggart did not arrive in the city
last night but is expected at noon to-day.
His coming is looked upon as meaning Dem
ocratic activity. Mr.. Taggart announced
several weeks ago that the primaries would
be held about May /. 1t was supposed then
that he knew the mind of Chairman Fan
ming and that the Bell organization knew 1t.
In connection with this there is a story that
| Tanning is bitterly disappointed because the
craftsmanship fight was not made for him
| Politicians regard him as the logical candi-
| date to preserve the integrity of the Tag
| CART organization. 1t was also understood
to be the programme that he would later be
made state chairman His withdrawal
| from the Craftsmanship fight, which, ii is
| claimed. was advised by his friends. practi-
cally ruined his ambition to be state chair
man.
| The situation in the Democratic ranks is
| rather strenuous, but no one Is able to re.
| lieve it except the chairman. Should ht
make up his mind that the primaries should
be held in July, the work OF preparation by
/ the warning factions will have to be done
| over. The unexpected condition Is filled with
! CONSERVATION.
| King Polster, of the Sixth ward, Oh,
| of the head Reach men, is facing a revolu
/ ton in his efforts to turn the ward over Il
| Reach. A meeting wast held at Joe
| Gates's saloon, Indiana avenue, las
| night of thirty-fve Sixth ward workers
who are arranging to hand one" to Polster
| They claimed that Polster admits he vii
| lose five precincts. Latest advices from tn,
Polster camp were that he was as usual
| claiming every precinct una nimously. "Bill'
Kissel, the policy king, is working in an en-
| deavor to turn the Seventh ward over u
Bell, and he expresses sublime confidence il
his success.