The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-24
Heavy Price Paid by the Reach Con-
tingent to the Sage of French Lick
for His Assistance.
FORMER BOSS AGAIN ON TOP
HE COUNTERACTED THE HARM DONE
HOLTZMAN BY THE NEWS.
For that Reason the City Hall, Base-
ment Is Filled with Men Compos-
ing Taggart's Old Machine.

Pursued harassed, nagged and be-
seeched cajoled. threatened on every hand
and at every turn, John W. Hoffman is
fast losing his erstwhile amiable dispo-
sition.
During the first few days of his incum-
bency of the mayors office he was all ur-
banity and graciousness and he took the
importunings of office seekers and the gbes
of political mercenaries in the best spirit
and maintained a triumph-fiushed but un-
rufled demeanor. Since the announcements
of the disposition of practically all his
patronage have been made, however. and
the long, loud wall of the dsgruntled and
disappointed has been raised and will not
be quieted. a marked change in the may
or's bearing has become apparent. He dis
plays irritation at the criticisms heaped
upon him from those who were ostensibly
his warm friends but a few days since, and
he no longer remains quiet under the gibes
of the testers. Last evening he was stand
ing in the lobby of the Claypool, talking
with F.. NJ. Johnson and one or two other
Democratic friends, when Frank NJ. Dice,
of Charlottesville. and Sid Conger of Shell
byville, two well-known Republicans, ap-
preached the group.
Mr.. Hoffman" said Mr. Dice, extending
his hand, Il have been wanting to see you
that 1 might congratulate you and tell you
how heartily / indorse the beginning you
have made as mayor"
Mr.. Hoffman accepted the proffered
hand cordially, but a dubious expression
passed over his face-was he about to re-
ceive approval for his IL o'clock closing
order. or what?
Il just want to say that 1 believe you
are going to give just the kind of ad-
minstration we had every right to ex-
pect from you-a Democratic administra-
tion in every sense of the word" continued
Mr.. Dice. You have shown this by your
appointments. l am glad you are showing
no consideration for the Republicans who
elected you. You were elected as a Demo-
crat and the Democrats ought to reap all
the rewards.
One or TWO others who had joined the
group applauded this sentiment and
rubbed ii in little more, and the mayor
flushed and asked with some asperity:
We'll, who nominated me?'
No one unkind as to answer mono
syllabically but definitely, ''keach,'' and
the mayor continued:
Did L ever say L a Republican,
What Mr.. Holtzman did say every night
he spoke during the campaign was:
while / am a Democrat and believe in
that great Democratic principle of equal
and exact justice toward all and special
and exclusive privileges for none. yet | am
not narrow that / cannot stand shoulder
to shoulder with any Republican who will
vote the Democratic city ticket this fall :"
or words to that effect.
The mayor apparently had other things
to say that would tend 10 show further
that the worm has turned, but diversion
was created and the group broke UP.
ELEMENT THAT ELECTED HIM.
However. the consensus Of opinion as to
who and what really elected Mr.. Hoffman
has changed materially within the past few
days. Heretofore ii has been claimed
with few dissenting voices. that he owed
his election solely to Republican votes. Now
IL appears that while he would not have
been elected but for the Republicans who
voted for him, yet with all the Republican
votes he received he could not have been
elected but for more potent factor-the
active support of Thomas Taggart former
mayor and Democratic boss both former
and present. active and potential.
This conclusion has been forced on dis
cerning politicians of all parties. 1t be-
comes more apparent as the hand OF Tag
CART is seen in every official act of the new
mayor A prominent Democrat who has
worked with Mr.. Taggart in local. State
and national campaigns told the story yes
terday.
There's been lot of talk to the effect
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