The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-12-11
CITY CLERK
AND COMMITTEE
ARE NOT TOGETHER ON. THE
SUBJECT OF DEPUTY
BOTH MAKE STATEMENTS
Mr.. Taggart's Attitude in Regard to
the Matter-Brought Before
Council.

Under the head of "Machine-
Made Deputies one of the city pa
pers Friday evening printed an edi-
torial which was bitter attack on
the so-called Wayne County Repub-
lican "Machine." The editor used
for cudgel City Clerk Taggart's open
rebellion against the appointment of
his deputy by the finance committee
of the city council. The "machine"
which the editor purports to include
not only the present city officials
but the county officers as well, is
charged with everything from con-
tempt of the public s will to usurpa-
tion of power and between the lines
there is a yelled hint of corruption.
The editor says that now some city
official has screwed up the required
amount of nerve to buck against the
dictates of the "machine it Is a
golden opportunity "for the people
of this community to take a hand in
the affairs of their city and county
and see to it that the holding up of
officials elected by the people and
compelling them to accept as their
help whomsoever the machine die
tates, is stopped"
The members of the finance COM
mittae sof the city council are the
following: Henry w. Deuker, Edgar
Norris, and A.W. Bickwedel, the lat
ter being the Democratic member.
Mr.. Norris made the following
statement to the Palladium yester-
day morning in reference to the
charges brought against the commit
tee:
"I noticed last evening in the
Item that Mr.. Gordon in his editorial
under the head of 'Machine-Made
Deputies stated that the finance
committee had no business to ap-
point a deputy for the city clerks
Office and that the committee was ex-
travagant in creating an extra Of
fce' 1t is the duty of the commit
tee to appoint deputies for the city
officials the same as the street and
alley committee has the power to ap-
point street laborers, etc., or the fire
committee to appoint firemen. AS
for creating an extra Office | can
only say that the Office of deputy to
the city clerk was created by council
several years ago and it has always
been the custom to have this deputy
appointed by the finance committee.
From a political standpoint the man
who Taggart wished to have appoint
ed deputy was up to two years ago
a Democrat. The committee did not
think him a suitable man for the Of
flee and appointed instead young
man who has always been Republi-
can.
Mr.. Deuker was asked to make a
statement of his views but he declln-
ed saying that he did not care to
talS on the subject.
Mayor Zimmerman was also ques-
toned but was inclined to be noncom
initial, but said that he thought the
finance committee had a perfect
right to appoint the deputy.
A. W. Blickwedel denied that the
appointment of Mr.. Whelan was
made in "studied contempt Of the
clerk but for the reason that the
applicant in the committees opin-
ion was not the man for the place.
The whole affair is regrettabie.
City Clerk Taggart is most efficient
officer and felt as If he ought to be
allowed 'the privilege of appointing
his deputy. The gentlemen he had In
view as deputy, the Palladium knows
to be competent and thoroughly reli
able. The finance committee is of
the opinion that the appointment OF
, the clerks deputy comes under Its
jurisdiction and acted on the