The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-27
Thought He Really Is Playing
Clever Political Game for
The Benefit of John W.
Kern.
SLACK CLOSELY WATCHES
MOVES IN KERN CAMP.
Thought That When the Prop
er Time Comes French Lick
King Will Quietly Give Word
To Forces to Work for Kern
By Ellis Searles.

Indianapolis, Ind, Nov. 27.-Tom
Taggart left for French Lick last
night after spending three or four
days in this city. and he left behind
a trail of suspicion that he is not as
disinterested in the fight for United
States Senator as he processes. He
has been emphatic in his declarations
that he is taking no part in the tight
and that he does not intend to mix
in It, But he has also said right along
that he is not trying to control the
action of his friends and that they are
at liberty to support whom they
please for Senator. 1t is notable
fact that since Taggart got out of the
race most of his followers have come
out for Kern either openly or quietly,
and this is taken to mean that, to
say the least, Taggart is not making
any strenuous effort to keep them
from supporting Kern in preference
to any other candidate for the place.
Every time Taggart comes to town
from French Lick he calls on Kern
and has a long talk with him. Both
deny that there is any politics In
these conferences, and they insist
that the Senatorship is not discussed.
This may be true, but Kern is talking
Senatorship with everybody else that
Will listen to him, and it is difficult to
imagine Kern and Taggart getting to-
gether and holding long conversa-
tion without touching even lightly on
the all-important subject. 1t would
not be expected, of course that either
would admit that they talked about
the election of a United States Sena-
tor. 1t would be poor politics for them
to do so, and neither one is poor
politician.
The general supposition is that
while Taggart is out in the open
whooping things up for Kern he is
lending his aid and the full value of
his political experience and wisdom
to Kern in his fight for the toga. 1t is
even limited that Taggart is permit
ting some of his followers to line up
with opposition candidates for the
purpose of making an appearance of
impartiality and disinterestedness
but that when the psychological mo-
ment arrives he will give the word
Kern camp.
Slack Watches Kern.
But all this is being watched with
eager eyes by the rest of the candi-
dates. The most watchful of all the
opponents of Kern is Slack, who is
not allowing a single move of the
Kern crowd to escape him He is
spending as much time as possible in
this city where he is able to meet
members of the Legislature as they
come in from over the State, and he
is doing some hard work among them.
Word comes from Huntington county
that the sentiment there is for Slack
and that the Huntington county Dem
ocrats believe Kern has had sufficient
honors from the party. But from 9TH
er counties heard from in the last few
days, the reports say that the rank
and file Of the party is with Kern
1t is believed that there will be
great doings when the democratic
members of the legislature come to
Indianapolis on December 15, for their
pre-legislative powwow. This confer
ence will consider everything that the
democrats will have on hands during
the session OF the legislature, and in
hsmuch as the senatorship will be
one OF the main things that they will
have to handle. it is a cinch that the
whole matter will be threshed out at
that time. All the senatorial candi-
A4AA xx,ty
vance to meet the members as they
come to town. 1t will be strenuous
season for the legislator. He will no
sooner light" in the city than he will
be made the object of attack by each
and every candidate for senator, col
1ectively and severally. He will be
wined and dined and feasted until he
will wish he could live and die a mem
ber Of the legislature. And it will be
80 from that time on until the vote is
taken and the senator elected
Edward c. Hoffman, of Fort Wayne.
the youngest of all the senatorial can
didates, was in the city yesterday. He
came the previous night to make
speech at the banquet of college fra
ternity. and he got so deeply interest
ed in the political situation that he
remained over and missed good tur-
key dinner at home on Thanksgiving
In order to see few more of the boys
from whom he will expect some sup
port. Hoffman is candidate in earn
est. He says he wants the place and
is going to do his best to get it. He
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