The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1916-11-09
THE POLITICAL
WORLD
IN INDIANA
From THE TIMES Own IrH.-
&n&ponD Bureau.
TIMES BUREAU,
AT STATE CAPITAL.

INDIANAPOLIS. IND, Nov. s.--One
Of the results Of the election in Indi-
ana is that the old Democratic ma
chine. led by Senator Thomas Taggart
and a good senator. Mayor Bell and a
few others. has gone to the scrap heap
for good. Taggart has been defeated
for senator, and Bell and his outfit
have been discredited in Marion coun-
ty and through Marion county in the
entire state by the complete routing
of the Democratic party at the polls.
Taggart has reached the senator
ship. thanks to the appointment by his
satellite. Governor Ralston. But he
could not put it over at the election
this fall. There are no further politi-
cal honors in store for Taggart He
cannot hope to be elected TO any
higher office than that in which he is
now serving by reason Of appoint
ment. Therefore, there is no reason
to expect that he will feel the same
degree in interest in the success of the
Democratic party in the future that he
has felt in the past. when the future
held out something for him.
If Taggart retires at the end OF his
present term as Senator and devotes
his time to his business at French Lick.
as il is generally suspected he will do.
it will mean that the Democratic out
fit viii have to pull along some way
without him in a commanding ca
pacity.
Who will take Taggarts place as the
leader of the party in the state? Mayor
Bell cannot do it, because he is politi-
caNy discredited. And a careful OBJ
server. after looking over the field of
Democratic leadership timber in the
state. fails to find among all Of the
number a man Of the right size and
caliber TO step in and assume the lead
ership Of the party. That a new lead
err must spring up is evident fact.
If a new leader We're to come from
the better element of the partys
ranks he would be certain TO meet
with the interference Of the old ma
chine. which would be slow to adopt
modern political methods. And no one
seems to be able to point to any inde-
pendent or modern-ideaed Democrat in
the state who would be willing to as
sumo the task Of attempting to put
the party back on its feet
Senator John W. Kern will be
through with politics when he quits
office as senator. Vice President Mar
shall probably will have had enough of
the political game when he finishes his
term.
Therefore. it looks as if the Demo-
Gratis will have no leadership in the
state. With Republican admlnistra-
ton in the state house there viii be no
nice. large. juicy plums and jobs for
the Democratic machine politicians.
such as they have enjouted under
Democratic administrations. and this
viii take much of the interest out Of
them as far as politics is concerned.
When there is nothing in sight there
Will not be much to lure the politicians
on to heavy efforts.
There Is no question but that the
Republicans will have large majority
in the House of Representatives at the
coming session Of the Legislature, but
ii seems that the Senate will be held
by the Democrats. because Of the num-
Der of holdover Democrats in that
body.
Already two candidates for speaker
of the House have been heard OF. One
is Jesse Eschbach, of Kosciusko coun-