Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, Marion County, 28 September 1897 — Page 4

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THE DAILY JOURNAL TUESDAY* SEPTEMBER 28, 1897. V\fi&hiflgton Office—l£o3 Pennsylvania Avenue Telephone ('nil*. Business Office 238 | Editorial 800m5...A 83 TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. DAILY BY MAIL. Dally only, one month $ .70 Dally only, three months 2.00 Daily only, one year 8.00 Daily, including, Sunday, one year 10.00 Sunday only, one year 2.00 WHEN FURNISHED BY AGENTS. Daily, per week, br carrier 13 rts Sunday, single copy •> cts Daily and Sunday, per week, by carrier 2o cts WEEKLY. .. M Per j ear SI.OO Reduced Rate* to Club*. S.ibrcribe with any of our numerous agents or Send subscriptions to THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, Indianapolis, lud. Persons sending the Journal through the mails In the United States should put on an eight-page palter a ONE-CENT postage tamp; on A twelve or sixteen-page pa per a TWO-CENT postage s’amp. Foreign postage is usually double these rates. All communications intended for publication In this pa|>er must, in ordtr to receive attention, be accompanied bv the name and address of tho writer. If It is desired that rejected manuscripts be returned, postage must in all cases be Inclosed lor that purpose. THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL Can be found at the following placee: NEW YORK—Windsor Hotel and Astor House. CHICAGO—PaImer House and P. O. News Cos., 317 Dearborn street. CINCINNATI—J. R. Hawley & Cos.. 134 Vine street. LOUISVILLE—C. T. Deerlng, northwest corner of Third and Jefterson Btreets, and > Louisville Book Cos.. 236 Fourth avenue. BT. LOUIS —Union News Company, Union Depot. WASHINGTON. D. C.— Riggs House, Ebbitt House, Willard’s Hotel and the Washington News Exchange, Fourteenth street, between Penn, avenue and F street. There are many Indications that the tire of the Taggart machine haa been punctured. If the susi>ended park system could resign as did Superintendent Colbert, another might be begun under better auspices. Even nonintercourse with the United States is not a thing which the Spanish authorities can contemplate with entire satisfaction. If It is made perfectly clear that the Sugar Trust is behind the opposition to the annexation of Hawaii, opposition will not make senators popular. Reports from Ohio are to the effect that many farmers w T ho voted for Bryan last November have returned to the Republican ranks because of the present object lesson. Ex-Superintendent Colbert, could add interest to the campaign by telling all that he knows of the scheme to defeat Judge Cox. The whole truth would be interesting reading. The address of Representative Overstreet, which is given in this issue, is entitled to a careful reading 1 by those who care to have the affairs of the city managed upon business principles.

The only men who do not believe that the $10,600 expended upon Pogue’s run is not thrown away are those who obtain that money for the least amount of work on the run and the greatest amount of work for Taggart. The Labor Bureau at Washington makes the cost of coal strikes from 1881 to Ji63,897,866. In these strikes 3,714,406 men were thrown out of employment. This goes to show that the strike is an expensive way of settling labor differences. A London dispatch says that Minister Woodford is made to feel the bitterness of the Spanish people at every turn. For that matter, the rulers of Spain have been in the same position. The populace of Spain is the dregs of a worn-out race. Ex-Senator Peffer, of Kansas, in answer to a question, declares in his paper that gold and silver cannot be maintained at a parity under free coinage. He supports free coinage because he knows it will force the country to a silver basis for the reason it would be a cheaper currency. The street-railroad managers in Chicago are going too far when they declare that employe* shall not organize. But excuse can be offered for the managers, because by the purchase of franchises of corrupt councilrfien and of fifty years extension of charters from corrupt legislatures they have come to believe that they own Chicago. It was too bad that the officers of the Commercial Club should have taken from the street-railroad company the credit of the placards extolling Indianapolis, because if these magnates had shown a disposition to praise Indianapolis a few people who do not remember might have relented and thus secured the company a very few friends. The Republicans of Nebraska have filed a protest with the secretary of state against the so-called silver Republican being permitted to have a place on the state ticket on the ground that the new election law prohibits any new party from taking any part of an old party's name. The silver Republicans, as they call themselves, arc the original party, relying upon declarations in state Republican platforms in favor of the free coinage of silver. To-day the national convention of mayors and councilmen will meet in Columbus, O. Such conventions can be made very useful, since municipal government In this country needs more radical improvement than any other. There is no field in which there Is greater opportunity for the display of practical statesmanship. If this organization is designed to give the people better ffove-nment at less expense, it would be an excellent meeting for Mayor Taggart to attend. Senator Hanna is given credit for the course he pursued during the coal strike. He was paying his men 60 cents, where the others got 54. They did not wish to strike, but he closed his mines when requested to do so by the president of the coal miners’ union. When it was threatened to put nonunion men at work in the places of the strikers he refused and defeated the scheme. Labor Leader Dolan, who is a Democrat, says the troubles would not have been so easily adjusted if Senator Hanna had not assisted. And yet he is denounced as an oppressor of labor. A few days ago Mr. Colbert declared that he would not resign, but some pressure was brought upon him yesterday to force him to do so. Thus he has been made the scapegoat of the Taggart administration, which selected him to carry out a line of policy devised by the mayor's friends. Besides, there waa better evidence o? the offense for the alleged commission of which he has been forced to rtsign, the day he entered upon his official duties. Mr. Colbert has been forced to resign to placate the Cox

people. Mr. Colbert has hosts of friends who may now need to be placated by the Taggart regime. ALL IS NOT LOST. Since Thomas Taggart was nominated for mayor in the heat of summer his cause has lost much of that jaunty assurance which his claquers assumed. Ail of them who have political sense have ceased to go about the streets talking a Taggart walkover. Only a few are saying that “Tom Taggart is the best mayor Indianapolis ever had,” and those who do say it In a manner to convince that hearer that they know a great deal better. At first Mr. Taggart’s advocates went forth valiantly decaring that Mr. Taggart’s administration has been one of business. “Tom,” they told us, “is not an orator, because he is literally stuffed so full of business that there is no room in him for a speech.” Then the curious began to look for the business. They discovered at the outset that the expenses of the street-re-pair bureau the week before the Taggart primaries were more than doiprle those of ordinary periods. This certainly was “business,” probably a thrifty business for the Taggart regime, but not the sort that commends a mayor to taxpayers. The inquirers next came up against the suspended park system, our suspended gardens of Babylon, minus the gardens, but plus $350,000 of borrowed money, upon which interest is being paid. There is no end of gossip about land purchases or contracts and a few crooked transactions to insure a Council vote for the bonds. An assessment was made for the construction of the park system, but it was recalled or suspended when the assessed got information of the assessments. To-day no man can or will tell the boundaries of the suspended park system. Many every-day taxpayers cannot see any marvelous quality of business In this. Nor do they regard the increase of the current expenditures of the city nearly 14 per cent, over the last Denny year as a striking evidence of the sort of business which is essential to a businesslike administration of the affairs of a city. These, with other things, have eliminated the claims of a business administration from the Taggart campaign. It has gone, in the words of a dead but once famous person, “where the woodbine twineth.” And now comes the affair of the police. The force has been Increased and costs more than ever, but under the Taggart regime it has been demoralized. It could not be otherwise, when one of its duties has been to promote the sale of the beer of the syndicate of Mr. Taggart’s friends and suppress that of others. The stperintendent’s conduct has opened the eyes of the people to the condition of the police force and those of the Cox faction to the designs of the friends of the mayor. Here is another great loss. And yet all is not lost. The Taggart smile remains. Os late it is of a sickly cast —not so expansive and persuasive as it was six weeks ago, when his Honor was the personification of the smile beatific. Os late the smile has become a burden. As some excellent people are reported to have done with their halos, Mr. Taggart removes his smile when he retires at night and hangs it up with his clothes. Still he wears the smile in public. It is wan and worn and a trifle battered, but Mr. Taggart still clings to it as the last hope of the campaign. “All is lost save honor,” a Frenchman or somebody else is reported to have exclaimed. “All is lost save the smile” is the comforting remark of the little knots of Taggartites, as they gaze upon the wreck of the early campaign equipment.

. TKOLBLES AT HOME. Those papers in Germany which have declared that it seems necessary for the powers in Europe to unite in giving the United States a drubbing to teach us humility could not have weighed their words. We are troubling no European nation. We have kept aloof from all their entanglements. We are discussing in a diplomatic manner with Spain the ;ituation in Cuba because Cuba is more to us than to Spain. We have issued no manifesto, not even a protest against the rehabilitation of Turkey. We are minding our own affairs, which just now are very prosperous. All the grievance Germany can have is that in our new tariff we have offset the export bounty which the German government pays upon sugar by imposing an additional duty equal to the bounty. This has been done to put Germany on an equality with other competitors. ’Germany has discriminated against our meat products, but we do not ask other nations to join us in making war upon that empire as punishment. Those papers which seem so anxious to humble us by uniting all Europe to make war upon us seem not to remember one thing, which is that in the United States there are a third as many people either of German birth or German extraction as there are Germans in that empire. These people no longer hold allegiance to the war Emperor, but they hold fatherland in affectionate remembrance. Half Germany is bound to the people of German blood and customs by the strong ties of kindred. Thousands of families are halved between the two countries. The thrifty, law-respect-ing, family-loving Germans are always welcomed to the United States as immigrants. When those bellicose editors take time to consider this matter they will stack their arms. Besides, Germany has grave troubles of her own. Unless the war Emperor is merely talking his aim is to rule Germany as a divinely appointed king who can do no wrong and who is responsible for his acts to God alone. That liberty, country-loving people reverence law and will be slow to resist the encroachments of the Emperor, but already the masses are organizing against his pretensions and to resist his demands. The number of those opposing the Emperor is increasing in the national legislature in every succeeding election. It is not impossible that the different factions hostile to the pretensions and exactions of the Emperor may constitute a majority after the next election. If the Emperor is a believer in the heresy of the divine right of kings he will set uside the constitutional and representative features of the German empire. He is building up an army and a navy so essential to absolute rule, and he has already ignored the action of the national legislature in refusing to vote him enormous amounts of money to increase his naval power. So long as Germany, ruler and people, have such grave troubles of their own the latter will be in no temper to make fratricidal war upon Germans in the United States. The National Credit Men’s Association has decided to perfect a system by which the merchants who are members may guard against imposition by dishonest dealers and fraudulent assignments to cheat creditors. It has been discovered that many small re-

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 28, 1817.

tailers purchase small amounts of goods from a number of firms and then make fraudulent assignments by which much money is pocketed. This scheme is successful because a large firm will not take the trouble to look after a small claim. It is now proposed by the national association to perfect an organization which will extend to all parts of the country, and whenever five members report a suspicious failure the matter shall be thoroughly investigated, and if fraud is discovered the association will provide the means for the prosecution of those who have perpetrated it. A London writer who is disturbed at seeing so much money going to the United States, complains because the great English colonies do not supply England with what wheat is required. It does seem as if Canada, Australia and India ought to be able to feed the mother country, but since they do not It is difficult to see what the mother country can do about it except to continue, with what grace it may, to be an American market. America, it may be sure, will cheerfully go on furnishing breadstuffs so long as the price is forthcoming. There is reason to fear that Scotch plays have been put on the stage a little too late to share in the furor created by the novels of which they are dramatizations. The public has grown a little tired of reading Scotch dialect and will hardly be likely to listen to it patiently at the theater, especially when the actors but poorly imitate the genuine Highland speech. Stage people seldom give any sort of dialect correctly, and are likely to miss the mark widely in attempting the Scotch burr. In fact, the reports from the “Little Minister,” w’hich is comparatively mild in the matter of dialect, are to the effect that it is almost unintelligible as spoken, and when extended through three or four acts is very tiresome. So far from being a help in carrying the play through it is a hindrance, and yet the distinctive character of the play, as of the book, is given to it largely by the peculiar vernacular used. But. Scotch dialect is too harsh and contains too many strange w’ords to hold more than a passing interest for the English-speaking world, and it looks as if that interest, so general a year or so ago, had already nearly disappeared. Mrs. Sarah Terry, aged 105, but bright and active, entertained her friends at a birthday party at her home, in Philadelphia, the other day and was as merry as the youngest of her guests. She never “saw Washington,” though she is old enough to have done so. but has many stories to tell of him related by her father, who was one of his officers in the revolutionary war. Centenarians are not uncommon in these days, and it is when one life is measured against that of our country reaching back to the time of the first President that its brief existence is realized—for, though the hundred years is a long human life, for a nation it means youth. Black, smoky, dirty Chicago is about to have its streets sw’ept. systematically after the fashion of New r York, Indianapolis and other self-respecting cities, and is actually discussing the propriety of clothing its army of sweepers in white uniforms like Colonel Waring’s men in New York. It will have to stop burning bituminous coal in such event, or sweepers of the morning will be sooty black before night. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union of Brooklyn is about to “resolve” against MacMonnies's “Bacchante,” which is now in the New r York Art Museum. The poor thing must wish by this time that she had never been born. The pungent odor of tomato “ketchup” fills the mild September air. E-en the passing traveler realizes that Indianapolis is a manufacturing city and is not surprised to learn that it ships trainloads of the product every day.

BIUIIL.ES I> THE AIR. Spicy. “Any spicy features in the new play?’’ “Well,” the lady answ’ered, “John had his mouth full of cloves.” Insulted. Mrs. Potterby—lf you don’t get out of here, I will call the dog. Dismal Dawson—l don’t eat dog. I ain't no Klondiker. A Study in Abbreviations. A little Quakeress, so quaint, So modest and so sweet, She looked a veritable st. While walking down the st. A Burden Liglitener. “I have always tried to lighten the burdens of the toiler,” said the eminent citizen. “I understand,” said the scoffer, “that your hands always carry home lighter bundles on pay day than any other set of men in .the same trade.” . WARMER AND FAIR. Old Sol Will Shoot His Fiery Buys at Intllunapolis Another Duy. Forecast for Indianapolis and vicinity for the twenty-four hours ending 11 p. m., Sept. 28—Warmer; fair weather on Tuesday. General Conditions Yesterday—High barometric pressure continues over the country, except from Nebraska northward, where the pressure is low. The temperature rose in and near the Missouri valley. Elsewher it fell. It fell from 10 to 20 degrees from Illinois eastward to New York. Fair weather continued, and no rain fell anywhere. FORECAST FOR THREE STATES. WASHING! ON, Sept. 27.—For Ulno— Fair; cooler in southern, portions; light northeasterly winds. For Indiana—Fair; warmer in western portions; northeasterly winds. For Illinois—* air; warmer in northern pprtion; southerly winds. Local Observations Monday. Bar. Ther. R.H. Wind. Weather. Pre. 7a. m.. 30.28 55 65 N’east. Clear. 0.00 7 p.m..30.50 67 39 N’east. Clear. 0.00 Maximum temperature, 73; minimum tempt raiure, 53. Following is a comparative statement of the temperature and precipitation Sept. 27; Temp. Pre. Normal 62 0.09 ait an 63 u.ou Departure from normal *1 —o.U9 Departure since Sept. 1 *l4B —I.BB Departure since Jan. 1 —93 — 1.15 •Plus. C. F. li. WAPPENHANS, Docal Forecast Official. Yesterday’s Temperatures. Stations. Tam. Max. 7p. m. Atlanta, Ga. 66 90 * 82 Bismarck. N. D 50 so 8u Buitalo, N. Y 46 58 50 Calgary, N. W. T 48 58 54 Cairo, 111 62 88 is Cheyenne, Wyo 54 76 10 Chicago. 11l 54 02 60 Concoidia, Kan 54 94 so Davenport, la 54 74 0s Des Moines, la 58 78 10 Dodge City, Kan 50 88 78 Galveston, Tex 74 84 82 Helena, Mont 56 78 74 Jacksonville, Fla 72 84 72 Kansas City, Mo 62 94 84 Kittle Rock, Ark 64 96 84 Marquette, Mich 42 56 52 Memphis, Tenn.f 68 92 88 Nashville, Tenn 60 92 80 New Orleans, La 72 84 80 New York 54 02 52 North Platte, Neb 62 50 82 Oklahoma, O. T 60 90 80 Omaha, Neb 60 88 80 Pittsburg, Pa 52 66 58 Qu’ Appeile, N. W. T.... 54 a2 66 Rapid City. S. D 64 84 78 Salt Lake City, Utah.... 56 80 78 St. Ljuis, Mo 60 81 78 St. Paul. Minn 48 70 64 Springfield, 111 56 80 70 Springfield. Mo 66 90 82 Vicksburg. Miss 06 Ha 82 Washington, D, C 58 70 56

THE BANNER RALLY * ABOUT 4.000 VOTERS WERE AT THE BALL PARK LAST NIGHT. This Republican Meeting; the Largest Ever Held in a Municipal Campaign in Indiannpolis. HOT SHOT AT MR. TAGGART - REPRESENTATIVE OVERSTREET GIVES FIGURES IN HIS SPEECH. Talks by Messrs. Harding, Beveridge, Taylor, Kealing and Others Complete the Evening. The Republican leaders made no mistake when they looked forward to last night's meeting at the baseball park as the banner meeting of the campaign. It would have served very well as the banner meeting of a state campaign. It w r as originally intended as a meeting for the Eighth ward, but the rest of the city must have contributed to the immense crowd that filled the grand stand to overflowing, packed itself between that and the speakers’ stand, which had been pitched over the home plate, and flushed away on behind all over the diamond. It is difficult to estimate a crowd, particularly when the majority of the people are standing on foot, but the holiday crowds at ball games, when the gate receipts showed 4,000 and 5,000 people present, have seemed no larger than that of last evening. It was an earnest and orderly crowd with the exception of a well-known Democratic ex-reporter, who was in an unusually lachrymose condition and seemed impressed with the notion that he was a whole bouquet instead of a single flower. Some wicked person ensconced safely behind the tier of boxes on the roof of the grand stand tossed over the roof an egg, which exploded in front of the Sentinel reporter and soiled his clothing somewhat. It was a Democratic egg. At least it had about it the odor of the Taggart administration. The incident passed unnoticed. The When band was stationed in one of the boxes and discoursed excellent music during the half hour that the great crowd w r as gathering. Numerous delegations marched to the grounds with a drum corps at their heau, and the air was full of all kinds of music. The crowd was agreeably entertained before the speaking began with a wagon load of fireworks that made a beautiful display. The crowd was enthusiastic to a degree, and Mr. Harding w r as given an ovation when he appeared upon the stand and took his place among the speakers. Edwin Pugh, the chairman of the meeting, called it to order promptly at 8 o’clock and introduced Representative Overstreet, who was received with cheers. His speech, dealing with the financial shortcomings of the administration, w’as listened to with close interest and the telling points applauded. When Mr. Overstreet had finished there were loud cries for Mr. Harding, and he was given an ovation when introduced by Chairman Pugh. He called attention to the statements of the evening Taggart organ that this w r as a spiritless campaign, in which the people were displaying no interest, and remarked that the writer of these statements had probably not attended any of the Republican meetings of the campaign. He asked how many people of all this vast audience had been thinking about the issues of the campaign, and suggested that those who wanted cheaper gas raise their hands. Thousands of hands went up. “Now, how many believe they will ever get cheaper gas under Mayor Taggart?” he asked, and not a hand went up. “This same newspaper,” he continued, “declares that I have given no definite promises to better the conditions of the people. I pledge you my word, and my word is as good as my bond for every dollar I am worth, that if I shall be elected—and I shall be elected—l shall appoint a Board of Public Works pledged to obtain cheaper gas by opening the doors to fair competition; pledged to otnain cheaper telephone rates by the same method, and pledged to conduct its department without favoritism to any corporation or body of men. I pledge myself to administer the law fairly and impartially, and to give you a clean and honest administration, keeping in mind the principle of the greatest good accomplished at the least expense to the people. I shall enter upon my work untrammeled by any pledges other than those made to you, the people, and with no other object than to conduct your municipal affairs hortestly and without bias. I have no friends to reward nor enemies to punish.” Mr. Harding devoted some time to a discussion of the financial operations of the administration, showing that the expenditures wre exceeding the revenues, and ca.ied attention to the Democratic habit of issuing bonds.

MU. OVERSTREET’S FIGURES. A Fine Arraignment of tbe Taggart Administration. Representative Overstreet’s speech at the ball park meeting last night was as follows; During the period marked by the last quarter of a century the Democratic party has had control of three administrations of the affairs of the city of Indianapolis. Two of these administrations are closed and the third now approaches its end. Each of these administrations resulted in an increase of the bonded Indebtedness of the city, and each was characterized by an increased expenditure of money and an anticipation of taxes then uncollected with which to meet the current expenses of the government. The administration now closing is not exempt from the characteristics of its two Democratic predecessors. The same character of business methods, the same character of expenditures has been followed by this administration. Coming into power at each of these three periods when the city government, as administered by Republican officials. had left the finances of the city in a healthy condition, these three Democratic administrations should have marked eras of economy and progress in the city’s affairs instead of being marked by an increased indebtedness and evidence of failure in the management of the business of the city. In striking contrast with the management of these three administrations stands the record of the Republican party in its management of the business affairs of the city. Each Republican administration of the city of Indianapolis has been marked by a spirit of economy and progress, by a reduction of the bonded indebtedness of the city, yet at the same time maintaining the advancement which should characterize all the city administrations, and each administration has closed its work with the full payment of current expenses, and in no instance has it left a deficit or an overdraft as a legacy to its successor. The first of these three Democratic administrations is condemned by all parties because of its prodigal expenditure of the people's money and its thorough abuse of the power which had been intrusted to it. It is a ma’ter of history unnecessary to explain in detail that the obligations imposed by that administration of 1872 to 187a was the cause of the constitutional amendment prohibiting the bonded indebtedness of a city to exceed 2 per cent, of the assessed valuation of its property. The second one of these three administrations came into power at a time when the business of the country 1 was at a high tide of prosperity, when monev was cheap, and when, if the business affairs of the city could be managed upon a purely business line with success, it could have been done in that period. And yet at the close of its two years' term it went out of power having increased the bonded indebtedness of the city and left unpaid thousands of dollars of the current running expense of the government It is a fact humiliating to a city of this size and importance that at the close of the Sullivan administration even the rent of the offices occupied by the officials of the government • was left unpaid, and overdrafts and temporary loans to the extent of nearly $200,000 were left as a legacy to the Republican ad-

ministration to take charge of and dispose of as best it could under the circumstances. WJien the last Republican administration came into power it actually found that, notwithstanding there was a stated balance of about $2,000 to the credit of the city in the treasurer’s hands, there was outstanding unpaid $140,000 in temporary loans and bonds, while $45,000 had been advanced by the treasurer against the taxes to be paid thereafter. In additian to this the rent for the city offices, amounting to SI,BOO. was due and unpaid, as well as $2,500 due the county auditor for assessments on city property. DEBTS PAID BY REPUBLICANS. Coming into power with such a demoralized condition of the city affairs one would hardly expect even the Republican administration to have weathered the storm in so short a time as was dofce successfully by the last Republican administration. The records of the city government show that the Republican administration of 1593 to 1895 paid the overdrafts, rent, temporary bonds outstanding at the time thej| came into power, without increasing the bonded indebtedness of the city, arid actually made such improvements and advancements in the affairs of the city government as rarely marked a period of improvement and advancement by any city administration in the history of Indianapolis. That Republican administration having recovered the ground lost by its predecessor, having liquidated all of the unpaid current expenses, refunded the bonded indebtedness of the city so as to reduce the interest from 7 3-10 per cent, to 4 per cent, per annum, and in no instance withheld proper expenditures of money where needed, nor took one single backward step in the advancement which should always mark the growth of this city. The present administration, upon entering into power twenty-three months ago. found all the current expenses paid, ‘found no overdrafts, found no increased bonded indebtedness, but entered upon the administration of its term with a clean balance sheet and a credit of which any city might be proud. Coming into power under such favorable conditions, the present administration should have proved successful in every particular, and should be able at this hour, when it is asking by your votes an approval of its course, to show that it has not abused its opportunities, blit has continued the progress of the city upon the line which the Republican administration had laid down. It is for you now to determine how' far this administration has succeeded in the management of the city affairs. I venture the statement that this administration, when its history shall be made up, will be subject to the same criticism thbt we are compelled to give to the other two Democratic administrations to which I have referred, and will prove no exception to the rule, and that it will be found to have increased the bonded indebtedness of the city and to have expended the taxes without regard to the bu iness methods that should be pursued, and in all respects followed the line of business principles practiced by the former Democratic administrations. It has always been a marvel to me why Democrats, who, in their individual affairs, are economical and thrifty and able to succeed, when they come to take charge of the government, city, state or national, should always fail. The personnel of the three Democratic administrations referred to was above the average of business men, and in each instance the head of these three Democratic administrations showed by his success in individual business affairs his ability to manage and make money and lay aside an amount sufficient to mark him as a good business man. In each instance you would have supposed that having taken charge of the affairs of the city the same' business methods which characterized the individual business of these persons would have characterized the city business, but rot so. There is a something that has never yet been explained to me which enters into the makeup of Democratic officials which differs materially from the principles which prompt them in their individual business affairs. We are compelled to say by an examination of the reports thus far published of the present administration as compared with the historv of the last Republican administration, that the city affairs have not been conducted upon true business principles, but have been conducted in an extravagant and unbusinesslike manner. THE EXPENDITURES COMPARED. The last published report of the present city controller contains a table showing the expenditures of the year 1595, which was the last ye*r of the last Republican administration. It also shows the expenditures of the year 1896, the first year of the present Democratic administration. I therefore invite attention to this report, as it is wholly composed of evidence furnished by the financial officer of the present administration. A comparison of the expenditures of these two years, one immediately following the other, shows clearly that this administration has not conducted the affairs of the city in a purely business-like manner. The total expenditures, as shown by this report, for the year 1895, were $1,072,952.62, while for the year 1896 they wre $1,426,997.76. There were, however, certain expenditures in the year 1895, and which I take entirely from this Democratic controller’s report, which were unusual expenditures not occurring in the ordinary course of the affairs of the city, and which for purposes of true comparison should be eliminated. The same is also true of the year 1896. It must also be remembered that in 1896 we were paying 7 3-10 per cent, interest on the bonded indebtedness of tne city, which that administration reduced to 4 per cent., which amount only w’as paid in 18:,6. Consequently the interest account differing in rate should be eliminated for the purpose of a proper comparison. In the year 1895 we paid over SIO,OOO for the expenses of the city election, which is not properlv considered current expenses. We also paid in that year $3,000 for tne compilation of the city ordinances, a w’ork which does not occur except at long intervals, and consequently should not be regarded as a current expense, and should be eliminated from the expenditures of the year 1895 in order to make a proper basis of comparison. In both of these years the law department of the city government paid out thousands of dollars in discharge of judgments and costs against the city, and which one year with another will vary according to the suits which may be brought against the city for liability incurred in this way. in 1895, on account of the thrift and energy of the law officials of the Republican administration. a large number of cases which had gone over unsettled, and a large number of judgments which had been unpaid, were cleared from the city Incumbrances, and over $14,600 was thus expended by that department, while a little over $9,001) was paid for the same cause in 1896. Taking out. therefore, these Items from both years, as well as the bonds which were redeemed, and which, of course, are not properiy current expenses, w r e would have a showing which would reduce the expenses for the two years to a basis of comparison upon the current and running expenses of the city government. This would be as follows: —1895. Total expenditures $1,072,952.62 Bonds redeemed $276,000.00 Interest account 62,973.32 Election expenses 10,243,43 Compilation of ordinances 3,000.00 Law department expenses 14,505.58 Total 366.722.33 Current expenditures .. $706,230.29 —1896. Total expenditures $1,426,997.76 Bonds redeemed $545,000.00 Interest account 57,764.88 Law department exexpenses 9,111.73 Total 611,876.61 Current expenditures .. $815,121.15 BORROWED FOR THE EXPENSES. The current expenditures of the city in the year 1896 exceeded the expenditure of the same class for the year 1895 by SIOB,890.86. It is claimed, how’ever, by the present administration, that it has expended more money for permanent improvements than was expended by its predecessors, the Republican administration, and refers to the improvements in the fire and health departments. It points with great pride and gusto to the $50,000 it expended for the improvement in the fire department and the $30,000 paid for the extension of the health department. But. my friends, $70,000 of the amount expended for these two purposes was borrowed money, for which bonds have been issued at 4 per cent, per annum, $60,000 of which bonds are yet unpaid. The two items of expenditure for permanent improvement in the Are and health departments in 1896 amount to $87,014.44, $70,0J0 of which was borrowed money. It expended for these two purposes, out of the revenue paid to the present government in the year 1896. and independent of the borrowed money, only $17,014.44. During the year 1595, as shown by this Democratic controller’s report. the Republican administration, without borrowing a dollar, meeting their biils as they fell due, paying the indebtedness inherited from Its Democratic predecessor. expended for permanent improvement in the fire department $25,362.21. and in the health department $375, making a ; total expenditure in the year 1895 for the same purposes of $25,737.31. as against the $17,014.44 which the present administration expended for such purposes In the year 1896. There was expended by tne Republican ad-

ministration of 1895, as shown by this Democratic report, the sum of $48,409.06 for permanent improvements, not a dollar of which w’as borrowed, all of which was paid out of the current revenues, obtained during that year. There was expended by the present administration during the year 1896 for permanent improvements $119,062.16, $70,000 of which was borrowed money. The expenditure out of current revenue for permanent improvements in 1896 was $49.062.16, only $563.10 more than its Republican predecessor expended for permanent improvements the preceding year. And there was the four per cent, interest to be paid upon the $70,000 borrowed for permanent improvements. As SIO,OOO of that sum has been paid I compute the interest only upon $60,000 for the year, which was $2,400. This same Democratic report shows that these bonds were for improvements of the hospital and fire departments. I call further attention to the fact thht the ordinary expenses for police protection and for hospital purposes were not any greater, with the possible exception of a very few dollars, in the year 1896 than they were in the year 1895. and I cr” 'irther attention to the fact that in the ” 1895, as shown by the Democratic repo ere was expended for permanent impn ents by the Department of Public Woi $14,086.22, paid for out of the current expenses of 1895, while there was but $9,771.40 expended for similar purposes in the year 1896. Every one of these figures 1 take from the report of the present city controller, and well does he say in his communication to the mayor transmitting this report that “Your attention is respectfully directed to tables in this report which contain much information that is valuable to every taxpayer.” INCREASE OVER SIOB,OOO.

This comparison shows that the present administration, in the year 1896, expended over SIOB,OOO more than was expended the preceding year by the Republican administration and for similar purposes, and without having shown any improvement in the administration of the city’s affairs, and having no permanent improvements to which it can point where this additional expense has gone. It is claimed, however, that by a change in the law an expense for the sprinkling of the imuroved streets, amounting to some $50,000, now falls upon the current expenses that formerly w’as discharged by the property owners. Y/ere this true it would still leave over $50,000 unaccounted for. and the natural growth of the city in twelve months could not be given as a reason for this increased expenditure. As I have indicated, the expenses of the police and Health Departments were not greater in 1896 than they were in 1895, and 1 call attention to the fact that the law relative to the payment for sprinkling the improved streets went into effect during the year 1895, and in a large portion of that year this was paid for by the Republican city administration of that year, which I have not taken out of the expenditures in this comparison. I challenge contradiction of these figures, and if they are true, and this Democratic report is my authority, then the present administration is not a business administration, and is not manifesting a business sagacity and experience that would justify the present bid for votes at the October election. The affairs of a large city should be administered economically, yet with a true sense of the progress which should always characterize the grow'th of a great city. I would in no instance have one backward step taken, nor one doliar improperly expended nor one dollar improperly withheld. But the record of these two years shows conclusively that the affairs of this city have not been conducted by the present administration with a spirit of economy and progress. There has during the past few months been added to the city new responsibilities by the annexation of the towns of North Indianapolis, Brightw’ood, Haughville and Mount Jackson. These towns which have come Into the city are expecting fair administration and consideration. They are entitled to increased benefits without increased taxation. If the present administration, without these responsibilities, has failed to administer the business of the city in a proper manner, what can be expected when new responsibilities shall be added? I want to call attention to one additional failure on the part of this administration. There were issued in June last $150,000 of bonds for the purpose of constructing a new station house and improving the facilities of the police department. The first step made by the administration was to sell the bonds, obligating the city to the payment of the principal and 4 per cent, annual interest. The money was actually deposited in the hands of the city treasurer before steps were taken for the construction of the building. I admit that under the terms of the charter the city was obliged to first make a provision before it could make the contract for'the construction, but the additional real estate for this station house cost but $20,006 and the contract price for construction was only $54,980. Was it good business policy to borrowr $150,000 at 4 per cent, rate of interest for the purpose of meeting a contract for $74 000? Would an individual in the conduct of his own affairs have boriowed $150,000, obtaining the actual cash and placing it to his credit at the bank, when he was only to pay $74,000 for the contract? In my judgment the city would have been authorized under the charter to issue bonds sufficient for the purpose of the purchase of the additional real estate and the construction of the building, and thus have relieved the city of the interest on the additional $75,000. But it is claimed, perhaps, that the expense of the equipment of the police department under what is called the Gamewell contract would also i.ave to be provided for before tl>3 contract for the extension of that system could oe let. I am informed that the Gamew-ell contract calls for something over $30,000, and that n< step in the execution of that contract if possible to be made until the completion of the station house. I find no city official who points to a single thing looking towards the fulfillment of that contract which will necessitate the expenditure of a dollar until after the station house shall be completed. It may be further said that the remainder of the $150,000 is necessary for the substations and the furnishing and equipment of the station house itself. But it goes without saying that you cannot furnish a building until after it is completed, and there is no more sense In the borrowing of money, obligating the city to the payment of interest, for the equipment of the station house until after the house either has been completed or is nearing completion than there would be to borrow money in anticipation of all the permanent improvements. How different the management upon this point is the course pursued by the federal government in the construction of federal improvements, It has been, and still is, my hope, in my feeble way, to aid in persuading the federal government to construct anew federal building in this city. It is my intention to pursue this course until success crowns our efforts. But if the federal government intends to construct a new’ federal building in Indianapolis, w’ill she issue bonds for a million and a half dollars and obligate herself for the payment of interest on that before she begins the construction? Not at all. The government first authorizes the secretary of the treasury to prepare plans and to obtain bids for the construction of such a building, and then, as the construction progresses, appropriations are made from time to time so that the least possible interest obligation is incurred. An individual business man. about to expend $150,000 for the construction of a building, not having the ready cash with which to pay that expense, would borrow the money only as it was needed, and meet the contract as the building progresses, and I honestly believe that under the terms of the city charter the present administration could properly have issued bonds only for the amount sufficient to pay for the additional real estate and construction of the building, and then issue, afterwards, bonds for the purpose of meeting the expense of the Gamew'ell contract and equipment of the substations and the station house proper. MAYOR AND THE CHARTER. This is merely an example of the lack of business policy pursued within the last eight months. I desire to call attention to one other example and for the purpose of showing that the failure of this administration does not wholly rest in its mismanagement of the finances. I take for example the action of the mayor In his attitude toward the duties prescribed by the city charter. One would suppose from the eulogies passed upon Mayor Taggart that he lies awake at night thinking of the duties imposed upon him by the city charter and the strict manner in which he proposes to carry out the performance of his duties. The earnestness with which he is now proclaiming his attitude upon the gas and telephone questions would indicate that he has at ail times been greatly in favor of lower gas rates and cheaper telephone service. But 1 find that on the 17th day of May, 1897, there was introduced in the Common Council by Mr. John Allen a resolution calling upon the city attorney to furnish the Council at the next regular meeting a written opinion as to the power of the City Council to control the price of gas by ordinance. ’That resolution passed by a vote of 18 to 2. It received almost unanimous support. It was a proper step for the purpose of obtaining Information from the legal officer of the city government as to the rights and power of the City Council to regulate the price of gas by ordinance. 1 am not going to discuss the gas question. I simply take this resolution to show that the present mayor wholly ignored the provision of the charter which obligates him by specific terms to sign or disapprove a resolution within ten days after its passage. Irrespective of the merits of the gas question. Mr. Taggart had no more right to pigeon-hole that resolution than lie has to retain in his keeping any ordinance that may lie sent to him after hav.

ing passed the City Council. Section 45 of the city charter provides that it shall be the duty of the mayor “to approve or disapprove in writing, within ten days after receiving the same, any ordinance or resolution of the Council, and shall transmit to tha body within that time a me-sngc announcin’? such approval or disapproval or veto.” That resolution sent to My. Taggart on the 17th day of May, 1897, has never been heard from. He alone is able now to tell where the resolution is to be found. This in direct violation of the section of the city charter which by his oath the mayor has sworn to uphold. How many more ordinances and resolutions the head of the present administration has seen fit to pigeon-hole 1 ant unable to say, but I do say that any mayor who thus ignores any resolution of the City Council and violates the strict provisions of the city charter is not worthy of the support of the voters of this city and should be relieved of the control of the city government. THE CANDIDATES CONTRASTED. But our opponents in this campaign are claiming that it is not sufficient for the Republicans to criticise the present administration and charge that they are not gov, erning the city properly, but that we must go further and show wherein we are able to improve upon this condition and what better service we intend to give. I say to you, my friends, in the first place, that as a guarantee of an improvement of the business management of this city I point to the Republican administrations of the city affairs which are now history. I point to the administrations wherein the bonded indebtedness has been reduced, and not increased; to the administrations wherein the bonds have been refunded at lower rates of interest: where out of the current revalue permanent improvements were made; where no overdrafts were left as legacies to succeeding administrations. I point to administrations of Republican officials who paid the rent upon their buildings and did not leave them to be paid by their successors. The same party which now advocates the election of Republican officers has always shown by the administration of the affairs of this city a true spirit of progress and economy, with the best results possible for the money expended. As a guarantee of an improved condition I point to the character of the individuals who ask your votes, and ask you to compare their abilities with the abilities of tha men who oppose them and who now occupy positions in the city government. If Mayor Taggart has been vacillating and uncertain in his views upon national and city affairs Mr. Harding lias always been tound tirm and reliable. If it. has been difficult to put your finger upon Mr. Taggart and find exactly where he stands with reference to any question, it has been an easy matter, and even the boys in the street fully understand that Newt Harding has convictions so strong and permanent chat all are familiar with them. If it has been uncertain what Mr. Taggart’s attitude might be with reference to anv particular question of city affairs, it is well understood that the lighting qualities of Mr. Harding have never been excelled, if Mr. Taggart has been uncertain in bis friendships with different corporations. Mr. Harding has shown by his public expressions and his conduct that wherein the corporations properly obey the laws and properly behave themselves he is their friend, but wherein they violate the laws and seek to obtain an advantage he is then found to be a dangerous enemy. Asa further guarantee of the improved condition of the city's affairs 1 point to honest Judge Stubbs, whose life has been open and whose history is familiar to every individual in the city. Not only does he stand as an exemplary and honest citizen, tried not only in the cares of ordinary life, with a military record of which any soldier might be proud, and whose comrades in army life stand by him to a man, but he has also been tried in an official capacity, and no police judge ever better graced the bench than did Judge Str.ggs, who now asks an election to the same position. Did I want further guarantee of an improved condition of our city affairs I would point to Billy Hays, who is the young men’s representative upon the Republican ticket, and who brings with his life of honest toil and energy the wisdom to aid him in the conduct of the affairs as city clerk. His life has been among the common people of this city, and the fact that his comrades in business down at the old packing house of Kingan, where for over twelve years he stood elbow to elbow with those honest toilers, stand by him. is the best evidence of his sterling integrity and his ability to discharge the duties of the office and of his popularity. The Republican city ticket is well balanced. It contains in the person of Mr. Stubbs a rerpesentative of the soldier element, which should never be forgotten. For the head of the government Newt Harding, whose training and education and experience well fit him for the executive* position he seeks, while the young men. lhat great element of e.nergetic and ambitious individuals, is represented in the person of Billy Hays. The history of the Republican party, which has ever marked an economical and progressive administration of the affairs of this city, coupled with the manly qualities, intelligence and courage of the individuals who compose the present Republican ticket, constitute ample and sufficient guarantee that if intrusted with power they will administer the affairs of the city of Indianapolis with economy and success, with fearlessness and common sense.

J. B. KEALIVU'S SPEECH. The Park, Giirbuge and Other ScandulM IJIMCUMMCd. J. B. Kealing. when introduced, spoke as follows: The Republican party in convention arraigned the present city administration on a number of matters that arc of vital importance to the citizens and taxpayers of Indianapolis. Two weeks from to-morrow the city election will be held and during a campaign of more than four weeks the mouth, of this administration has been closed. Not a word has been said in defense of the grave and serious charges made against it. It is true that the Democrats about three weeks ago opened their campaign in Beatty’s beer garden, on Shelby street, and spieches were made by Mr. Warrum and Mr. Holtzman. Mr. Warrum, the apostle of the free-silver wing of the Democratic party, in a llowery speech, arraigned the gold wing of the party for its treachery to the Democratic party in the last campaign and tried to convince his audience, of about seventy-five people, that the success of this ticket would be taken as an advancement of the free-silver idea al* over the country and that it would be heralded as a great free-silver victory. Mr Holtzman, the advocate of the gold Democratic wing, tried to convince his hearers that they were as good Democrats as the supporters of Bryan and begged the silver ites during the campaign to not say harsh things about them. Not a word was said by either of them in defense of the administration of Mr. Taggart and from that day to this neither Mr. Taggart nor any one representing him has answered the charges made against him by the Republican party. We have arraigned Mr. Taggart for his weak, vacillating and almost criminal course with reference to public parks. The administration has spent vast sums of money in mapping out a park system. It has borrowed $350,000 and issued bonds of the city therefor and allowed the proceeds thereof to lay idle, entailing upon the city the expense of over $12,000 per year interest, and the money thus borrowed can be used for no other purpose than park purposes. It has already paid out on the park system adopted by Mr. Taggart’s board nearly $15,000, which can never be recovered. It has, now' an office for which the city must fay rent and has employed a clerk, Mr. Spencer, at a salary of SIOO a month to sit in the office of the park board to prevent the people of Indianapolis from looking in the books to find out what the plan of the park Systran Is and what the assessments of the people will be while the w'hole park system is hung up in midair by a suit brought by Mr. Lieber against the city for the purpose of holding It up until after the 12th of October. It has purchased real estate at enormous prices In undesirable places for the benefit of favorites. It has even gone so far as to take in the park system the worthless land of Mr. Taggart in the south part of the city and which is assessed at SIOO per acre at an appraised value, by Mr. Taggart’s assessors, of S3OO an acre. It has adopted an unwarranted, outrageous and oppressive method of assessment of benefits whereby the rich and the political favorites of this administration are relieved at the expense of the small property holders. This method has been so universally condemned by the people as to compel the mayor to suspend all operations until after the election, when the burden will again be imposed upon thu taxpayers. GAS MEASURE SMOTHERED. We have arraigned Mayor Taggart for his efforts to smother preliminary legislation on the gas Question until twenty-two months of his administration had gone by and until after his renomination. We arraign him now for the dilatory action of his city attorney for failing to press to a final conclusion the litigation between the gas company and the city. We charge that now the gas company Is bending its whole energy for the election of Mr. Taggart because there is undoubtedly an understanding between them. Wo have arraigned the present administration for granting a franchise to the present telephone company providing for a higher rate of toils for service when lower rates were offered by a competing company. a company as responsible as the Central Union Company and composed of some of our best and most responsible citizens, who formed a company and offered to furnish telephones, for which we are now paying $5 per month, for $3 per month, and they