The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-30
TAGGART AS A POLITICIAN.
His Career Not Noticeable Until Coy Took
Him in Hand and Made Him Auditor.

A Journal representative yesterday had o talk
with Mr.. r. r Shiel. who certainly knows .
.hing or two about politics, and particularly about
Marion county. The Journal man said to Mr..
Shiel: "You have heard a great deal said, have
you not. in regard to Chairman TaRgart's claims
Of carrying Marion county for Clevelandf'
Eyes he replied, land it has amused me a
good deal to hear the Democrs 4. and even .
few Republicans, talking about Chairman Tag
CARTS claims, and that he was q great political
sehemer. Now / happen to know what . great
schemer he ia. Mr.. Taegart has had the repu-
ta,ion. and I have no doubt but that it is true.
of being u frst-class hotel man, as hs has been
In the business for . great many years; but l
have never heard it said that he was . great
Matchmaker or p,ow-msksr. don't under
stand that he ever worked At that business; yet
he may have taken one or two lessons; still /
think he knows just a. much about making q
pillow or watch a. he does about running o county
central committee, AZ he had no experience in
politics, no more than no has had in making
plows or Watches
"Lst me tell you what he knows about poll
tics. II has been my fortune TO be in his ward
ever aimee be has been 10 the city. up 10 three
years ago. and if he ever bad anything to do In
politics more than vote. l never knew it. There
hse not been an election in twenty years that I
have not stood at the polls from the time they
opened until they closed, and certainly would
know Of any great work that Mr.. Taesart had
ever done. La fact. / have never seen him ct
the polls twenty minutes at any election, and
have known him to come to vote In a carriage.
II 10 true that be had great success in the only
campaign that he ever took part IN, and that
- "a Ct- - yUA.
call q shrewd schemer in politics is a man OF
ideas. and I think when Mr.. Taeeart undertakes
TO work the same scheme that Mr.. Coy worked,
be will be completely left never knew the
same scheme to work twice successfully In pol
itics."
'.What is Tageart doing specifically in that
liner be was asked.
He has hired men to poll the wards. and
three Of his pollers that I know intimately are
Republicans, and will vote for Harrison, and he
has paid them 10 accordance TO the good work
they do-eood work means good showing for tho
Democrats from his standpoint In many pre-
cincts they have left off . large number Of col
ored votes. and Republican votes, which, OF
he 10 endeavorinR to bolster I'D and encourage
his Democrats friends to bet on his poll. AT.
ter the election, the friends that he 10 bolstering
up now, and who are betting on his great politi-
cal schemes, will be tempted almost TO run him
cut OF town with the charge that he has deceived
them. There are no Democrats with any polit-
ical judgment. who are betting on this county,
as they know Harrison will carry II by a large
majority. Taggart boasts Of having made quite
a number OF Democrats in out counties bet that
Harrison would not carry his own ward, which
has three Republicans to one Democrat in it"
"What have been the ADVANTAGES both to
Democrats and Republicans in this %county"
10 The last thirty years tn: county has has bee. s"a
to 5000. with an average of about 1900 Now.
as we have the presidential candidate ia tha
county, no one questions that Gen. Harrison
is stronger in this county than any other
been nominated, aud, in my opin-
majority than any other man ever did carry it.
Certainly no one who knows anything about
politics expects him to carry it by less than
1900 to 1000. anil / will stake my reputation
that it will not be che vote less THAI $500 to
5000 1 have taken . few bets and give 1,5Oo,
and | would almost oblieate myself to refund
any money that any of my friends Lost on .
"Wna. about opening the Democratic polls at
6 o'clockfD
II suppose Mr.. Tageart thinks Democrats
will get mp earlier than Republicans: but / think
when the election is over he will find that the
Republicans Will DO up rs early and stay ss late.
/ think this is an advantage 10 favor Of the Re-
publicans. as there is a larger per cent Of Re-
publicans who are travelling men, and railroad
men who have to leave the city on early trains
VINO VIII get 10 vote, Wnen otnerWiSe tney
would not, and most Of them live in these Dem
o~cra,ic precincts. / have always found it in my
ward that there were ffteen TO twenty engineers
and conductors that never got to vote when tho
polls were not open until 8 o'clock. This
shrewd scheme, Taeeart will find. Is loaded, and
will kick back Personally | like Mr.. TAG.
CART, a. he has always been very gentlemauly TO
me aud to every one else. There are hundreds
Of excellent gentlemen in the city engaged 10
various kinds OF business who have been sue
csssful but would make q botch of running
a county campaign. Now. mark my predictions.
Mr.. Tsggart will be the desdest man politically
that ever had anything to do with politics in
Marion county when the returns come In on the
9Th of November. Already ! hear Of Democrats
hedging on bets made some time ago.