The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-28


the important States in the Presiden-
tial contest, is peculiar in that the
state leader of the Republican party
is it's vice presidential candidate and
his opponent is the chairman of the
Democratic National Committee, and
hence the party's national as well as
state manager.
Two men more Numerically oppo-
site in personality could scarcel! be
found in politics than Charles W.
Fairbanks and Thomas S. Taggart.
Mr.. Fairbanks is the embodiment of
dignity and grace at all times except
when he is sitting down, when his
long legs, drawn up toward his chin,
make you think of a big jack-knife
half closed; and when he passes along
the street all Indianapolis politely says,
"How do you do, SENATOR"
Mr.. Taggart hardly knows that
there is such a thing as dignity, or
grace either, for that matter. His hat
is usually on the back of his head;
almost any citizen of Indianapolis can
tell of slaps on the back and pokes in
the ribs given him by the Democratic
manager, and his "Howdy, Bill?" is
met with Hello, Toni"
The Senator has never been heard
to make a joke in the course of
political speech. Mr.. Taggart not only
Jokes in politics, but is noted as the
greatest wag of the city, and his
friends are continually being made the
butts of his more or less practical
jokes.
Mr.. Fairbanks, in a conversation not
long ago declared that politics was
far too serious a matter to transform
into a joke. THE people want facts,
L. u,
laugh at the story, and you may think
you've made a hit but it is my firm
belief that when they come to vote
they will vote for the ticket whose
speakers have given the facts as they
are"
Taggnrt Enjoys a Joke.
A good joke to Mr.. Taggart is as the
breath of life ITSELF if he plays it, the
premier joy of the seventh heaven, and
he is no respector of persons when he
is out for amusement. Witness the
way he treated Judge James McCabe,
the Hearst boom manager in the Hoos-
Ter state. when he journeyed to Indian
apolis to see how his opponent, Tom
Taggart, was getting on
Mr.. Taggart walked up to the Judge
in a hotel corridor greeted him effu-
sively and while talking with him eX
pertly lifted" the judges fine diamond
SJlch-pln. linen ne IuIIeu lne CONVEX
sation.
Judge" said he, 81 know you're a
great admirer of diamonds. I've pin
here I'd like to show you.
But said the Judge, swelling with
pride, I've fine pin myself. 1 fancy
you can't beat it," and he reached for
it, to be COMPOUNDED with dismay the
next moment over its absence. Mr..
Taggart let the Judge worry all even
40 n
EMMY stuck the pin back where it be-
longed
Mr.. Fairbanks is as careful in speech,
in action. in dress, in thought. in plan
as he is about avoiding what to him is
fatal political ribaldry. Mr.. Taggart
seemingly hates elaboration. Ask him
question, and he answers without APP
parent weighing of words. Not so the
Senator. He hunts for the reply that
will be just right. This extreme care
funess is one of his distinguishing
marks, and it has made him the master
Of his party in Indiana, from the pre-
cinct up, just as surely as Mr.. Tag
CARTS more picturesque methods have
given him absolute control of his organ
ization.
Methods of Organization.
Only in their methods of organiza-
ton are the two men anywhere alike.
is an open book for instant political
study, and each knows the tempera-
ment of the people in it's corners as
we'll as the centers. During the first
Bryan campaign, when the Demo-
cratic National Committee met to hear
reports of the prediction canvass
made by the various state committee
men, Mr.. Taggart lugged before his
brethren a good-sized valise with
bulging sides.
What is that?" they asked in as
constituent.
That. gentlemen" was the reply,
contains the poll of every election
precinct in my state
The precinct is Mr.. Fairbanks
great hobby also.
Look after the precincts, and the
state will take care of ITSELF" he tells
his lieutenants. He knows Indiana's
precincts every bit as well as Tom"
Taggart does. He can tell as certainly
how this or that one will go. and il
there is a precinct in the state in
which he has not spoken in one cam
paign or another nobody knows of it.
The Senator is the most interchangeable
campaigner his party ever had in In
diana. He holds the record for
speeches before Hoosier audiences, and
Mr.. Taggart cannot make one of his
unexpected sallies into the sycamore
hi'NtS OF the state without ledIHiilB
mat the Senator is known there by rea-
son Of some address he made some
time or other to the backwoodsmen.
Neither Is DOmineering.
Neither man is domineering. Mr..
Fairbanks will not recommend man
Tor any political preferment who has
not the backing Of his district leader.
Mr. Taggart is equally solicitous OF
mis- lieutenants feelings, consulting
them freely, and, as is the case with
his opponent. frequently taking their
advice and moulding a campaign In
part according to their ideas. Both
leaders also largely rely on their re-
spective aides to discover for them