The sun., 1904-07-31

,rom posey county to the st. Joe River,
reople have an idea that II Judge Parker
defeats President Roosevelt he will owe
his success in no small degree to the smile
that raised the keeper Of railroad station
restaurant to be captain-general OF the
Democratic party.
Every politician who wants to be popular
and successful as a votegetter, from q
nrecinct committeeman to State boss,
has an assortment OF smiles as we'll as
several varieties OF handshakes. These
things are the necessary equipment OF the
nolitician. but there are mighty few OF
them who have the knack OF making every
man they shake hands with and meet In
casual way believe that they are sincere
in the greeting and thoroughly glad to see
him. That is Taggart's stronghold.
The new chairman Of the Democratic
national committee reenforces these quail
ties with a royal memory for names and
faces. 1t has been said OF Taggart for
wears that he never forgets a name or
face. Indianapolis newspapers used to
print hundreds OF stories about this re-
markable memory Of his.
At the Grand Hotel in Indianapolis, where
Mr. Taggart was nearly always to be found
until he took charge of the French Lick
Hotel at French Lick Springs, Ind. few
Years ago, reporters looking for copy used
70 make a specially Of writing stories about
Tagcart's little way Of walking up to man
in the billiard room or the bar or the lobby,
putting out his hand and saying:
why, hello. there Brother Smith. I'm
real downright glad to see you'll Let me
see. It's been about five years since you
we're delegate from Henry county to the
State convention. Soon as you finish your
game we'll have little talk about things
in general.
Then Tageart would take Brother Smith
into dinner and talk for an hour with him In
A confidential way about politics, Smiths
family and the State Of the crops and do 1t
all in such a way that no matter how Smith
may have felt about Taggart previously
he would 20 home to Henry county bubbling
over with enthusiasm for Taggart and
prepared to work his head OF in Taggart's
interests. And it was the sort Of enthusiasm
that stuck.
Mr.. Taggart has.been q prominent figure
in Indiana politics for eighteen years and
has secured following In the State that
Is thoroughly loyal to him. he has never
appealed to the Democracy through the
same forces with which Thomas A. Hem
dricks Joseph B. Mcdonald and Daniel
W. Voorhees, secured their following and
held it through all the vicissitudes of poll
tics year after year. 1t has been largely
through his agreeable personality that
Mr.. Taggart has made friends. As these
qualities have grown with his connections
with politics and become more and moro
marked in all his relations with men, they
have endeared hundreds to him and made
him to-day the most popular Democrat In
the State.
He has received good deal Of honor from
the Democratic party. but has helped many
men to get more than he himself has had.
and he is known throughout the State for
the warmth of his friendships, the sturdi-
ness Of his Democracy and the potency
Of his means of organization when he Is
chosen to accomplish certain ends.
He has been successful in every cam
paign that he has managed either for HIM
self or for others, and it has become a say
ing that he is invincible as party leader
His friends do not doubt that the success
which has attended him when at the party
helm in Indiana will follow when he as
sumes the larger responsibilities OF the
national craftsmanship. They have sue
ceeded in impressing many outside OF the
State with the same idea. and to this is
largely due the successful fight which has
just resulted in his election as national
chairman.
Tom Taggart is a native of Ireland and
came to this country when child. He
lived for few years in Ohio and then went
to Indianapolis, where he entered the res
taurant business
For many years he was in charge OF the
restaurant at the union station. This threw
him into the society Of railroad men. and he
soon knew every man connected with tho
railroads that centre at Indianapolis, from
the presidents to the humblest laborer
under the section bosses.
HIS SMILE GETS IN ITS WORK.
But whether a man was president OF
railroad, conductor, brakeman or COM
mon laborer, the attitude OF the restaura mt
keeper toward him was always the same.
His Irish wit was always cropping out In
pleasant stories. His geniaity was seen
In his constant smile and felt in his hand
shake, and friends were made and held on
every side.
Men went to the union station to dine
because they would meet him there. He
soon learned just what delicacies they pre-
pared and how they liked them prepared.
and he saw that they got what they wanted.
1t is said that many of the railroad men
would telegraph the time of their arrival
hours in advance In order to apprise him Of
their coming and would eat at his restaur-
ant in preference to going to hotels.
1t was while Taggart was running the
union station restaurant that the Demo-
cratic parry was attracted to him. The
count, mad long been a Republican strong
mold, and the party was looking for q man
whose personal popularity would enable 1t
to overcome the adverse majority. This
was in 1885. Some one suggested that Tag
gart be nominated for County Auditor.
canvass among the railroad men de-
V"';.s! he f:-t th-. hundreds OF them,
regatuee., ., party affiliations, would vote
ior him. and he was placed without opposi-
uon on the ticket. Though the Republi-
cans put up their strongest man the Demo-
Gratis entered upon the campaign feeling
that victory was at hand.