The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-28
THOMAS TAGGART
THE MAN WHO IS NOW DEMO-
CRATIC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN.
Has Demonstrated That in His own
state Of Indiana by Some Wonder
full Political Achievements He
In Unconventional and
Wholly Practical.

BlTlS IN the lunch counter AT tHt ~
dianapolis Railroad station at the In
one. the faucet in the coffee urn was
turned by a red-checked, blue-eyed'
broad-shouldered young Irishman.
Tomorrow, unless plans change over
night, or Judge Alton b. Parker sends
message to the contrary. that same
lrishman, still red-cheeked. Will De
made Chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee and placed in charge
of the Parker and Davis Campaign.
His name Is Thomas Taggart. In the
years between 1877 and the present
time he has been County Auditor OF
Marion County, Ind, twice, Mayor OF
indianapolis three times. Chairman or
the Democratic State Committee and
member of the Democratic National
Committee. He has grown in business
way. too. He grew from the lunch
counter in the station to a restaurant
of his own, then to the proprietorship
of a small hotel. then to a larger hotel
and finally to the ownership of the
Grand Hotel in indianapolis and CHIEF
interest in the resort at French Lick
Springs, Ind
A Good "Mixer."
When Taggart drew coffee. sold sand,
witches and handed out pie at the lunch
counter he was a smiling. good-nat-
ured lad, full of energy and with fac
ulty of making everybody his friend
He has not changed. His smile is just
as CHEEKY, his eyes twinkle just as
brightly and he seems to grow more
energetic as he gets older. He is the
sublimated type of mixer" He knows
everybody worth knowing in New York
an dhas great acquaintance amang
politicians and statesman in all parts
of the country. He has been active in
politics in Indiana. where every man Is
a politician, since he walked there and
got hos lunch counter job in 1877. He
has won many fights from the Repub-
licans and has been interested in a
large way in National Democratic
parties since he became a member of
the Democratic National Committee in
1892
Taggart is just what he is said to be
"a politician. He believes in getting
results. He does not theorize. He does
not plan complicated campaigns He
gets out and gets votes. He can see an
advantage as quickly as any one. and
good deal quicker than many. If he
is placed in charge of the Parker cam
paign he will have an active canvas
started In ten days. He is familiar with
the methods of both Democratic and
Republican National Committees. He
knows the workers in all the States. He
makes no pretensions about his own
status. He says the way to win a cam
patgn is to win IT; and he proceeds on
that theory. without bothering about
the ethics of the game.
Has Long Wanted the Place.
Taggart has had an ambition to be
Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee since 1900. There was much
dissatisfaction among Democrats with
ex-senator James K. Jones, who man
aged the Bryan campaign in 1896. and
Taggart said he would like to try his
hand at it. Mr.. Bryan sent word that
Jones must be reelected. He said 1t
would not be fair to take him from
the Craftsmanship because he lost in
1896 Taggart acquesced cheerfully.
He does everything cheerfully. He did
what he could to help Bryan in Indi-
ana. Then when the present campaign
come on he frankly stated his ambi-
lions again.
Usually the National Craftsmanship
is supposed to seek the man. Taggart
thought that folly. He could not sec
why a man who thought himself fitted
to run a national contest should not
say SO He realizes fully that it will
be great thing to win with Parker
and he said last winter before the
nominee was settled that he believed
the Democrats would have a good
chance this time against President
Roosevelt, and he would be glad to
get the craftsmanship.
His state With Him.
Indiana Democrats think well of Tag
CART They saw no harm in placing
him before the country as a candidate
for the place. and they iuljrecd hin!
at their State convention in May, after
solid Parker delegation, under Tag
CARTS leadership, had been selected
Taggart went to St. Louis still saying
that If the committee and the candidate
wanted him he was ready to serve
There was "A caucus of the committee
on the Sunday after the ticket had been
completed. Taggart was unanimously
Endorsed, and ii is the expectations
now that the air has been cleared by
the supposed final declaration of Cor
man. the withdrawal of Belmont and the
refusal of Sheehan to be considered,
that the committee when 1t meets to-
morrow will uphold its caucus selection
and name TaEgart.
Real Irishmnn.
Taggart is a real Irishman. He has
deep blue eyes. light hair. a blond
mustache and cheeks as rosy as those
IA girl. He is five feet nine inches
tall broad shouldered, with waist
kept down to trimness by constant out
door exercise. He shakes hands like
Mckinley used to. His hand is large
anu muscular ana us grasp is warm
and lingering He is crack shot Il
good horseback rider, pulls an excel
lent oar, likes to smoke a cigar, takes
drink when he wants one, plays a
little poker with his friends and is a
big red blooded. vigorous, manly man.
who greets his friends with Good
morning, brother"
He was born in Waterford. Ireland
on November Il. 1856. His father emil
grated to this country when Taggart
was a child. The family settled in
Nenia. Ohio. Later they moved to Gar
ret, Indiana. Taggart had such educat
ion as he could get in the country |
schools. He was forced to go to work |
when he was fifteen, and when he was |
seventeen he got his job in the lunch |
counter in the Indianapolis station. He
walked there from Carrot.
His First Job.
Taggart cut sandwiches and was the |
general handy man in the restaurant
until he was twenty-One. He made |
friends with the travelling men and |
with tn" indianapolis people AS soon
as he could vote, and probably before |
hcwont into ward politics. In the
the lunCh-counter had ex-
pandod and become a restaurant and |
Taggart was placed in charge. He was
il good restaurant man, and he was
rapidly becoming known in Democratic
politics in the city.
\ few years later early in the eigh
ties, he secured some backing and
huuEht small hotel near the station
He kept good hotel. Many of his
friends among the travelling men
stopped with him. He was making a