The sun., 1904-07-31

While County Auditor he accepted the
State ohairmanship In 1890 and undertook
the difficult task Of managing a party In
tho State where the President resided.
! Mr.. Harrison had been elected In 1883. and
| In that year and also in 1885 the Repub-
| licans had carried Indiana and the post OF
Democratic chairman was regarded as a
very difficult one at that time.
But under Taggart's management the
State went Democratic by about 10000.
Two years later he was again elected chair
man and managed the campaign Of 1892,
| when Cleveland carried the State over
Harrison by nearly 1000 votes.
In the mean time Taggart had taken
charge Of the Grand Hotel at Indianapolis,
and here he again showed his peculiar
ability for making friends He extended
his acquaintance among the travelling
, men all over the State and his hotel be-
came one Of the most popular in the city.
He Il still engaged in the hotel business.
and in the past few years has become in
terested in the springs at French Lick, and
his reputation as a landlord has extended
to other States.
GAINS NATIONAL FAME.
Taggart really made himself a national
character when he assumed charge OF the
French Lick Springs Hotel. There he
met big men Of both parties from all parts
OF the country and eIerted himself to please
them. The result was that they invariably
went away magnetized by the charm Of
the man and prepared to boom him for q
thing he wanted In their own parts Of the
country.
1t was favorite stunt OF Taggart to in
vite newspaper associations and country
editors from Indiana and even other States
and entertain them for a week at the French
Lick Springs Hotel. The political value
Of that entertaining was by no means small.
Taggart never asked for a favor from
these associations or country editors, and
the reader, therefore, were they to say
nice things about him.
Before Taggart's term as County Auditor
expired the Democrats Of the city turned
to him as q candidate for Mayor Of Indian
apolis. The Republicans were in majority
In the city. A Democrat had been elected
four years before. but defeated by $500
majority at the next ensuing election.
1t was said that no Democrat could be
elected Mayor Of the city twice In succession,
but Taggarts friends declared that he would
prove an exception and In 1895 he was nomi-
mated. To the surprise Of many he more
than reversed the majority against the party
two years before. In 1897 he was again the
party candidate and was elected by about
$500 majority.
1t was said that he could not be elected
again, but third time he was nominated
and a third time he was elected in a city
-hiDh hal hoon v,r~vorhfol f,r Cba puip n
its executive every time it had a chance.
There was q strong sentiment in favor Of
giving him q fourth nomination. but he
the city was carried by the Republicans.
AN EARLY PARKER MAN.
In the turbulent times which succeeded
as a result Of free silver, Taggart was known
not to be in sympathy with the Chicago
platform, and for months before that pro-
nouncement was made he was classed with
the gold Democrats. His influence had been
exerted against the Indiana party COM
mitting itself to the free silver idea, but
when the State convention met the senti-
ment in favor Of such action was over
whelming. and Taggart and many others
acquiesced In it and did all they could for
the tickets, State and national, nominated
on the platform. 1t was well known. how
ever, that the support which he gave was
due to desire to stand by those who had
so long stood oy him. He was one Of the
first men in the State to turn away from
Bryanism when it was seen that the leaders
were willing after two defeats to listen to
reason.
Mr.. Taggart entered heartily into the
advocacy of the nomination Of Judge Parker
for the Presidency and 1t was mainly through
his influence that the Indiana State con-
vention in May was lined up for the New
York candidate. He did not contend.
like some others, that there was a middle
road which the party should take, but early
appeared as an opponent OF the reaffirma-
tion Of the Chicago and Kansas City plat
forms, holding that the only way to victory
was to appeal to the sound, sober, business
element Of the country.
When Judge Parker's telegram was re-
ceived at St. Louis and some doubted the
propriety Of his sending it, Taggart was
among the men who declared that the
candidate had done the proper thing and
that the telegram would make him infinitely
stronger before the people than he would
have been had he maintained silence on
the subject OF the gold standard.
EVEN REPUBLICANS WON OVER TO HIM.
Probably the thing about Tsggsrt that
is least understood Is his great popularity
with Republicans as well as Democrats.
Although Indiana Is State where much
partisan feeling is engendered in every
campaign, the Republicans have never
been able to make it effective against Tag
gart.
His victories have all been won in Re-
publican county and Republican city
and his majorities have always been so
large that the conclusion was inevitable
that he drew from the Republicans to an
extent that was mystifying TO- the party
managers. Even on one occasion when
there was a revolt against him in some
OF the Democratic wards OF Indianapolis
the Republicans came to his aid. and his
vote in the Republican wards was fully
maintained.
HOLDS THE NEGRO VOTE.
No other Democrat In Indiana ever had