New-York tribune., 1906-07-09
WANT TAGGART OUSTED.
Old Bryan Leaders in Indiana NoS0
against Chairman.

Indianapolis July (SpeciaD 'raiding Of the
gambling resort at French Lick Springs, of which
Tom Taggart. Democratic national chairman is
proprietor; the petition for the appointment of
receiver to dispose Of the property and the de-
mand for a vacation of the charter under which
the hotel company is incorporated, all on account
of gambling. is destined 10 play an important part
in the state campaign this year and perhaps have
a marked effect Taggarts political future. That
gambling has been in progress at French Lick
for years, quite openly as it has been conducted
in the last few months. is admitted all hands,
but the people. rule, have regarded 1t as a thing
far away from home not injurious to public morals
unless il is sought after and being in the wilds of
a sparsey populated section. have given it little
attention In the moral awakening that has come
to the people however. and especially from the
fact that David Sherrick twice elected Auditor Of
the state. lost heavily at the gambling tables at
French Lick and is now serving time as a de-
faulter the matter has assumed very different
phase. and the Republicans are preparing make
the most Of IT in the coming state campaign.
While the political enemies OF Taggart see in the
developments at French Lick sufficient answer to
the Democratic demand for reform, Taggart's
enemies within the party preparing to carry
the matter into the fight against his reelection as
national chairman OF the Democratic party. They
have declared that a who is at the head of a
Monte Carlo. no matter what may be his capacity
a leader. is not the one to be at the head Of a
great party organization, and especially is this
when the people peculiarly alive to the evil Of
gambling and prone 10 see in organization
nothing better than is found in it's leadership. It
is argued that. with Taggart at the head OF a hotel
in which gambling is openly carried on in which
the laws regarding Sunday defed the Demo-
cratic party cannot appeal TO the people a party
of progress even Of good morals, and il Is not
believed that Bryan would be willing to go into a
campaign with Taggart at the head Of the organiza
ton.
One Of the peculiar conditions that confronts
Taggart at this time is the fact that the men in
Indiana who and have always been closest
TO Bryan most active in demanding that he be
set aside when the time comes to select a new
national chairman Judge James McCabe, who was
the Indiana member of the platform committee Of
the Chicago Convention, in 1896. and a man in
whom Bryan has the greatest confidence, is one
Of the most outspoken in the state against the
Taggart regime. He prominent in the meet
ing of Democrats who recently protested against
Taggarts leadership and who actually forced
Taggart Of the treasurersnip OF the State Cen
tral Committee Several of the old Bryan leaders
arraYed against Taggart. and of the
first matters that will be brought to Bryan's at
tentton when he comes here this fall will be the
necessity of placing new man at national
helm when the party enters upon the campaign OF
1903
The fact that Hearst is being industriously ad-
Vertlsed as the champion Of municipal ownership
and that his theories not popular with Demo-
Gratis here is pointed to evidence that his
fight against Taggart cannot help and may injure
the cause of tnose VINO are opposed to the national
chairman on the ground that the leader Of n great
party ought TO be dissociated from a business as
degrading that which has been carried on in
defiance os law at the French Lick casino,