The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-15
TAGGART SEEMS
DOOMED TO FALL
Hoffman and Followers May
Not DisIodge Him, But 1t
Marks a Beginning.
MUCH SORENESS Is FELT
FACT THAT TAGGART CONDUCTS
GAMBLING JOINT AND THAT HE
SOLD OUT FOLLOWERS IN 1904
is AGAINST HIM.

Indianapolis, May 14.-Whether Or
not the present Democratic fight
marks the beginning of the end of
Taggarts leadership in Indiana, as
many seem to believe, cannot be de-
termined at this time. The fact that
former Mayor Hoffman and some of
his lieutenants are inspired by de-
sire to get even with Taggart for per-
sonal differences, has weakened their
cause and prevented them from gett-
ing up a party fight on him.
The inside of the situation is that
they are trying to clean up Taggart
by organizing the radicals who sup
ported Hearst, in 1904, and who were
ing national campaigns. 1t is also the
opinion of many who have carefully
analysed conditions that Taggart is
now paying high price for the part
he took in organizing the state for
Judge Parker.
Judge Parker the Cause.
If he is to be retired as leader in
his own state, his fight for Judge Par
ker really marked the beginning of the
end, for there is no getting around the
| fact that there are let of Democrats
in Indiana who will never forgive him
for the part he took then.
Those who are cooperating most
actively with Hoffman now are the
Hearst radicals, who are claiming that
Taggart, O'Brien and their associates
sold out the delegation to the New
York interests that launched the Par
ker boom. 1t is not being overlooked
however, that many of the loudest op,
ponents of Taggart and O'Brien are
the very men who pocketed the money
that was dumped into Indiana in the
| interest of Hearst. If one side took
money the other has little to talk
about on that score, but many politi
clans are saying that it is undoubtedly
true that nothing has given Taggart
such a black eye with his own consti
tuents as the part he took on behalf
of Judge Parker and his hackers.
His Gambling Hurts.
Some of Taggart's opponents in the
present campaign have taken a cue
from speech Governor Hanly recent
ly delivered, in which he said that the
Democratic party cannot be int-usted
with house cleaning because Tag
CART has large gambling interests al
Ere nch Lick.
| Taggart is now being called by some
intense radicals Prince Tom of Monte
Carlo" and Lord High Protector OF
the Brewery interests" The first title
grows out of the fact that the casinos
at French Lick and West Baden have
for many years been referred to as the
Monte Carlos of Indiana. Taggart's
business connection with Crawford
Fairbanks, the millionaire Terre
Haute brewer, has caused him to be
called the protector of the brewery
interests.
Chairman O'Brien says that the
breweries have not contributed a pen
ny to the Democratic state campaign
since he has been at the head of the
organization.
O'Brien and others stated, however
that the weries contributed to the
Democratic City Committee which hat
charge of Holtzman's campaigns
Taggart can no longer be accused OF
being protector of the breweries or
Fairbanks's account, as they are MOI
in business together, either here or a
French Lick. 1t is probable, though
that Hoffman will continue to make
a fight on Taggart on the ground TIL.
he lis in the gambling game and is
protecting the breweries.