The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
RALSTON LOOMING UP FOR POSSIBLE: l: M: NOM|NAT ION
Taagart, RalSton And Al Smith Hold Important Meet At French Lick Springs, When Wet Question Studied TAMMANY HALL LIKELY TO SUPPORT RELST0N Taggart As Boss Of Indiana Will Stand Flat Footedly Be- hind RaIston--lI|inoiS Vets Back Repeal Bill

FRENCH LICK, Ind, June 16.--
 Talk of swapping Tammany support : for Samuel Ralston as a presidential possibility if Indiana and Illinois ! vets still insist on a moist plank in ] the democratic platform Is under 1 stood to have gone across the boards : in tho seoret conferences here this ! week between Tom Tagsart and , Gov. Al Smith of Now York. Reco gnized vets of Illinois have ! made reservations at Taggart's fa- } nous resort here, and Indiana demo- ,, cratic leaders are expected to come E. down next week. Illinois wets, fol- 7 lowing Governor Smiths leadership. k are trying to push an eleventh hour z repeal of the state dry law through r. the leEtslaturo.
 Although it's passage Is regarded k as doubtful, the movement shows e that the wet ranks are drib6ling into < line behind tho New York governor, EThe Chicago city council voted over whelEdnSly in favor of prohibition Erepeal. With prohibition coming for K ~erd as q paramount issuo in the campaign next year, the k 0u estion is whether Taggart and ( other democratic leaders of the mid Sadle west will adopt Smiths attitude X on the question as their own and try  N Taggart Backs Rsdston. 2 It ts understood that if they agree E to do SO. Governor Smith will swing Ethe powerful influence of Tammany a Hall and other channels into an Indi- E ana-made fight to pat Senator RaIs- Sston into the White House Despite 1Haggart's straddlins state ! mont Wednesday night on the boom H for Ralston, it is known that the < boss of Indiana democracy will stand ss ssflat-footedly bahind the senator A when the matter comes to show down.
 It is reliably reported that Senator [ Ralston saw the statement issued by : Taggart three days before 1t was made public, and AS hours before Governor Smith had arrived at the l boundaries of Indiana.
 Conventional horseplay surround ing any conferences that are being held here cloak in the deepest Secrecy . whatever transpires. Neither Gov
 their meeting has a special signifi- . canoe.
 Poses For Camera.
 Governor Smith Is still sphinx-uke.
 having refused to see newspapermen.
 but later he broke the first rule he
 laid down when he arrived here. by
 posing for a movie camera. Taggart Was Tn the plClufo <Ano tho bCSuo
 was supposedly that of Taggart
 greeting Smith on his arrival They
 chatted animatedly for the benefit of
 the camera. but no longer than was
 necessary for completion of the pic
 ture Smith was to have greeted a .aeonvention of brick makers here Thursday afternoon. but passed that
 up. and spent the afternoon on the
 golf links, after loafing about his
 hotel in the morning and dictating
 few letters.
 Thus far no Indiana leaders has
 come down to pay respects to Smith.
 which is interpreted by some Indiana
 political writers here as indicative
 of the indifference of tho Hoosier
 democracy to Smith and his supposed.
 ambitions.
 Taggart left for Indiana to spend
 the weekend with his wife and cele-
 brate the forty-sixth anniversary of
 his wedding.