The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-25
PILOT PLAYING WAITING GAME
 FOR CANDIDATE Declares Indianian Will z Not Take Second
 Place On Ticket
TIGHT REIN HELD
 ON SENATOR'S AIDS
Let Others Wear Them selves Out First, Is
 Strategy
rBy Associated Press )


 NEW YORK, June 24.--Thomas Taggart, pilot of the Ralston candi- dacy, declared emphatically tonight that the old Illinois-New York Indiana coalition was not operating at this convention and under no circumstances would Senator Ral- ston accept the vice presidential nomination.
 "Ralston for president or noth- ing" was the way Taggart sum- marized the situation. "I have en- tered into no alliance with any one. True, the leaders of the vari- ous candidates have called on me, but l have not called on any of them, and I have not made any deal of any kind. If the conven- tion should see fit to nominate Sem ator Ralston for vice president, 1 shall decline in his behalf, as l have been empowered to do so."
 Taggart is playing a waiting game for Ralston and will continue to do so. He spent all of today, except the time he was in the convention with leaders who came to discuss the Indiana senator's chances and feel out Taggart on a switch of the Indiana delegation and Taggart's personal support. All of them got the same answer: That Taggart is going to stand pat on Ral- ston, and he is unwilling to concede now that any one else will be nomi- mated. Therefore, why discuss such possibility, he asked blandiy.
 Friends Fear Speed.
 Daie f~ friends that he may be pushed too fast, and Taggart is guarding nartic6 iarly against such an el1erge1fcy.
 Taggart explains his strategy to the home folks in language easily under stood out along the Wabash.
 We don't want to work this colt into n father too soon," he told we'll wishers today. We just want to have him well curried and walk him around the track little bit. Let the other managers breeze their colts all they like. We will play the other game"
 Taggart strategy is to keep his work CTS quiet for two or three more days in order to permit the outstanding can didates to wear themselves out. He believes that present outstanding can didates will pass the peak og their strength after a few ballots and then the drift will start to Ralston if his supporters do not become too active in the meantime. Therefore, he is fol- lowing a tight rein in his workers.
 Think 7S Possible.
 Hope is entertained in the Hoosier delegation that Ralston may not have more than the thirty Indiana votes on the first ballot. It is probable how ever, it is said. that he will have a few more votes. Various former residents of Indiana on delegations not bound by instructions have gone to Taggert and expresse dtheir desire to vote for Ralston from the outstart. He has told them to use their own judgment, but not to pile up too large an initial vote for the senator. It is declared by Ralston followers that he could have seventy-five votes on the first ballot of he wanted them.
 Ralston followers profess to believe that their candidate will rush to the fore as so mas Smith and McAdoo are through fighting each other. They main tain that the turn of events in this past two days has eliminated all other serious contenders among the leading candidates. As for dark horses" the hdlSIon peOpie uO not say so much. Lurking in the shadows, they secretly fear, are many other dark horses, and they will be quite content if no other entrants are trotted out.
 To Feature Economy.
 Economy in government will be the big feature of the Indiana delegation argument for Ralston, if the time comes when he will be presented to other dele gatiOns in an active way. They be- lieve money saving is of a paramount importance, and hence, they have learned the senator's tax reduction rec ord while governor of Indiana down to cent, and are ready to spring it any time.
 The question of placing Ralston in formal nomination still is under con- sideration. Fred Van Nuis, of Indian apOlis, who was chosen yesterday to make the spech, prepared to release it today to the press and then he decid- ed to hold it back until further confer ences. There was a feeling that it may never be delivered, but that the Ralston boom will be given it's wings when In- diana casts it's solid block of thirty L Il