Evening star., 1953-09-28

Fiery Veteran Leader
OF Maryland 6. 0. P.
Galen Lamar TAFT, for many
years the fiery leader of Repub-
lican politics in Maryland. died
unexpectedly yesterday in San
Juan. Puerto Rico, where he and
Mrs. TAFT were visiting their son.
Mr.. TAFT, a resident Of Chevy
Chase, Md. was 81 years old. He
influenced party affairs for al
most half a century, period in
which he rose from the role of
worker-in- -the-ranks to the po-
Sition of State G. o. P. chairman.
In addition, he was Collector
OF Internal Revenue in Maryland
for IL years and was administra-
tive assistant to Theodore RooSe-
velt McKeldin when the present
Governor was Mayor of Balti-
more.
A lawyer and land developer
both in Washington and Mary
land. Mr.. TAFT turned to politics
as an avocation. He was out
spoken in his views and
frequently caustic in his criti-
cism Of others. He became one
of the most controversial figures
in Maryland political history.
Headed State G. o. P.
Mr.. TAFT was secretary of the
Republican State Central Com
mittee in Maryland for a year
before he was elected chairman
in 1914. He held the latter post
for 20 years, but in 1884 was
ousted through efforts of former
Gov. Harry w. Nice, then the
G. o P. candidate for governor.
Still, the small gray-halred
f1reball was not through. Mr..
TAFT decided to support Mr..
McKeldin for Governor in 1888.
The two friends conducted a
vigorous Statewide campaign,
but the election was won by the
Democratic nominee, Herbert r.
O'Conor.
The next year, however, Mr..
McKeldin swept to victory in
his bid for Mayor Of Baltimore.
And Mr.. TAFT was brought in
as his administrative aide de-
spite protests from some promi-
nent Republicans. Even the
Democratic City Council elm
mated Mr.. Tait's job from the
city budget, but Mayor Nc
Keldin paid his aide out of a
contingent fund.
Was Able Orator.
And, in 1912, Mr.. TAFT again
won the State party chairman
ship. He served in this capacity
until 1948A On resigning the
position he commented wryly:
II don't want to be like the
man who came 20 dinner and
stayed too long"
Able as an orator. Mr.. TAFT
missed few opportunities to at
tack his political enemies,
whether within or without the
Republican Party. He once said
Gov. Nice was "anointed with
nothing holier than goose grease
of sycophants seeking solacing
favors. though some there are
who have not bent the pregnant
hinges OF the knee that favors
might follow fawrir1g.
He also charged that former
President Truman'S -.palpable
lack of fitness to be either vice
president or President suggests
some of the astutesness of an
Alexander Throttlebottom of
stage renown."
Took Much Criticism.
But If he gave, he also took
biting criticism. He considered
it all a part of the political
game.
A man who had seen Presi-
dents come and go and even
helped to make few. Mr. TAFT
was one of those who organized
Maryland for Theodore Roose-
velts Bull Moose campaign in
1912. He was chairman of the
sixth Congressional District
Roosevelt Committee the same
year.
One of Galen Tait's first Of
f1cial party jobs here was as sec
retary of the G. o. P. Committee
for Montgomery County in 1904.
He became chairman of the 9Th
Congressional District Commit
tee for Theodore Roosevelt in
1912.
Mr.. TAFT was born in Newton,
Iowa, OF parents who emigrated
there from Pennsylvania. He
studied at the University of Ne
braska and the University of
Chicago. A teen-ager then, he
delved into politics as an or
ganizer and eventually landed a
job in the Chicago City Hall.
Invested Heavily Here.
He and his father, James L.
TAFT, acted as agents for 18
northwest towns and also ho