Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1912 — THOMAS TAGGART [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THOMAS TAGGART

His Relations to the Democratic Party in Indiana. From the Times, Noblesvills, Ind.

On# of the rules of war that Is com®*mly observed by successful generals 1* to direct the fire at the most effective commanding officer on the opposite side in hopes of disabling him or, better still, to kill him and thereby weaken the enemy by the loss of an aggressive leader. This is the best explanation for the continued and apparently unwarranted attacks made by the Republican party and its handmaiden. the Indianapolig News, upon Thomas Taggart. For many years the News" and the small fry Republican papers, taking their cue from it, have filled lots of valuable space in their papers advising Democrats that Thomas Taggart was attempting to ruin their party and that his activity in its behalf was for bis. personal aggrandizement and to ft her his own political ambitions at he expense of the voters of the Democratic ticket. So diligently have these guardians of the interest of Democracy worked and so persistemb have they dmen home their arguments and so successfully has Mr.

Taggart withstood these attacks that we believe it is due Mr. Taggart and the members of the Democratic party that a clear exposition of his relations to the party in the past years be given. It is not necessary to recall the attacks have been made upon Thomas Taggart, for every reader of Indiana newspapers is familiar with all that has been printed and the charges that have been made by Republican newspaper and by some that pose as independent papers, all looking to the eternal good of the Democratic party. It might be said, too. that no selfish or sinister motive ever inspired these publications, but they were always actuated by their profound love and their interest in the welfare of the Democratic party. Mr. Taggart’s Start ia Life. About the first known of Mr. Taggart he was engaged in his chosen calling of catering to the public in an humble way at the lunch counter at the Union Station in Indianapolis. His pleasant way, his genial smile and bis business integrity won him a place in the affections of every one who chanced to meet him, and by hard work, frugal living and honest dealing he soon began to climb the ladder of success In his line of work until today he owns solely the finest and most valuable hotel property in Indiana and equal to afiy in the United States. French Lick estate with its magnificent hotel stands as an enduring monument to the hard work and sturdy Irish grit of Thomas Taggart. Few men would have the nerve to go into the hills and forests of that out of the way place and invest the savings of a life time in a hotel at the dead end of & stub railroad with nothing more than the flowing waters of a medicinal spring as an incentive.

Pluto String and Thomas Taggart have converted the lonesome valley of French Lick into a picturesque place where body and soul can both find relief. The body from the healthgiving waters of Pluto and the soul from the genial life inspiring attention of Mr. Taggart. The combination lg a happy one and thousands can testify to the wonderful curative effects of both. Thus it is seen that Mr. Taggart Is m no sense a hanger-on. He is not interested In politics to obtain a place or a subsistence. He is not a burden on the party, nor is he a failure in bis life’s work. He is a Democrat and in his work for the party he has pnt behind it ; the same matchless energy and aggressiveness that have characterized his other endeavors, and, like any man who does something, he has drawn the fire of the enemy and the broadsides that have- been turned loose upon him only testify tc his effectiveness and the success the * M» offnttE.

Beginning his political career ala* in Indianapolis he maintained that steady growth that finally moved hint up from -jprecinet committeeman to Auditor of Marion county and finally Mayor for two terms of Indianapoli* Gave First Signs of Great City. In the administration of these offices he observed the law strictly and to his credit it can be said that Marlon county, in so far as the Auditor's office is concerned, never had a better administration and no charge or suspicion was ever directed toward any of his official acts, Under his administration as mayor of Indianapolis tha city took omits first signs of a great city and the impetus given it by the two terms of Mr. Taggart remain with it to this day, and Indianapolis date* the time it began to be a city from the time Thomas Taggart took the rein* of government of city affairs. A successful man begets jealousy, even in the ranks of those who ought to be his friends, and Mr. Taggart was no exception to the rule. Democrats in Indianapolis sought to rob him of his well earned leadership and they found ready sponsors in the Republican press and the so-called independent papers. When the Indianapolis News undertook to use Mr. Taggart, as it has other public officials of the city and county, it wag repulsed and even with its promise of support and painting of fields of glory for the future, was told to get behind me, Satan, and since then it- has bee* the unrelenting enemy of his and In him it has found an adversary worthy of its steel. Politics in cities is much different than in the country districts. Means are employed there that would not he tolerated in the rural districts, and In bis contests Mr. Taggart applied the rule of fighting the devil with Urn The demands of the hour have caused him to do things that do not meet the approval of even his friends, just sg your wife, your p&stor or your child. He has used whatever force was necessary to combat the force used against him, but never when it wee not in t,he interest of the Democrat!* party. Whatever may be charged against Mr. Taggart, no one has ever questioned his loyalty to his party. He has given freely of his time, his energy and his money to further its Interests and never with the hope of office or political preferment. Other men have contributed heavily ta speech and in writing and made sacrifices for its success, but no Democrat in Indiana has been looked to eg earnestly as has Mr. Taggart in the past twenty yearß when hard worlt was to be done and campaign expenses were to be met. Believes in Principles of Democracy.

The Democracy of the state has no* ticed and appreciated his valiant work and for many years he has been the Indiana member of the National Den* ocratlc committee. The Democracy of the nation has also honored him by making him chairman of the tlon&l Democratic committee and la that work he put the same energy a*& skill as he did in bringing up bis pro* cinct in good shape in Indianapolis. He has his opinions and ideas ot party policy and party declaration, lust as any of us have. He contend* for them and if he is successful bo glories in bis triumphs, as any other man. and if he is beaten he is alway* ready to take up the work that hi* party lays out * and never in all hi* career was he known to sulk in hi* tent or fail to contribute to his party'* success. In the dark days oft the party la Indiana Thomas Taggart was always the inspiration—the man who saw the bright side of everything—and kept the party intact. He never lost faith in the eternal principles of his party, because he believed in them. ll* fought as well in the face of almost certain defeat as he has when victory was as well assured. He has asked any reward for his efforts and. does not now seek any, but his ambition and his hope is to see his party win and the sacred principles it stand* for put int£> law for the betterment ot the masses,. 1 -f :

Despite the false charges that hav* been made by his political adversaries and believed to some extent by man who were prejudiced against him by -reason of them, Thomas Taggart ha* been the lifeblood of the Indiana Democracy for years that are past and in the future, so long as bis health, his energy and his. money is his, h* will be found the mainstay, the hope, the rallying, force of the followers ot Jefferson and Jackson and no matter, whether his party is successful or t* defeated, he will be found the same active, energetic winning Democrat that he has been in the past Thomas Taggart might get without the Democratic party, bat ft will be many years before anothe* man will be found to take his pla*% in the management of party attain* - ' ' , « •' . . . * V '' -

THOMAS TAGGART.