Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1908 — ANGER CONTROLS TOM’S UTTERANCES [ARTICLE]

ANGER CONTROLS TOM’S UTTERANCES

Boss Taggart Threatens to Force Democrats that Voted for Option Bill Off Ticket.

Indianapolis, Sept. 29. —(Special)— Tom Taggart, member of the Democratic national committee from Indiana, who led the fight against the enactment of the county local option law has stated in an Interview here that the Democratic members who voted for the bill should withdraw from the ticket lif other words, Taggart’s fiery utterances are regarded as an effort to read out of his party those representatives who had the courage tovc/e against the dictation of the LieberFairbanks brewery combine. Not less interesting than Taggart’s interview was the letter of Thomas R. Marshall, democratic nomir.ee for governor, made public today by Chairman Jackson of the democratic state committee. In substance Marshall admits that the enactment of the county L eal option law takes the temperance question out of this campaign. He delar s that he will discuss other matte: s, but tjre important feature of his letter is the effort to forestall any attempt to get him to say whether or not he would sign a bill to repeal the county local option law should the next legislature happen to be democratic. For the last six weeks Marshall has attempted to evade the challenge of James E. Watson, the republican nominee for governor, who has tried to get him to say publicly whether or no

he would sign a county local option

bill if he had a chance. Marshall finally took enough notice of the challenge to say that he would not sigr any bill until he had read it On top of this evasion he now informs the voters of Indiana through the h ad of his own organization that he will not be put in a position where he will have to say whether or not he will stand for the repeal of the county local option law.

He warns the voters in decisive

language that he will not be put in a corner on this question and that ha proposes to go ahead with this &impaign regardless of the efforts to find out where he stands with reference to the repeal by the next legislature od the county local option law as it now • ~ —«< •* -• -■—* "■*.'■*■**?*■ stands. His language in the letter is framed very skillfully, but.it is apparent to those who have read it carefully that he means that he will not say in advance what he will do. Under the circumstances it means that the temperance forces in both the Republican and democratic parties must await Mr. Marshall’s pleasure to find out what he is going to do. According to his own Statement, if he is elected governor, the people will have to take him as he now stands and leave it to him after the votes are cast to determine what his attitude will be toward the county local option law. The Democratic leaders are plainly worried over the enactment of he county local option law. It is understood that Taggart, Marshall, Jackson and the rest of the organization are finding it difficult to explain to the liberal element why it was that they could not hold their members teg ther and keep the county local option bill from becoming a law. Taggart and the democratic organization, it is generally known, have been making a bid for the votes of the liberal element on the ground that th? ele ti n of Marshall would mean the defeat of the county local option law. Now that the bill has become a law in spite of their efforts, they are not in a position to delude the liberal repu’ - llcans and democrats by their premises. It is very likely that the i gislatu e will finish up its business and adjourn Wednesday.