Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-27
HOW II Is B0SSED
The Work OF the Great Ma
tonal Committee
DURING Az ACTUAL CAMPAIGN
How They Are Quarsfed and Their
Manner of Transscting Business
Win Their Visltogs.
Az ACTUAL CAMPAIGN

Ssx Y0aK, Aug. 26-The scenes
about the headquarters Of the repaD-
Lcan and democratic national and
s1ats committees are curious. They
are especially interesting because only
IN one clsy zad once IA Tour years Is
iust such slght 30 DO witnessed. what
are political headquarters, what do
they look Ike, and what 10 they DO
theFsl This : very natural question
The first part Of L = easily answered.
bat as 10 the last part-gnat IS done
there--lt would take volumes 10 tell, II
IL could be told.
II NAV De interesting, at least to the
average reader 10 look them over and
the msa N them, 20 see shat they look
Ike, what the Visible machinery Il and
know something about what IS done "a
the routine dav BY day happenings.
The number OF these headquarters"
and the number OF committees and
subcommittee and advisory commit
tees - pulling 10 the newly Initiated
student OF the political campalgn.
first. there are the headquarters OF
the committees.
VhsFe They Are Located.
One Of these a located on Fifth ave-
nue., near 10 Madison square, whose
hotels have IN the past been the gen
eral political rendezvous, the other Is
located also on Fifth avenue, but
tweaty squares further up town and
quite out # the political current winch
bows about Madison square, the Fifth
Avenue hotel, Hoffman n0uss and
other resorts Of politicians 10 that Vi
entity Then there are two other head
quarters, one the rooms OF the repubh-
can state committee, tho other the
headquarters OF the democratic state
committee. Both OF these are located
IN the immediate vicinity OF Madison
square. lt IS the republican national
committee which has chosen 10 seciude
ITSELF. IS & were, by locating twenty
squares away from the spot where pol
iuclans are won't 10 cOngregate, while
the democratic national committee
and both the state committees
are located close 10 Maids IA
square. Eacn of the national commit
tees occupies 4 big brown stone build
ing, formerly utilized as residence by
some OF the wealthy ari.tocrats OF fash
l9Ak-NAH AAgA AFIAEEs 10 wv NAAAA
ings are very similar n their general
appearance. There IS IN each big
broad nall. which the VISITOR reaches by
elm hing solid brown stone steps which
lead directly up from the sidewalk
without the Intervention OF that delight
OF the resident Of cities where ground
il less expensive. front yard or lawn.
Ground q too valuable on fashionable
Lrffh to n Mot a a hIu
asa blanket for lawn purposes. There
fore the door OF the big brown stone
buildings open directly onto the side
xalk and passersby may glance into
she windows and get a glimpse of the
political machinery N operation on the
inside.
Outsiaors shut Ont.
IL Is only q glimpse. however, that
he gets for most OF tue actual work Is
done IN retired portions OF the build
ings, either on the second or third
floors, or IN rooms further back and re-
moved from the public view. Both
OF these headquarters are curiously
petitioued oK by big wire screens, 10
tended to keep the curious public from
invading the privacy which officers and
employees must have, not only IN their
correspondence, memoranda, etc. At
each headquarters a part or all OF the
first fiOor IL given up TO the public and
10 those whose business brings them
often TO the headquarters, while high
wire screens, az the foot Of the stair
way guarded by experienced doorkeeD-
ers prevent uninvited visitors or curl.
Gus observers penetrating above the
first floor. The front room in each
building which formerly served a.
q parior, il now fitted up as Q
sort Of general reception room
for al callers The floor Is covered
with mattin., or oil cloth, big table
IN the centzr u filed with newspaper,
and w--..fng material, chars are at
rar- I'd about the side OF the room and
an sssistant sergeant AZ arms ofiicistei
IN this room receiving al the callers
learning their business ard facilitating
their transaction Of business, or getting
them away by some tactful t8rsdiddls
ia case the caller seems 20 be UNLIKELY
% prove agreeable 10 the party be de
sres % interview.
Omcisis Obliged 20 Wait.
These rooms are crowded durins
business hours Of the day. The aver
nER NAlINI WIG y Estth~ 30 -rc NllE tAa T
mAn or score AIRY. or another membe
OF che national committee, NAV thin.
himself lucky r ne gets an audience
with him within "a hour OF the time h'
calls. A gentleman, speaking OF TIN
difficulty. remarked TO your cores
rondent thst IA had VISITED the head
quarters Of one Of the committee n 70
sponsc 90 a request from a prominent
member Of the committee, waited a.
OF one day without being able % sc'
him and waited three hours On thl
second day before getting bis turn With
him. Often politicians Of prominence
who come hundreds or even thousand
OF miles 10 consult the committee on
cisls on important business are obliged
81 vat hourt aud even days before
seeing him. Hence the necessity Of
Spacious rece 5ti0n room, large sup
ply OF literature 20 amuse the vsltnl
visitors and al assistant sergesnt-st
arms vitn rare ability "a a tactical pre-
vsrsCator After shs visitors hav
tired themselves ont With reading th
newspapers. listening 20 the excuse
To fur.fn.