The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-20
THE Els.
AS 10 ALTON.

AS TO ORGASlZ ALTON.
In a statement to a representative OF
the Associated press, the other day, OK
Secretary William G. Whitney expressed
views regarding the management OF the
national campaign which are full OF
wise suggestions to democrats here and
elsewhere. "The truth is said MI.
whitney. 'the national committee has
never been properly organized on u
side. The organization has never been
broad enough for the work. One man
has always undertaken too much. Sen
ator German in 1884 and Senator brlce
in 1888 did each the work OF a dozen
mon. Senator Brice's work was never
half appreciated, in my opinion. The
criticism l would make is that it was in
dividual. As the day Of election ap-
breaches the work becomes overwhelm-
ing and necessarily gets neglected. This
year it ought to be different. A proper
chairman is a hard man to find. He
should be a man with a good head for
politics, a worker, and, most important
Of all, patient with details, approacha-
ole, accessible at all times and able to
keep the field in his mind. This is a
hard man to find, but there are two or
three in the democratic party who have
already shown these qualities"
With such a man secured Mr.. Whit
ney would give him an advisory board
OF men experienced in politics, for the
purpose of consultation and advice, $50
that a plan of campaign should not be a
haphazard thing but deliberately formed
after consultation and for good rea-
sons." He would supplement the advisory
board by an executive force of four or
five men, who should be real workers
possessed of untiring energy and push,
to whom should be entrusted the differ
emit branches of the work.
This plan Is good as far as it goes,
but it should go further. This is too
big a country to make it possible to
conduct a thorough and efficient cam
paign from New York. 1t is 1000
miles from New York to Chicago and
even the latter city is on the eastern
edge Of the battle states. 1t would be
much better to divide the states into
four or five groups with sub eadquar-
ters in each, a national committeeman
In charge Of each group. Each group,
through the committeeman in charge,
could keep in touch with the national
chairman in New York who could thus
be a real general in command instead of
a man of infinite detail. If it is objected
that all this would call for the services of
more men than the committee can
command, we see no reason why the ma
tional committee should not be COM
posed of two members from each state,
on to remain in the state continually,
the other for service at headquarters in
New York or elsewhere.
The great mistake of the national
democratic leaders is that they neglect
all but the two or three doubtful states
IN a canvass. That is tho chief reason
that the western and northwestern
states were hopelessly republican for SO
many SCdiS' 4No ~ tllOTt was maze
to carry them.
An ideal campaign would be one in
which the flag and the gospel of dem
ocracy should be carried into every re-
publican stronghold from Vermont to
Oregon, and every inch of ground con-
tested. II democratic principles are
true and right they should be pro-
claimed everywhere, no matter whether
electoral votes are captured in the first
tussle OF not. In no other way can
converts be made or parties grow IN in
tiuence and numbers. Look how, until
recently, the republican party grew in
the states west of Indiana until, with
the admission of new states, it pained
control Of a sufficient number of e]ec-
toral votes to be virtually independent
OF New York in Il national contest
Meantime democratic national commit.
tees have kept revolving around tho old
~pivots-New York and Indiana-,eav;n,
the northwest, the intermountain and
the Pacific states to be handled nm.
aided by the democrats of those states.
Let the national committee panjz
it's lines so as to fight for tho whole
country. That is the only way to make
the party a national party.