Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-25
A Plan Said to Have Been Made to
Control Elections.
GIVING TIE PRESIDENT POWER.
The National Committee and the
Congressional Campaign.
WHAT IS SAID ABOUT 1T.

Tor the congressional campaign next fall
1t has already been announced that it is
the intention to establish a headquarters
here within a short time with the purpose
of getting to work early. There is a great
deal of talk in inside circles about a purpose
on the part of members of the national
executive committee to interfere with and
try to get control of the work of the con-
gressional committee, and some feeling has
been excited. 1t is said that If the plans
attributed to the President and Messrs.
Dickinson, Quincy and Harrity are carried
out the mastery which the administration
will have over the democrats in Congress
will make appear insignificant the power
with which the President controlled them
In the silver fight. That fight, it is said,
was but a test of his power and but an
initial move. Up to this point the influence
or the administration over Congress has
been exercised in but two ways-in the use
OF patronage and by appealing to the parti-
sanship of Congressman to stand by the
administration.
Members of the party who are not in
administration councils nov believe they
have discovered a purpose on the part of
the administration, or at all events on
the part of men who are the controlling
forces iG the national executive committee
supported, it is said, by Mr.. Cleveland to
get down to the root of the thing, and in
stead of trusting to the power of the ad-
mlnisuation to change the sentiments of
congressman after their election, TO see
that as far possible none are elected
who are not of the right faith
Congregational Campaign Committee.
At each session of Congress each of the
two parties is in the habit of selecting
each a congressional campaign committee
composed of representative from each
state. This committee, or rather a part of
this committee, designated for the purpose.
takes charge of the congressional elections
sending out documents and furnishing such
munitions of war as they have on hand
Usually the principal work is done by n
comparatively small subcommittee and the
chairman and secretary. During president
laI campaigns this committee usually keeps
IN touch with the national committee
as matter of convenience but their
work Is independent of the national COM
mlttee, and the aim of all their efforts is
TO elect as many Congressman of their po-
ltlcal faith as possible, regardless of how
any individual may feel on some particular r
question OF legislation. The idea Is 10
work Tor all the nominees and get TIM or.
ganization of the House IL possible leaving
the question of policies and disposition to-
ward certain measures to be settled within
republicans alike have followed this line
and in both parties the congressional COM
mittees have always been very Jealous of
their powers and quick to resent interfer-
ence from without AS a continuous or
ganization the league of democratic clubs
has OF late years worked constantly piy-
ing the beneht of their labors to both the
national and the congressional committees
but in the off years, when there has been
no presidential election, the national com
mittee is not expected to figure What has
aroused many democrats is plan said to
have been made by certain men who are
said to have had the counsel of the Presi
uent on the subject to give the national ex-
ecutiVe committee control of the oryaniza-
tlon, SO as to make them powerful in in
nuenclng the fate of aSpirants to sit i'm the
House OF Representatives as democrats N
Is not claimed, of course, that this PROPOSE
ton is openly made or that its ACCOMPLISH
ment Is expected through a direct move
The Conference.
This question is said to have been the
most important one discussed at the con-
ference between the President, MIR. Dick
inson Mr. Quincy and Mr. Harrity several
days ago. Conflicting stories of this con-
ference were given out. and an official de-
nial was made that this conference had
occurred. One statement which was pre-
pared in typewriter by Mr. Harrity. re-
lated entirely to the question of estab-
ington, AMI vague and general i'm its
character. According to those who believe
they see in the movement a plan to control
the congressional elections. a denial that
conference had occurred with the Presi-
dent was given out because the President
did not desire ii to be known that he took
part in the discussion of the permanent
headquarters proposition, lest there should
be some suspicion and oflishness on the part
of members of the national committee when
organized. The statement written by Mr.
Harrity did not mention the President as
party to the conference As the story
comes out today from anti-administratio ton
sources the President cautioned them at
the very threshold of their conference that
those fellows at the Capitol were very sus-
picious and sensitive of any interference
with the congressional elections, and that
therefore whatever they did must be done
with great caution"
Under the Surface
The proposition presented and unanimous
ly agreed in by these four gentlemen, as a
Star reporter was informed, was that the
executive committee make proposition to
the congressional committee that in order
to secure united action in the congressional
campaign next fall and to lay the founda-
ton for future success of the party the
congressional committee, the executive COM
mittee, or whatever its title is, of the league
of the democratic clubs and the national
executive committee unite their forces in
one headquarters here for the purpose of
conducting the campaign. This was the
surface proposition.
The underlying plan, as suspected bv
those who think they see something more
In II than appears on the surface is for
the executive committee as national body
uniting with two lesser bodies to assume
management of the campaign 10
control the organization, hold the purse
strings, shape the policies, decide Questions
between opposing candidates of the same
party claiming the nomina ton through any
independent movement, such as might oc
cur in some districts in the south. and to
give or withhold the aid and support Of
the committee to candidates, at their dis
cretion, the idea being to place all the demo-
cratic candidates for Congress more or
less under obligations and at the mercy Of
the executive committee. In other words
the plan is so far possible to secure
the election of democrats who will he in
perfect accord with the administration and
to keep out men who insist upon main
tanning an independence Such a plan n
is said, If successfully carried out pouId
vastly increase the power of the executive
over Congress. since the same Influences
which worked to control elections wouId
also to a considerable extent influence nomI
nations, and aspirants in close districts
would be compelled to render themselves
acceptable to the administration before they
could secure such assistance from the or
ganizatton as would be necessary for their
election.
70 Control Nominations.
The election of members under such sys-
tenn would be. to a considerable extent