Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-06
OFFICERS WERE ELECTED
Representative Babcock Again Chosen
Apsley Vice Chairman.

The republican congressional committee
held meeting at the Capitol last night
and perfected an organization of a commit
tee preliminary to carrying on the work of
the next campaign. Representative Bab-
COCK Of Wisconsin was reelected chairman
Of the committee, and Representative APPS
ley OF Massachusetts,, vice chairman. Mr.
w. B. Thompson of Michigan was made
treasurer. and the executive committee ap-
pointed comprises Representatives Hull Of
Iowa, Cannon of Illinois. Sherman of New
York, Overstreet of Indiana, Mercer OF Ne
braska, and Senators Pritchard of North
Carolina, Pettigrew of South Dakota and
Mitchell of Oregon. The meeting was en-
urely harmonious, and the reelection of
Messrs. Babcock and Apsley was the unani-
NOUS choice of the committee.
Work of the Committee.
The congressional committee is COM
posed Of one Representative or Senator
from each state elected by the state dele
CATION In Congress. 1t is one of the most
important political organizations Of the
campaign. and its main duties are to aid
IN the election of the party's Congressman.
Sampaish material is selected from the
proceedings or Congress. the weak spots In
the enemy's legislative record are brought
10 View and enlarged upon, and the lecis-
latiVe record of the party represented by
the committee Is brought to the attention
Oh tne country. The work of the committee
Is, therefore, national in its character and
tne CHAIRMAN is regarded ranking ia I'M
portance next to the chairman of the ma
t1Onal committee.
Mr.. Babcock and Mr. Arslev u-a-a 4,
charge of the congressional Committee in
the last campaign. which resulted in the
cVerthrow Of the democracy in the House
and In the return of the sweeping repub.
hni oil t<,,
he ad OF the committee at this time is taken
as an expression Of a renewal OF the con-
nGence of the republican members in Their
ability to successfully handle the nexl
campaign.
Predictions That Were FULFILLED.
AT lest nights meeting of the committee
several reminesceEces OF the last campaigr
were recalled. One of them was the pre-
diction made by Mr. Apsley in October
1881. that the republicans would over
throw such great democratic leaders as
Holman, Wilson. Springer and Bland, and
would return majority of the House from
north of Mason and Dixon's line. Tha,
prediction al the time was greeted with
democratic ridiculc. but the following
month fulfilled it to the letter The demo
cratic heroes were defeated. a majority
was returned north o. Mason ami Dixon's
line AMI thirty-two republican members
from south Of that boundary.
At that time Mr. Babcock used TO figure
upon a republican membership in the House
of ~, and was often ridicuied by even
conservative members of his own party
and members of the press for basing his
calculations too high. The laugh was on
tie other side, however. when the Novem-
Der elections returned republican mem
bership of 24i. People then came around
and wanted 10 know of Mr.. Babccck how
he had obtained such insight into the
future.
All these recolections of the former CAM
paign were referred at last nights meet
Ing after the busir ess of the occasion was
concluded, and the general opinio nwas
concluded. and the general opinion was
good prophets, likewise mascots, and that
II they were continued in office the demo-
cratic rabbit foot would be useless as a
hoodoo against them.