The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-15
THE CAMPAIGN OF '9s.
Republican Congressional Committee
Organizes.

The Issues of the Coming Campaign Dis
cussed and the Necessity for Hard
Work Was Admitted.
Washington, February 1.-THE Repub-
lican congressional campaign committee
met tonight in the lobby of the House
and after perfeoting it's organization
entered into brief discussion of party
issues.
Representative Babcock of Wisconsin
for the third time, was honored with the
Craftsmanship of the committee. There
were 81 members present and Immediate
ly on converting. Representative Hall of
Iowa moved the election of Mr.. Bah
cook as chairman. The election was made
unanimous with applause and many con-
gratulatory remarks. In responding,
Chairman Babcook expressed his appre-
citation of the tributes paid him and said
it should be borne in mind that there
was a strong fight before the party and
pledged his best, efforts in carrying out
his part of the contest. Representative
Pearson of North Carolina, nominated
Representative John Simpkins of Massa-
chusetts for ce-ohairman to succeed Re-
preventative Apsley of Massachusetts,
who was not returned to this Congress.
Mr.. Simpkins declined the nomination
in favor of Jas. S.Sherman of New York,
who was elected.
Representative David III. Mercer of Ne
braska was nominated by Representative
Loudenslager of New Jersey, for election
as secretary, but he too declined, and
nominated instead Representative Jesse
Overstreet of Indiana. The latter was
elected. Col. w. w. Thompson of this
city was then elected treasurer on nomi-
nation of Representative Spaulding of
Michigan.
A motion was carried authorizing
Chairman Babcock to appoint an execu-
tive committee at a future date, he to
both select the membership and deter
mine the number. This executive com
Mite was authorized. to fill any vaoan-
cies in the general committee which
might be caused by death or resignation
with 80 days notice to state delegation.
After passing a resolution expressing
appreciation !. of the services of exVice-
Chairman Apsley, there were several In
formal speeches. Chairman Babcock re-
piled to complaint that the committee
at the last election in Oregan, was not
thoroughly organized for the work and
pointed out that 1t was the state forces
and not the committee that were not ade-
| ouately organized He said that the issues
of the party were not created by the com
mittee, but that 1t was the latter's duty
| to follow out the wishes of the Repuli
can party as expressed in its platform
Gen. Grosvenor pointed to the election
| in Oregon in June. the first of the state
contests to be waged and said the effec1
of the election there as an initiative In
| the country should inoite the strongest
efforts. The party should begin the cam
paign at once in Oregon, he said, on the
STRAIGHTFORWARD issues OF sound money
and protection. Gen. Grosvenor also re-
ferred to the Maine election which is tc
follow that of Oregon, but said its Sig
nificance paled before Oregon on account
of the ,latter's precedence in date.
| Representative Hillsborn of California
made a short address in which he claimed
that protection had accomplished much
for California and the country in gen
eral and because this was an assured fact
the party should devote considerable
attention to 1t.
| Senator Shoup of Idaho said his section
of the country would do everything pos
sible to give Republican majority IL
the seth Congress. but he conceded that
the sentiment of Idaho was for -bimetal'
| IiSm