The Grit-advocate., 1900-07-06

tnat required 10 carry on the most
extensive of modern enterprises, the
collection and expenditure of sum of
money SO large as to require seven fig
ures for its expression. the selection
and employment, directly and indi
rectly, of thousands of workers. the
gathering and dissemination of spe-
cial information on a scale not less ex-
tensive than that of great telegraphic
news association, and hundred other
things beside. none Of which can safe
ly be intrusted to anyone not an ex-
pert in his line. Until 1896 campaign
lished in the city of New York, and ac-
cording to an unwritten rule they were
almost always located in four-story
house on Fifth avenue. That year.
however, both parties broke away from
the old order Of things and housed
their chief headquarters in Chicago,
though each committee perforce main
tained branch in the metropolis. In
Chicago the forces of both committees
were quartered in modern office build
ings; in New York the Republicans
took one whole floor in a handsome
white marble structure on Union
square. while the Democrats occupied
stones throw away. The headquar-
ters Of national campaign committee
must OF necessity be almost as extern
sive as big railroads executive Off
ces, since room must be afforded for
half dozen different sets Of employees.
besides suites for the various commit
tee officials
In sense, the press bureau" is
next in importance to the chairman's
headquarters. since through it the
reporters and correspondents are fur
nshed with such news as the commit
tee wishes to give out This bureau,
however. is only small part OF the
committees machinery for the dlstri
button of correct political gospel. The
bureaus relations are mainly with the
country journals, but city papers are
sometimes supplied with special in
formation. The amount OF plate mat
ter sent out through the country week
lies during the heat OF battle is ap-
palling and costs an immense sum of
money-in the millions.
1t has commonly, though not always.
been considered good committee prac-
tice to issue translations into almost
every European language of nearly all
the documents got out in English, and
the troubles of the functionary who
has to look after this job are simply
indescribable. To begin with, he is
generally and of necessity ignorant of
the languages into which the docu-
ments are to be translated, and there
fore quite incompetent to Judge the
ability Of those whom he has to engage
as translators or their work when 1t
is finished. His only safety lies in en-
gaging Two persons familiar with each
of the unknown tongues" into which
the matter Is to be done. One Of these
he intrusts with the translation; the
other examines it carefully when fin
ished to see that no error has been
committed.
Campaign committees are generally
extensive patrons of what might by a
stretch be termed the arts and also Of
what it's writer's fondly believe to be
poetry
Under the head of the arts may be
included the millions of candidates
portraits which are put out under COM
mittee auspices, also the cartoons, ,dia-
grams, maps, badges 'pins and but
tons), and the like. Opinions differ as
! to the value of such things in the get
! ting of votes, but committees always