Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-07
NEW YORK FEATURE.
The Work of the Republican Head
quarters in Washington

Marty is keeping itself in touch with
Tho legislation to which the good faith
az that party is pledged. and for whose
promotion the party may properly
,,aim credit in the future.
To be sure. there is no national
,oIitical contest nearer than 1902. while
Tho next presidential campaign is four
,cars away. But Chairman Hanna
ana his associates of the Republican
National Committee are doing some
thing never before attempted in So
caIIed practical politics. They are
maintaining a national party head
Quarters in Washington. not for The
influencing Of conventions or for the
fnture capture of delegates in the in
forest of any aspirant for Congress or
for the next presidential nomination.
but as A kind of central bureau of
legislative and political information.
This headquarters is in charge Of
secretary Perry 5. Heath. and its
,rinripal work is answering inquiries
distributing information to newspapers
and collecting data for future refer
once It was the experience of the
committee in the last campaign that
tic chief task lay. not in combating
legitimate arguments of the Demo-
cratic opposition. but in clearing away
misunderstandingS due either to mis-
concentration or to actual ignorance
II the subject in controversy. So far
&c nossible. this work Will be antici-
mated during the coming four years by
knering education in public affairs
fnllv acquainted with the record Of the
Republican party in legislation as fast
az L is made.
4 good example Of this kind of mis-
eionarv work and Of the necessity for
tho shining hill. now the center Of
daily parliamentary battle in The
senate. The opposition to this bill. it
is well known. has been characterized
by an amazing ignorance concerning
its provision and it's expected effects.
The Republican headquarters has dis
tributed a liberal quantity Of literature
upon the subject and has succeeded in
counteracting some of the many mis-
representations. II ever there was n
marty measures this is one: for Republic
can national platforms have repeatedly
declared in favor Of the development
Of the American merchant marine.
The other day the correspondent ri a
prominent Democratic newspaper
called at the Republican Headquarters
and frankly stated that ne had been
directed to expose" the work Of the
national committee in distributing
rtcraturc in behalf OF the ship sub
sily" bill. He wished to know What
defense. if any. there WAS to offer in
thus using the machinery Of 4 political
marty to aid what his newspaper neld
to he the work Of an organized LOBBY
maintained by steamship companies.
Secretary Heath was both amazed
and amused. He pointed out to the
correspondent that the shipping bill is
distinctly a great party measure: that
it represents 4 proposed policy of the
government directly in harmony with
the principle of 4 protective tariff; that
the party was openly and avowedly
committed to it. OF course. literature
in its favor was distributed and would
he distributed. and it was suggested to
the correspondent that he could have
his newspaper. which appeared to be
sadly in need Of some facts about the
subject.
The threatened exposure" was never
made; there was nothing to expose.
There hardly could be anything more
public than the national platform OF
great political party. 1t is certain that
If the ship subsidy bill is enacted by
the Republican majority in this Con-
grees the Republican party will be
swift to claim the responsibility and
the credit for building up another
great American industry and for max
ing the commerce of this country IN
dependent of the carrying trade of
foreign nations.
Another measure for whose enactment
at this session Of Congress the Republ-
can party will claim credit is the army
reorganization bill. which finally passed.
the Senate today and now needs only the
signature of the President. IniS Is Inc
measure that Senator FRYE went SO Tar
today as to pronounce the most impor-
liant before the Senate" indeed. ii Is a
measure more important 70 the country
at large. Of greater bearing upon our IL
ture national development ana 81 larger
influence upon our international prestige
than the public generally appreciates
1t has taken long and bitter contest
to get this measure into its tinal form
Bat il is not too much to say now that
this country is to have an army organ
lied az il has not been for a hundrci
years II will he an army jhat can be d"-
ve9ped from within, as need may require.
from 0G00 Ia 100000 officers and men. II
will have the battalion. instead Of TN"
regiment. as unit This means Of econ
omy in colonCls and lieutenant colone Is.
u will have an Interchangeable staff, IN
stead IF permanent bureau chiefs. inns
change however. will he effected grad
Uaily. SO that fifteen or twenty years
will napsc before the present permanent
staff is changed into q system that Will
Tla"r limo officers in regular S"Guonc" lH
staff positions for four wears ~ = time.
This was the feature Of I'll" army hlli
over which there was the greatest con
tost. Politics has always been the bane
Of the army If this bill does not take
The army entirely out Of p"litiCs-it would
he impossible to do that with any H.
man institution under repuhiic-it 81
lHaSt places il upon 4 basis a. tn"fonSH
military DISCIPLINE and scientific organic p
non, in accordance with The most al
Vdnccd modern ideas.
As the army law is unfamiliar to many
as Ii has undergone the most klicidp-
scopic changes during lis stages 81
foubled passage through Congress. hnc
aS II MARKS an epoch III our milltatN nus
IorE. some facts concerning the new r
eanization il creates are Cf pertinent in
Ierest The now army will he organize.
slostantialiy as follows tSuHjcct To some
important corrections of dctaiH:
,,,,eitcnant-goneraS.
Major generals.
nneadicr-generals.
iN9ulants general.
Inspectors general.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES