The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-09
JAMES M. cRlees.
Chairman Democratic Congressional
 Committee Makes His Bow.
virkon.
From the Washlngton star.

From the Washington Star.
 James Matthew Griggs. representative In congress from the Second Georgia district and chairman of the democratic congressional campaign committee, is a personality of which Washington as yet knows very little.
 MT. Griggs has just made his initial bow as q national character. The slight pause which follows the bow as be- tokened in the present Hull before the artillery of the campaign thunders. be- speaks for him native modesty.
 Is this large-framed, blue-eyed, and quiet-mannered son of the south the Twentieth century Moses who is to lead the American democracy into the prom ised land, freed from trusts and furnish ed with a ~free-trade plenty?
 This is the question which not only Washington, but the whole country, is asking. Perhaps as an indication that the new chairman is fit" he refuses to answer in the way of election forecasts Instead he is holding frequent counsels with the men wno are charged with financing the campaign; he NeTves deep into the mysteries of "close districts"; he puts in a little peg here. and calls attention to a republican loophole there.
 With it all he is sanguine and pleasant HeAis a good eater; he has a good diges tion; he is in good fiesh and he has plen- ty of time for every duty, with a good share left over to be employed in the vastly essential political pastime of mixing"
 Mir. Griggs does lots of hard work dur ing all of this time, but it seems to slide out of the way like a greased pig at a ha rh of l,Ec ,5 quarters at the Colonial hotel Is his ''den." One room is devoted to himself and the others are filled with stenogra- phers, which he keeps busy. Yet you can always see Mr. Griggs iS you have business. He will stop in the middle of letter, dismiss his stenogsapher lean back in his chair, put his hands behind his tawny head, and then remark in his slow way, but with a voice which gives good cheer, Well cid man. what can be done for you today7"
 You do not have to spar with MT. Griggs to get the Information you are after. If your question is such that 1t can be answered with benefit to the cause, or without detriInent to the cause, the answer will be full and explicit. The diplomacy employed by Mir. Griggs Is to be frank and open. If he needs to make a confidant of you in order to make proposition plain, he will do so without hesitation. He has a hearty belief in the good side of human nature, and although he may have been deceived occasionally, he has not lost his faith.
 While to the casual observer the cam paign life of the new Georgia chairman seems to be without a ripple, there is no question but that he feels to the full eX- tent the responsibility which attaches to the plot of the democratic party through a congressional campaign. The questions of literature and speakers, the question of funds and the perplexities of selecting a clerical force competent and adequate, although each is a large one, each Is met and settled with the same calm delihera- ton and the same quiet dispatch.
 Chairman Griggs has no political wor ries at home He is quoted in the Con- gressional Directory as a Democrat of Dawson" He was born fl years ago at LaGrange Ga. When he was 22, he was admitted to the bar of his state as law yer. Two years later he was elected prosecuting attorney of the Pataula judi cial circuit.
 Next came his appointment as judge of the same circuit, and twice reelected without opposition He was elected to the Fifty-ffth, Fifty-sixth and Fifty seventh congresses The last time there were only twenty-four votes against him in his whole district. He has been re- nominated, and if he does as well for the democratic nominees to congress as he will for himself in his own district, landslide will be the result.
 Judge Griggs has an unbroken record for winning In politics. There are some who are banking on this record to pull the whole party through at the next election. MT. Griggs, however, Is not resting on his present laurels; he is after fresh ones.