New-York tribune., 1904-08-30
CONGRESS FIGHT CLOSE.
Chairman Babcock on the Situation
-RooseUelts Election Sure.
[FRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU.l

Washington. Aug. 29-This. years Congress
campaign will be the closest since 1898, accord
ing to Representative Joseph w. Babcock. chair
of the Republican Congressional Commit
tee, who visited Washington to-day Chairman
Babcock has five successive successful cam
paigns TO his credit, and his forecasts OF cam
paign exceptionally accurate
There is not "a great deal to be said regarding
our work far" said Mr. Babcock this even
ing. I'VE have hardly got down to details; it
is almost too early for that a good many dis
tricts have not yet nominated their candidates,
although probably - per cent have made their
selections. Some States-Massachusetts, for in
stance-do not nominate their candidates for
Congress until early in October"
What the conditions which render this
such a close campaign" MIR. Babcock was
asked.
They differ in localities" he answered I'm
some they result of the character of the
national campaign. In more they are a result
of local circumstances. In some instances the
difficulty rests with the individuality of the
didates. In Nebraska we have a fusion of the
Democrats and the Populists TO contend with
They have not got together the electoral
ticket but they a unit on the Congress
and legislative nominees. The Republican Ma
tional Committee will have no work to do in
Neblaska, but the Congressional Committee
has a large task cut out for it. - Nearly
all OF the districts in that State are close
We redeemed four districts two years ago but
they all very close-two hundred, three hun
dred or four hundred votes-and in some in
stances only twenty. forty sixty votes The
Congressional Committee has got to go in there
and make a fight without the usual support
which comes from the national committee"
Referring to the Wisconsin situation Mr. Bah
cock said: They making a hard fight on
me in Wisconsin. La Toilette and those with
him will leave no stone unturned to defeat me
7 have majority Of eight thousand hut of
course, If they could induce forty-one hundred
Republicans to vote against me it would over
come that majority. However, I shall go prowl-
ing around that neck of the woods after some
Democratic votes" Mr. Babcock added that he
would be able to spend time in Wisconsin
from on.
Replying to a question concerning the issues
on which he making the fight Mr. Babcock
said: We are fighting chiefly for the protec-
tior Of the business interests OF the country
Business men do not want present conditions
changed. Neither do they want Democratic
House. which would result in constant turmoil.
Mr. Hepburn tells me that the Democratic
House which met in 1870 conducting at one
time as manv as thirty-twc separate investiga-
tiOns into the conduct of the executive depart
meuts. We all know how fruitless such parti-
san Investigations are although there are al
ways Incidents I'm the administration of the de-
partisan capital. With President Roosevelt in
the White House. a Democratic House would
keep the departments in constant turmoil by
voting inquiries into the many departments and
bureaus. Oh. yes. l regard Rooseyelts election
a certain.
There is not much interest in campaign lit
erature." continued Mr.. Babcock. We are
sending out the usual speeches on the tariff
some on the Panama Canal. and a few Demo-
cratic speeches, such as BoUrSe Coclcrans tariff
Illumination. We have not had a campaign OF
education since 1896. however l have never
sent out many documents in year as 1
aid In that campaign. We expect 10 do some ex-
tcDsive stumping. There about 4 dozen
prominent members Of the House whom we
relying. Chief among them Is OF course
the Speaker, who Is "A splendid vote getter. He
VIII start sooi. on special train. and will be
sentative Watson, Of Indiana. and the rest
OF his itinerary ~ Representative Adam Bede.
OF Minnesota. Tayne. Dalzeu Littleheld ana
several other leading Republicans among
our principal orators
How DO YOU and the labor vote?'
u md that the labor men intend 10 vote for
their own interests" answered the chairman
The glass workers Of Indiana. the steel and
irCr workers Of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the
skilled artisans everywh here will vote the
straight Republican ticket. That is the party
u hitch stands for the most OF them II Will be
Just the same I'm TIE other industries"
Asked about the radical Democratic vote Mr.
Babcock said he had been told recently by
prominent Democrat that tho dis1Tection from
Parker would be chiefly I'm those States where
II could DO the Democrats the least harm. "It
iS. Of course, impossible 20 estimate the extent
Of this dsa ffeCtion vet" ne added 1t is no
ticeahle that Watson has considerable follow
ing In States like New-York. New-Jersey and
Connecticut"
Among the calls paid by Mr. Babcock to-day
was one on Chairman Cowherd, but ne would
not say what brand OF sympathy he had ex-
tended 10 the unfortunate chairman of the Dem
Ucratic Congressional Committee. Messrs Bah
cock and Cowherd left here over the Pennsyl-
vania for New-York this evening.