The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-31
ACTIVITY AROUND
HEADQUARTERS
DEMOCRATS ARE CHEERFUL.
INDICATIONS THAT THEY WILL
CONTROL THE NEXT HOUSE,

Anxiety i'm Republican Stronghold.
Chairman BabcOcIz Going to Have
the Fight of His Life in Wis
cOnsin-COngressma Griggs' OBJ
servatiOns During His Trip
Through the West-The Old Civil
Service Chestnut Against Political
Assessments Revived But COrteI-
yOu's Aids Ready for Voluntary
Contributions.
BY r. NJ. Larner.
Washington, Aug. 30.-There is q
perceptible Cheer up" atmosphere here
around the headquarters of the Demo-
cratic Congressional Committee, dating
from the recent visit of Representative
Ryan, of Buffalo. Not only did Mr..
Ryan bring words of encouragement
to Chairman Cowherd and his CO.
workers at headquarters, but there is
suspicion abroad that he brought
with him something more substantial.
The day following Mr.. Ryan's re-
turn to New York, the dsbursing clerk
at headquarters was observed to get
busy and shortly afterwards he went
to bank and came back with a big
bunch of money. The climax was a
ghost walk" and general rejoicing
among the small army of willing work
ers, assisting Chairman Cowherd in
the distribution of campaign litera-
ture.
Strip Among Republicans.
Following close upon Mr. Ryans
visit came reports from Republican as
the effect that present indications are
tending strongly in favor of the DEM
ocrats controlling the next House of
Representa- tives. Some of the best in
formed Republican scouts now in the
field have sounded the alarm at Repub-
lican headquarters and Chairman Bah
cock and his associates are said to be
more than anxious about tho present
condition, of affairs in several supposed
to be Republican strongholds. 1t is
possible that these scare reports are
given out for the purpose of arousing
political activity in the Republican
ranks.
Chairman Babcock is going to have
the fight of his political life in Wis
consin, and those who are close to him
accuse him of appropriating nearly
all the money sent into Wisconsin
from headquarters, to save his own
district from being captured by the
enemy,
Democrats Cheerful.
The wave of depression which swept
ever the Democratic camp a short time
ago, seems to have disappeared, and
has blown over to the Republican res
ervation. Representative Griggs, for
mer chairman of the Democratic Con-
gressional Committee, who is just back
from trip to the Pacific coast, says
he took political observations all along
the line eastward and he did. not dis
cover Democrat who is going to vote
for Roosevelt. He says he did meet
a number of prominent Republicans in
the West. who expressed their total
indifference as to whether Roosevelt
is elected.
Judge Griggs is an old campaigner,
and he is familiar with, these spasms of
alternating enthusiasm and depression
which attack political parties before
begins. In his judgment the Demo-
Gratis have good fighting chance to
carry the House of representatives,
and unless some of the disgruntled Re-
publicans recant before election day,
there will be a deficiency in the Roose-
welt vote in some of the Western states.
senator stewards Opinion.
The venerable, but sprightly Senator
Stewart of Nevada has returned to
washington from a tour of the New
England summer resorts with his
bride. Senator Stewart has been a
member of both political parties and
is slated for retirement from political
life, when his present term in the Sen
ate expires next March. He is, there
fore, familiar with the manipulations
of both parties, and in his present con-
dition can take an entirely Independent
view of the situation. His judgment
is that there will be no change in the
present administration. He does not
base his opinion on the extreme popu-
larity of the Roosevelt and Fairbanks
ticket, but he contends that the claims
of the two parties are about equal, and
therefore the conservative element in
the country are indifferent about a
change. He says he was surprised to
find so many Republicans in New Eng
land who had little or no choice be-
tween Parker and Roosevelt. Senator
Stewart is going West in a few days,
but he has not made any plans to do
a spellbinding stunt for Chairman
Cortelyou.
Assessments just the Same.
That old Civil Service chestnut
against political assessments from gov
eminent officials is revived with usual
regularity and published as il it were
something new. 1t was a dead letter
the first time It was issued and has
continued defunct ever since. 1t
sounds WELL but it does not prevent the
party in power from getting a hand
some rake off" from the boys and
girls behind the desks, who love their
country and the jobs they hold. The
fact that political assessments are not
as compulsory now as they were in
the reign of Jay Hubbleism. does not
prevent the administration hat It1sser
from giving the mystic sign, which In
dicates TO the office-holder where the
former may be found when the usual
voluntary contribution is ready for de-
livery.