Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-16
DEMOCRATIC DELAY
1ateness of Primary Con-
gressional Conventions.
LEADERS CONCERN ED
WORK Is A MONTH BEHINDHAND
NOW.
Distribution of Documents Held Up
Pending Decision as to Removal
of Headquarters.

The delay in pushing the democratic con-
kressonal campaign this year because OF
the Iateness of the time set for many or
the democratic primary conventions is CIV
ing some of the leaders great concern
While the committee has for six weeks
been sending out literature, 1t is far from
supplying the needs of the campaign.
For some unexplained season In a large
number of the congressional districts the
republicans make their nominations month
or two months earlier than do the demo-
Gratis. The advantage OF such action. 1t Is
claimed. Is to allow the sores of disappont-
msnt on the part of unsuccessful candi-
dates to heal over in time to get everybody
to work in the campaign. The late con-
yention, while it serves the purpose of
shortening the campaign. comes so close to
election day that many of the men who
have suffered disappointed hopes fail to get
their friends in line for effective work.
This disadvantage on the part OF the
democrats was realized two years ago. as
IL was In numerous previous campaigns.
But two years ago the desirability of hav-
ing the nominations made early ana II
getting the campaign workers in action was
discussed and some OF the most influential
men in the party declared their intent on
to bring about change in the way of doing
business.
Work a Month Behind.
Not only was there a failure to get to
work earlier, but the work of the commit
tee this year is about a month behind the
same date two years ago. In other words.
on the 18th of July 1902. the work of the
democratic congressional committee was
as far advanced as it IS today. This con-
dition has not been caused by any indif-
ference on the part of the officers of the
committee. who have been using the ut
most energy in pushing the work along. 1t
Is the result OF d series of events.
In the first place the nominations were
made late. Some of the conventions have
not yet met. In the congressional districts
IN which there was no law In relation to
tie time for making nominations there was
a disposition to wait until after the meet
.ng of the democratic national convention
at St. Louis. The democratic convention
had been delayed in the fixing of its time
for meeting in order that it might get to-
grther after the republican convention. so
that the democrats might be able to act In
view Of republican previous action. That
plan had its advantages. but ii also had
disadvantages, and no one of them was
more pronounced than the consequent de-
lay that occurred In the holding of demo-
cratic primary conventions for the nomina-
ton of candidates for Congress.
Until the nominations are made the cam
palgn cannot be got under way in the dis
tricts. The candidate must be chosen and
an organization must he formed before eff
fective work can be done. Before that the
Irered in the distribution of literature. But
this year the campaign committee had an
additional delay by the fact that IT could
not get to work with its literary bureau 10
any extent until after the national demo
cratic committee was organized. The cam
paign Of Tom Taggart for the chairman
shin and the opposition that existed toward
his candidacy combined TO cause delay.
Distribution Being Held UP.
While the congressional committee works
independently of the national committee in
the distribution of documents, the literary
work of the two committees is closely re-
lated The congressional committee only
recently offered to look after the entire
literary work for both committees. but
that offer was net accepted. But even at
the present time the work of distributing
documents on a large scale is being held
up in view of suggestions on the part of
the members of the national committee
that the congressional committee be moved
to New York city, so that Ii can join the
national committee in much that IL Is be-
leved can be done better in that city than
here
The chief object of the proposition to
move to New York is in order to get cam
paign funds which II is thought will be
forthcoming more freely with the congress
sional committee on the spot than will be
the case with the committee here. and It's
officers making occasional visits to New
York.
Because OF this delay the committee is
employing only about twenty girls in plac-