Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-21
Conditions Prevailing in Sew
eral Close Districts.
SPEAKERCANNON'ST TRIP
MR.. HEMENWAY HAS DETERMIN-
ED OPPOSITION.
Representative Babcock's Opponents
Have United Against Him in Wis
consin-Democratic Hopes.

The notes of warning which have come
| fl ON the headquarters of the republican
congressional campaign committee declaring
that the control of the House is threatened
by the democrats, coupled with the remark
able campaign tour upon which the COM
| mittee has sent Speaker Cannon, have
served to attract attention to a number of
districts in which members of the utmost
prominence in the party are being called
upon to fight the battles of their lives
against determined democratic opposition.
When the Speakers tour was planned it
was announced that his services would be
confined strictly to the close districts, dis
tricts in which danger threatened the re-
publican incumbent or in which the signs
pointed to possible success against a demo-
cratic member.
In view of this announcement there has
been a great deal of comment over the in
clusion in the itinerary of such districts as
those represented by Mr. James A. Hem
enway, the distinguished chairman OF the
House committee on appropriations, now
serving his fifth term in the lower branch
of the national legislature; Representative
Jesse Overstreet, who successfully piloted
the House committee on post offlces ana
post roads through one of the most tenn
pestuous voyages which ever beset Its ca
reer; Representative Joseph w. Babcock
the chairman of the republican congress
siOnal campaign committee and head of
the House committee on the District OF
Columbia and lastly, Gen. c. H. Grosve-
nor the eminent statistician of the grand
old party and the popular political prophet
of the times.
What the Conditions Are.
AS result of the committees determina-
ton to have Mr. Cannon dip into these ds-
tricts on tour which is very limited, with
schedule narrowed down to the lowest
possible notch, there has been considerable
anxious inquiry into the conditions exist
ing in the several districts enumerated
above. The impression CLEANED seems to
be that there is good reason to expect close
results in each of the districts mentioned,
with the possible exception of Cen Gros-
venor's. The democrats do not profess any
probability of success against the Ohio
prognosticator of political fortunes.
The plight of Representative Babcock and
a number of his Wisconsin colleagues is a
matter of general knowledge, the La Fol-
lette difficulties in the republican party
having gained nOtoriety well-nigh world
wide.
A great deal of interest attaches to the
conditions in Mr.. Hemenways district. This
interest is due in great part to the fact
of Mr.. Hemenways general pop ularity in
the House and his position of prominence
and power as the head of the committee on
appropriations.
1t is also due largely to the probability
of Mr.. Hemenway's selection as United
States senator to succeed Senator Fair
banks in the event of the success of the
republican party at the polls next Novem-
Der. There Is some talk to the effect that
a number of Mr.. Hemenway's prospective
rivals for senatorial honorS would like very
much to see him defeated in his race to re-
tain his seat in the House. They believe
that such a result would have a decidedly
dampening effect on the Hemenway boom,
which hpaltheSf ha n
diana senatorial market
Mr.. Hemenway is Popular.
Mr. Hemenway's friends rely upon his
native popularity and his hard work for his
district to pull him through without diff
Guilty. His personality will undoubtedly
have much to do with the result, as 1t has
for ten years past. Prior to Mr.. Hemen-
ways election to the Fifty-fourth Con-
gress in 1894 the first district, which he
represents, had been strongly democratic
Winning at first by only few hundred
votes, Mr.. Hemenway's pluralities have in
creased with each election, until two years
ago he defeated his opponent by nearly
1000 votes.
Several of the republicans of the state
who would like to succeed Senator Fair
banks are arguing that Mr.. Hemenway is
probably the only republican who could
carry his district and therefore it should
not be turned bodily over to the democrats
Dy SenUlnE the chairman Oh the appTOpTld-
tions committee to the Senate.
While this talk has been going on among
the republicans, the democrats have not
been inactive. Mr.. Hemenway's popularity
and strength in his home district have been
so great during the past few years that it
is said the democrats have not made any
very determined effort to defeat him. This
fact Is said to have been evidenced two
years ago when the democratic nominee
was John w. Spencer, associated with Mr..
Hemenway himself in the practice of law.
But this time the democrats have nomi-
mated an exceptionally strong man In the
person of Albert G. Holcomb of Fort
Branch. Mr.. Holcomb is a farmer, but one
of the modern scnool and might be more
properly classed as a business man. He
has been honored in his home county by
election to the state senate, has served as
president of the board of equalization and
has otherwise indicated a popularity with
the voting public
An Active Campaign.
Mr.. Holcomb Is making an active cam
vass and has aroused Mr.. Hemenway's
friends to an activity greater than they
have ever shown before. Mr.. Hemenwsy's
district is in the extreme southern part
of Indiana, and he has natural tendency
of the people toward democracy to con-
tend with at all times. His neighboring
districts, the second and third are both
represented by democrats, the second by
Judge ROBERT w. M1eTS ana the third by
Mr.. w. Il. Zenor. The district borders on
Kentucky. Mr.. Hemenway's friends ex-
press no real doubt that he will actually be
defeated, but they working for him
with a will which indicates a determine
tion to win or die.
Other Indiana districts in which Speaker
Cannon will spend some time prior to the
closing of the campaign, will be the seventh
represented by Mr.. Overstreet-and The
twelfth, where Representative Jim Rob-
inson is the democratic incumbent
Against Mr.. Overstreet the democrats
have nominated Mr. Levi p. Harlan of In
danapolis. a man of reputed popularity
with the city's voters 1t is freely predicted
that even though Mr.. Harlan may not de-
feat Mr.. Overstreet. he will at least have
the distinction of running far ahead of his
ticket. Representative Overstreet's plural
ity two years ago was something over 1900
votes In the twelfth district the republi-
cans have believed for some years they
have had a good chance to defeat Mr. Rob-
inson. but each time the votes were counted
the democrat was found winner by very
slight margin. Two years ago Mr.. Robin
son won out with less than 900 plurality.
This year he Ii opposed by Newton w. Gill
bert. who Is regarded as the strongest op-
penens the republicans have yet put In the