Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-18
HAVE TWO ESTIMATES
Republican Managers Figur-
ing on New Congress.
MAJORITY OF ABOUT 80
EXTENT TO WHICH PRESIDENTS
INFLUENCE IS ANTICIPATED.
Matchless Organization That is Push
ing the Congressional Campaign
Something About the Work.

Special from a Staff Correspondent.
NEW YORK, October 1S, 1904.-The re-
publican managers have two estimates of
the next House of Representatives. The
first is a republican majority of 81, the
alternate is republican majority of ~.
The present republican majority is 80 In the
clear. According to the close figuring of the
republican managers it will require nothing
less than landslide to get them down be-
low 20.
The upset figure of 36 is predicated upon
the Roosevelt strength pulling through the
congressional ticket in the districts where
it now threatened to get begged down.
When you come to think of it, what lot
of wheel-horse work the President has to
do in this campaign Here he has to drag
the New York state machine out of the
Odell quagmire; he is just bound to pull
Senator Quarles and the Wisconsin outfit
out of their bog-down, if they get out at
all. He has to swing the bull snake whip
around a lot of balky ones in West Vir-
ginia, and there is hardly state in which
they are not depending upon him to help
lift out a congressional district. IRE mini
mum figure of % republican majority IN
the House represents the possible fulfill
ment of the fears of the party managers.
The Men Beh1nQ the NIacu1uc.
This little group of three-Representatjv
Babcock Overstreet and Hull-have man
aged number of congressional campaigns
for the republicans, and up to this time
with unvarying success. They are coid-
blcoded set however, not given to dreams
rainbow chasing the building of political
castles in Spain.
1t is their custom at the outset of
campaign to figure out the utmost losses
that in ordinary reason can be incurred.
They want to know the worst, first Ihen
plumb out to California, and get every
body scared most to death. Incidentally the
financial committee gets busy and passes
around the hat. After that they cheer a
bit, and begin to get little more hopeful.
But all the time they keeping watch
full eye on the campaign in every district
and do not permit themselves to be blinded
by optimistic hopes.
Perfect Political Organization.
I doubt if this country has ever seen
more perfect political organization than this
republican congressional committee. 1t Is
run upon strictly a business basis as big
business house would be conducted. 1t is
system, detail and hard work from start
to finish. The three most active men in
the committee, whose names have been men
toned, are not only skilled politicians, but
good business men,
Just as a minor indication of the way
things are conducted, when the congress
sional districts were recast after the census
of 1900 every district was changed That
vitiated all past political data about the
district. Mr.. Babcock set to work and
caused data to be collected, showing the
vote in the territory comprised in the new
district. 1t took six months of painstaking
work to get those figures together. They
were then drawn, off upon cards, and the
chairman and secretary of the committee
have in their desks today cards showing the
vote for Congress in the territory com
prised in the existing districts, for the years
$685. 1900 and 1862, the only compilation in
existence. Every detail is looked after that
carefully.
This Years Work.
This year this country has been subdi-
vided into sections and placed under the
management of members of committee who
are old hands a politics. They are respon-
sble for their territory. They go over it,
receive reports, give orders, keep the boss
posted, and of course, are anxious that
there shall be no lapse and slams in their
bailiwick
The congressional committee is working
entirely independent from the national COM
mittee. 1t is well understood of course,
that state might go for Roosevelt, and the
| majority for the congressional districts be
carried by the democrats, owing to peculiar
iOcdl COlulllOHS. II is the province OF the
congressional committee to take care of
these local situa tions.
The work of the chairman and secretary
has been complicated this year by hot
nights in their own districts 1t is well
known that Mr.. Babcock has had peck
of trouble growing out of La Folett's con-
test against the stalwart faction in Wis
consin.
Committee Has It's Troubles.
Those people of the District of Columbia
who appreciate Mr.. Babcock's work as
chairman Of the District committee in the
House will be gratified to learn that there
is excellent prospect of his winning out in
his fight and coming back to resume his
place If his party carries the House. TT
he wipes his brow. for the perspiration
starts out at the very thought of it; but
| am going TO win 1t. think
Mr.. Overstreet has his troubles, too. They
| nominated a colored man. an independent
out in his district. and had Mr.. Overstreet
| on the tenterhooks for some time in con-
| sequence. But his advices now are that
| things are looking up out Indianapolis way
| and that the goose honks high. The other
member of the trio, Mr.. Hull, will walk in
| without turning hair.
Republican Prospects.
| The republicans stand a fair chance of
winning a couple of Brooklyn districts in
| this election. They will also get one in
| New York, If indications hold good. They
stand chance of picking up couple in
| New Jersey and one in Rhode Island. They
| will gain one in Massachusetts, but ,also
may lose one, that is stand-off.
There is no trouble upstate In New York
| and none in Pennsylvania Delaware trou-
| bles have been patched up on the national
4 and congressional tickets, although there
still are some loose ends flying on the legis-
| lative ticket. West Virginia Is. regarded as
| all right. Maryland is expected to stand
| pat
| The republicans are figuring OH losing
! few scattering districts in the west, but
| they are regarded offset by the probable
| gains in the east. Taking 1t all in all, a
| conservative estimate puts the next House
! just about where 1t now stands, with re-
i Of al #