Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-22
DEMOCRATIC INACT|0N
Leaders Are Becoming Con-
cerned Over It.
THE CAMPAIGN BOOK
NOT YET DETERMINED WHAT 1T
SHALL CONTAIN.
Mr.. Davis Has Sent No Check al Yet
His Verbal Breakdown
Causing Worry.
THE CAMPAIGN BOOK

acterfzinp their party organizations. THIS
danger relates to the committee wnlch
should take charge Of the campaign for the
presidential ticket and that which has
charge of the congressional campaign
The work of both Of these organizations
is closely related, but upon the nationai
committee more depends In giving oirec-
ton to the campaign than upon the con-
gressional committee. The national COM
mittee is inactive, and consequently the
congressional committee is greatly nam
pered in its work.
The national committee has the task OF
getting out the campaign book. and gen.
orally in seeing that the congressional COM
mittee is properly supplied with funos u
pay necessary expenses The national COM
mfttee Is not yet satisfied about what II Will
put in the campaign book. 1t has q mass
of material thrown together In TENTATIVE
way, and has set josiah quincy anu ~ 10 ',o,-
airy Editor Parker to work to give the Vol
ume some definite form. Those gentlemen
will call in some assistants from TINS CITY
to help make up their minds. Their worn
will then have to be submitted TO the ia
tional executive committee Tor approval
| Mr.. Davis Has Sent No Check.
Another difficulty being experienced re-
lates to the matter Of funds to carry on
the campaign. A big check was expecteo
from Mr.. Henry G. Davis. the vice presi-
Dental candidate. Indeed that was per-
haps, the greatest inducement for the
nominat ton of Mr.. Davis. The style OF
check Mr. Davis uses has not yet become
familiar with the committee. 1t was loose
~ said at St. Louis that Mr.. Davis would
probabl put up half million of dollars
for the campaign. MIR. Davis still mas the
half million in his possession.
The leaders are realizing that the selec-
ton of a candidate over eighty years or
age was mistake. They are discussing
the spectacle that occurred a few days ago
in West Virginia when Mr.. Davis was no
titled of his nomination and delivered his
speech of acceptance. Because OF consld-
Grafton shown to the octogenar1an candl-
date the facts about that occasion have not
been widely circulated Mr.. Davis percept-
IDLY broke down. 1t was such a collapse
that showed plainly to those near him that
If he should be elected he could not during
the next four years preside over the
United States Senate, and much less could
he perform the duties Of President in the
event of necessity for him to take the
reins of government at the White House.
His Verbal Breakdown.
This breakdown came in the form of a
failure to speak his thoughts in such Ian
suage he could have readily used Ave
years ago Men present made mental notes
of the exact words he used in endeavoring
to express his thoughts. He was unable to
speak words correctly or to form sentences
grammatically. He could have done so
readily few years ago. Turning to John
Sharp Williams he remarked In reference
to the gold standard
Il was going to say the gold standard is
irreprevable-I will say irrevocal''
Again he said: Don't pray you. do as
Caesar and POmpefi done. Don't let this
country go Rome done"
This was in reference to what was con-
tanned In his acceptance speech where his
ideas were presented in correct language.
He departed from the notes and attempted
to express himself without their aid.
These are but examples of difficulties Mr..
Davis experienced on that occasion in
pressing himself They would not ordi-
nariy be mentioned, but they are of i'm
that these things that ordinarily should be
overlooked, are important issues of the
campaign
There are close friends of Mr.. Davis who
declare that the exhibition of a peculiar
use Of the English language by Mr. Davis
is of no significance In showing any break
down in his condition. and that the same
scene might have been enacted twenty or
thirty years ago when he was in his prime
They say it is simply the result Of de-
ficiencies in certain lines of education
which he has never overcome.
Whatever the fact may be, the report Of
the occurrences a. the notification meeting
In West Virginia has caused cold chill to
run down the backs Of many Of the demo-
CTdtlc leaders
The Sergeant-at-Arms Trouble.
Another dissension that Is troubling the
national committee Is the row between Ser
geant-at-Arms John l. Martin and Assist
ant Sergeant-at-Arms Samuel Donaldson in
New York. 1t was understood when Martin
was made sergeant-at-arms that he would
go with the western headquarters to be
established at indianapolis or Chicago, and
that Donaldson would be located at the
New York headquarters The western
headquarters not having ma terialized and
giving no evidence of being important Mar
tin has taken possession at New York and
ordered Donaldson to vacate Both men
have their friends. and Senator Bailey of
Texas is one of those who Is determined
that Donaldson shall not be turned out of
his office by Martin. The result Is an all
around fight that Is now in progress In
the meantime, the sergeant alarms has
important work to do in connection with
the campaign. and while the time of the
two claimants is taken up fighting the work
is not being done.
The failure of the national committee To
get down to more active work Is being ex-
cused by a statement that the democrats
propose to make the coming campaign short
and decisive concentrating all their forces
on the last month or six weeks of the cam
paign. This statement does not satisfy
democrats who are In state OF uneasiness