The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-29
The Campaign Problem
of the Two Congress
Sional Committees.
Interesting Methods of
Aiding the Election of
Party Members.
Efforts Are Centered on
aCornparatively Small
Number of Districts.
I'D biennial struggle between tn,


Il the House of Representatives is
about to begin in earnest. The effort TO
win the next House has. in fact, been
going on spasmodically in various ways
ever since Congress assembled In ex-
traordinary session last November to act
upon the question OF reciprocity with
Cuba. for every party movement by one
side or the other was calculated to at
ford some advantage in the coming cam
paign; but the real concerted. organized
effort is now about TO be started. The
campaign committees have been organ
lied. have established headquarters. are
preparing their literature. and making
arrangements for the great fight, the
climax Of which Is TO come next No
vember. with the control Of the popular
branch Of the National Legislature as
the prize TO be won
Managing a great national contest
which extends TO every quarter of the
country Is an undertaking of enormous
responsibility under the most favora Bile
circumstances. and only a trained poll
uclan can accept 1t with any prospect
OF success. Instead of there being one
great battle for supremacy. there are sss
separate and distinct fights to be man
aged and 10 large extent the Con-
gressional committee acts as a sort of
political board OF strategy. There are
$50 Congressional districts in the various
states. and whichever party wins In n
majority Of them will control the next
House Of Representatives.
In the "Of Years.
In ''of years''-that Is. the wears IN
tervening between the Presidential con-
tests-when a Congress is chosen. thu
congressional committee occupies tho
national field alone, but In Presidential
years its work and its Importance are
oFershadowed somewhat by the greater
struggle for the Presidency conducted
BY the national committees OF the two
parties
These committees are entirely sep
arate and independent from the Con-
gressional committees. Their purpose is
10 elect the Presidential candidate Of
their party; the object Of the Congress
sional committees is to elect a atorstv
or the members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives- While they always work in
harmony. cooperating with each other
that Is. the Republican National Com
mittee helping the Republican Congress
sional Committee, and vice versa. and
the Democratic National Committee and
the Democratic Congressional Committed
assisting each other-their work is along
quite different lines. and one is quite In
dependent of the other
No sooner does Congress meet thar
do the leaders of both parties begin
laying their plans to win the next cleo
ton. a year hence. Almost everything
undertaken is done with the idea more
or less OF being advantageous IN the
next campaign. and many things are not
done for fear OF the effect which their
doing would have upon the election OF
members OF the next House-that Is
upon their own individual campaign.
Tor re-election--for almost every mar
hopes to be returned. So II is each IN
dividual member struggles 20 get favor
able action upon measures which VIII
be Of benefit TO his district-to get publ,
buildings erected in his district; to have
authority granted for the construction
Of bridges across navigable streams
TO get river and harbor Improvement
authorized. to increase the amount Of
appropriations to be expended for va.
ri0us projects I'm his district, and scores
OF other measures which will be Of bene
ut TO him when he comes I'D for re
election.
The Party in Power.
In this respect the members Of tho
party In power have the advantage
for the party is able 70 give as
sistance as a party to each OF its in
oividual members in this way. and the
man in office of either party has tho
advantage over HIS opponent. for II he
has accomplished anything. II he has
done anything for his district, II he
has gotten a postOffce erected. author.
ity for the construction of a bridge. OF
the survey OF a harbor Improvement, he
can point with pride" to his record.
This Is the first and indirect work
which each party does toward its eff
fort to carry the next House. Then, IN
every Congress there are always hun.
dreds Of speeches delivered Just for ths
political effect which they will have
upon the next election. The delivery OF
these speeches Is what is known as
making campaign material They are
usually delivered under what Is known
az general debate. and when the meas
ure before the House is something quite
apart from the subject matter OF these
speeches. Not a few find their way into
the Congressional Record" under tho
leave 10 print" and are never spoken
IN the House. but they appear as hav-
ing been delivered. are franked through
stituents ever know the difference.
Many OF these speeches are delivered
strictly for home consumption; that Is
for distribution only in the members
own district. but there are always a
number generally coming from tbs
party leaders which are calculated for
general distribution. To get these Out
and into the hands OF the voters Is 4
part Of the duty OF the Congressional
committees.
Congressional Districts.
Although there are 3S6 Congressional
districts In the United States, the storm
center for control OF the House viii
be confined TO Is and perhaps 80 districts
These viii be the districts where tho
majorities fire uncertain, and they are
Of course. known TO the shrewd political
manager. There are probably $50 dis.
tricts which are as certain to elect Re.
publican members to the next House
as election day is TO roll around: there
are 80 other districts which. IL such a
thing were possible. are more certain
TO choose Democratic Representatives
There Is some chance always, even