The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-25
.BABCOCK's AMBITION
TO HEAD CAMPAIGN
Out Of Congressional Leadership,
but He Wants a Higher
Honor. ~
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, March 24.-The volun-
tary retirement of Representative Bah
cock from the position of chairman Of
the congressional campaign committee
is due to at least two reasons: First,
he is to have the fight of his life in his
district for reelection, and must so
manage affairs as to give that fight un-
divided attention; and second, notwith-
standing his six successive victories in
the position of congressional committee
chairman, he has about worn out his
welcome with his colleagues and with
the eastern men who finance political
campaigns.
This is said without any disrespect to
Mr.. Babcock. But his campaign man
agement last time excited fierce COM
ment from various high sources in the
cast. and the statement was made open
lly by men who have helped nightly
in times past by contributions, and will
be expected to help again, that they
would have nothing further to do with
the republican congressional situation
the craftsmanship.
Babcock's Ambition.
Mr.. Babcock would like to be the
chairman of the republican national
committee in 1908, but his hopes may
not be realized. That chairman is al
ways selected by the nominee for the
presidency, and it is hardly possible
that Babcock would be close enough to
any man who might be nominated by
the republicans to be named as cam
paign manager.
.s AS a step toward the national chair
manship, it is said Babcock would like
to be the next member of the republi-
can national committee from Wisconsin.
In this hope he may also be disap-
pointed, for if La Toilette can control
the state delegation to the national con-
chance Of being selected as member of
chance of being eleceed as member of
the national committee than pig of
learning to play cornet.
But even failure to get on the ma
tional committee would not initiate
against him, provided the nominee of
the convention favored him. Hanna
was not the committeeman from Ohio,
and yet Mckinley twice made him ma
tional chairman. Cortelyou is not the
present committeeman from New York,
+ huu yGG uc ludAdScu Cuo 1doV Schu
and is still national chairman.
Veterans Step Out.
With Babcock will retire the veter:
ans who have served with him thru
six successful congressional campaigns
Overstreet of Indiana, Hull of Iowa
and Loudenslager of New Jersey. This
campaign will be managed by new men
headed by Sherman of New York, whose
chief assistant will be Tawney of Min
nesota, in all probability. Tt is com
plimentary to Tawney that he could
have had the first place, but declined it
It is probable that the committee will
this year have very hard fight on its
hands. Certainly the next house will
not be as largely republican as at pres
emit. which will be rather blessing
than anything else; and 1t may ever
be that it will not be republican at all
Much will depend on what the senate
does with the rate bill and other i'm
fportant legislation which the country
Is demanding.
May Be Good Foresight.
In the end it may appear that Bah
cock and his associates were wiser thai
anybody supposed them to be.
It is worth while to retire while one >
credit is good. Six successive victorie
is something Of which Babcock and hi
associates may well be proud. It ma,
be established in the end that the,
would not have been justified in i'm
periling their laurels by managing
campaign as uncertain as this year
promises to be.
It is likely that the republicans il
congress will organize their congress
sional committee during the comm
week. The: democrats organized their
several weeks ago by the selection o
- Grim Jigs" of Georgia, alias Rer
resentative Griggs, as chairman.