New-York tribune., 1908-09-27
TRYING OUT THE ORATORS.

The anteroom crowded with less
hungry looking DcmostheIeses in frCck coats and
rather long hair, while the atmosphere was redo
lent Of cigar smoke. Some CT the speakers
ceive only their expenses and others get $50 or
more a week. Members Of Congress are not paid
for platform work. One method Of trying a
torical candidates is 20 provide them With a
paign textbook and a book of extracts from The
Congressional Record and. send them down
speak at the daily monday meetings of The Ma
tional Commercial Travellers League. No. 746
Broadway. Here there is a large hall, and
quartet which sings the celebrated melody 'B-i-
double-l, BILL If the candidate is unable to charm
the several hundred clerks and business who
drift into the hall in the luncheon h0ur it is
judged that he will not be able 10 succeed on the
stump
Speakers national headquarters warned
look for affable strangers who inquire their
future dates. Some of the affabe have been
traced TO Democratic headquarters, across Madison
Square, and the evident object of these spies has
been to enable the enemy TO wire ahead Of the Re
publican speakers and engage all the nails where
meetings might be held. Whether the eneny's
sleuths have penetrated other departments than
the speakers bureau is not stated. Managers and
secretaries are careful to the identity Of per-
sons to whom they give information.
The advisory committee. which is the eighth
floor. is assisting the national treasurer collect
funds and gives general advice the executive
committee the conduct of the campaign. There
are only nine members Of the advisory committee.
against fifty IN former campaigns secretary
Elmer Dovor said that the work proceeding
satisfactorily. Messrs. Ballinger. Bliss, Clayton,
Crane, Cromwell Hammond and Franklin Murphy
have been at the offices within the last daysA
Subscription lists are being circulated various
states by committee members. A most vital de-
partment is that which takes charge Of the
finances. A plan Of raising funds is being
tried. said representative Of Treasurer Sheldon.
The idea is to educate individual business men II
contribute 10 the campaign fund the ground
o. their interest in mant aiming Republican rule.
Contributions from corporations Illegal.
and the appeal must be made TO individuals who
not trained their responsibility and feel the
business depression. though they
wage earners A comparatively rich feels
poor when the value of his stock holdings is re
duced one-haf. IN one instance a man who
expected 10 contribute $1,000 sent in a check for
Sl09 However the new plan may help the situa-
ton. Small. leather covered blank books. signed
by Chairman Hitchcock and Treasurer Sheldon,
with space for the signatures OF state chairmen,
are being sent TO the chairmen of finance commit
tees in all the states Volunteers will the
business men Of the cities and towns entering the
amounts of the checks in the books. Checks will
be payable the local chairmen. No dollar sub
scription' other popular means Of raising funds
is considered feasible All names of contributors
and amounts will be made public twenty days after
election. according to law.
The National League OF Republican College Clubs.
Of which Alfred e Lunt is president. has been
reoreaniz I'd and is expected TO make good show
Ing OF the collegiate vote in November.
The woman's National Republican Association
under auspices of the national committed has es-
tablished headquarters at the Martha Washington
Hote! Mrs J. Ellen Foster, the president and
Miss Helen Varick Boswell. secretary, will make
speaking tours through the country, appearing on
the regular campaign platforms The Middle West
aud Far Western States win be covered by Mrs,