New-York tribune., 1908-11-16
TAFT AND HITCHCOCK
HOW LITTER MADE GOOD.
Some Reasons Why President-Etec
Values Chairman s Services.
Iron The Tribune Bureau. ]

rTrurl The Tribune Bureau
washington Nov. 1.-THE high estimation in
which Tresident-elect Tar raanifestIy holds Frank
H Hitchcock chairman OF the Republican National
Committee his cordial invitation Mr.. Hitchcock
20 visit him AT Hot Springs as the chairman
has wound up the affairs ot the national commit
tee au6 other things to occasion surprise
in the minds many politicians in Washington ana
elsewhere who evidently have failed TO appreciate
the value which Mr- Taft attaches TO the ~ork OF
the national chairman in the recent campaign anu
who have permitted ignorance Of the relations Oe
tween Mr. Taft and his campaign manager ana
possibly personal pique against the CHAIRMAN 10
blind them the facts
Mr.. Hitchcock has been freely criticised Tor ms
secrecy and his unwlugness 20 take the pubilc
into mis- confidence regarding his management oh
the campaign, and because he did not adVertise
bis plans in the public press there vas at one
time q disposjtion to declare that had plans
and little perception of the needs OF the SITUATION
Last September when M Bryan was ca1npa igning
in New York State and practically no hepuniCah
speakers were in the field, the criticism OF tne
national chairman became general that Ny IaIt
called him to Cincinnati for conference ailo tieS
learned the extent and thoroughness OF the plans
which Mr.. Hitchcock had perfected An outline OF
the plan Of campaign which the chairman then laid
before his principal given in The Tribune
special dispatches from Cincinnati al the uine' D"'
II may be considerably amphned
Mr. Hitchcock e services to Secretary Taft began
It will recalled long before the national CAM
paign-many months before the national colECH-
ton, in fact. During his conduct or the pre-0oil
vention campaign the opponents OF MI. ldl'
nomination made such dramatic demonstrations
and such extravagant predictions that many people
were seriously misled to what MI HltchcocA
was really doing. and predictions that 1he 4aII
canpa ign was sagging that his friends would never
be able to secure FOR him a majority OF the dele
gates to Chicago etc. were freely made. Never
theless five or six weeks before the convention MI
Hitchcock made public his forecast Of the number
of delegates who would go to Chicago determined
on the nomination of the Secretary OF War, and.
although his figures laughed at then, subse-
uIIert events demonstrated how accurate was the
information on which he based his predictions.
When the convention held the delegates on
whom Mr.. Hitchcock had counted were there and
stood up to be counted without single desertion,
and. what was especially gratifying to Secretary
Taft there was not a breath of scandal nor the
slightest intimation that money had been used IN
an improper way to secure the attendance or in
fuence the vote of single delegate.
When he went TO Cincinnati in September Mr..
Hitchcock told Mr. Taft that he appreciated that
be was being hammered" and that, while he liked
the experience better than any one else, he was
prepared to stand by the plans he had carefully
formulated and from which nothing could swerve
him except the specific wish OF the Presidential
candidate. He said that his policy was not TO fire
at the enemy until he could ''see the whites OF
their eyes He was convinced that AIr. Bryan was
making d great tactical bunder in making tour
OF the East early in the campaign and that he
would grow stale before the campaign
than tv7o-thirds over He believed the ultimate
suit of Mr.. Bryan's would be n alarm the
Republican forces TO produce increased cam
paign fund and 10 the unduly couplacsnt
and lethargic members Of the Republican party 10
a realization OF the necessity for energetic work.
The Republican campaign fund insufficient TO
permit Of the maintenance OF the campaign at top
speed until Election Day we're extensive expendi-
lures undertaken too early, and. moreover. he
doubted If any Of the Republican orators from the
candidate down could stand longer period Of con-
tinuaI speaking than five weeks. He said that II
his purpose to begin the conduct Of the speak
ing campaign gradually ana work UP to a whirl-
wind finish the OF the election. a time
when. in his estimation, the Democratic orators
would have grown weary and the Democratic funds
would have low. So much Of this policy as the
candidate deemed it wise to make public out
uned in The Tribune Of September Il.
Mr. Taft, after listening the explanation OF the
national chairman, who showed that all the pre-
iininary work had been done, and that then
everything was in readiness for such campaign
he outlined and that it would, at the proper
time, be only necessary TO press the button
the nlachinery gave his cordial approval
Events too recent call for reteration have veri-
fed the accuracy of M Hitchcocks foresight and
have demonstrated the wisdom OF his course
When. Immediately before the election the na-
tional chairman issued MS forecast claiming $50
votes in the Electoral College for Mr.. Taft there
the usual skepticisnl, but again events demon
strated that his knowledge of the situation was ae-
Curate and that he had based his prediction on a
complete understanding OF the various phases of
the campaign. The election was won without the
slightest suggestion Of the improper Use Of funds
The methods of the national committee had been
above reproach. and Mr. Taft was elected bv an
overwhelming ma jority.
These, briefly. the reasons which have led
President-elect Taft to hold the services Of the
national chairman in high estimation and 70 treat
him with a cordiality which has led some whose
support was not only less effective but less sin
cere, publicly TO express their at the att-
tude of the successful candidate while they are
doubtless secretly pondering the question how ao-
curately Mr.. Taft appr eciates their own former
attitude and lack of hearty support.