Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-27
HEAR POLITICS POP2
N. o. N. PeekS Into Political
War Chests of Two Parties.
FINDS EN- NOT VERY FULL
But Norm Mack Talks Real Brash
About Cash.
WEST VIRGINIA WORRISOME
Hitchcock Hopes for a Get-Together,
But His Voice Has
Plaintive Sound
FINDS 'EM NOT VERY FULL
WEST VIRGINIA WORRISOME
Special From Staff Correspondent.

Special From staff Correspondent.
NEW YORK. August o7.-Swiftly the
two great national political OrganiZa-
tions are preparing for battle. lining up
| their forces. equipping their commissary
and filling their war bags. This is to be
no sham battle, no mimic warfare. The
democrats are getting ready to give the
republicans fight that means fight and
not bluff.
The democratic national committee
opened headquarters at the Hoffman
Mack in charge. Present also were Sem
ator Culberson of Texas, who is to be
Chairman Macks chief lieutenant in the
east; John r. Burton, assistant secre-
tary; Col Tom LinSOn Of Alabama, chief
organizer. and Col. Johnson of Texas,
all-around adviser.
The national committee started with
five rooms in the Hoffman House. They
says that Landlord Cadogan of the Hoff-
man insists upon seeing his'n" before he
lets out the rooms. This. however. is
probably a vile canard. since Chairman
Mack assured group of us who called
on him this morning that the national
committee has plenty of money in its
Golfers.
Il don't say we have money to burn -
added Mr. Mack. cautiously, but we are
not suffering. The plain people are con-
tributing. We are not throwing money
at the birds and are only taking rooms
as We need them. We are organized for
business. and from this time on will make
the campaign hum. 1 shall divide my
time between New York and Chicago and
Senator Culberson will spend a great deal
of time in New York.
About an hour after this interview, and
while we were over republican head
quarters, one of the boys blew in from
democratic headquarters.
1.-The democrats have COPIED off two
more rooms from Landlord Cadogan.' he
said. Another bunch of long green
from the plain people came in on the
second mail delivery.
headquarters was told Of Chairman
Mack's boast that the democrats had
plenty Of money, he turned green with
envy:
remarked. and then he added in a whisper
eff we had it we would be afraid to
breathe it these hard times for fear our
future appeals would be met with the
statement that We claimed to have plenty.
But, honestly, we are awfully hard up"
They Don't Look It, Anyhow.
You would not think SO to see the head
quarters Of the republican committee.
They have a score or so of rooms in the
Metropolitan Life building. on Madison
square, fitted up like the quarters of a
new promotion company selling gold mine
stock This is one of the buildings where
they rent you rooms by the square foot,
and you pay by covering the space with
silver dollars laid fat half way across and
stood on edge the rest of the way.
It's lots of fun seeing a stranger trying
fo tn off nf
comes in past at least six dOorkeepers,
each doorkeeper at the entrance of a new
turn in the hall. Sam Blythe calls 1t the
crystal maze. and it is like playing game
to get in or out. Then. when the stranger
has passed the last doorkeeper he runs the
gantlet of at least three private sscre-
taries up to an assistant secretary. and by
that time the official the stranger wants
to see has probaly gone to dinner.
The quarters are cutely and cunnlngly
arranged with more secret entrances,
mysterious cabinets and arrases than
Louis of France ever dreamed of in the
days of intrigue. But they have to do
that to winnow the wheat from the chaff.
for one has no idea the way the commit
tee is overrun with all kinds and condi-
lions of men. with all sorts of ideas for
the campaign. each man anxious to see
the "main squeeze the same being Mr..
Hitchcock.
Hitchcock Knows His Business.
Chairman Hitchcock is all business
When he is not 'conferring with some
body. on sleeper en- route to a con-
ference. he is making the sparks fly. He
is full of ideas and makes a good i'm
preston. The newspaper correspondents
are delighted with him as he knows news
and is not afraid to give it out for publ
cation.
Just at present Chairman Hitchcock is
busying himself with the all-important
Of xt,y(1,,t
Treasurer George r. Sheldon of course
is the man who takes them in but some
one has to start the Shekels TO flowing
and MIR. Hitchcock is doing that. He an
nounced this morning the names of the
chairmen of finance committees i'm the
New England states. Every state is to
have one man. designate the national
committeeman and the chairman of the
state committee. who is to appoint a
finance committee for that state and
solicit contributions.
(Small sums thankfully received: cor
porations prohibited by statute will kind
y split their amounts and send in by
individuals)
Commencing tomorrow there is to he a
meeting once a week of the eastern execu-
tive committee in full session to consider
the good of the order. There are meetings
daily of individuals of the committee. but
hereafter there will be a grand roundup
weekly.
dafmonlZers Get Ready.
The special subcommittee To investigate
the West Virginia muddlc and Try to har-
monize it will meet tomorrow They are
taking the rest cure today. getting ready
for Il strenuous time. Both factions of
the West Virginians will be on hand 10
give their views.
Chairman Hitchcock said today it was
hoped that the conference might result i'm
harmOniZing the factions on the state
ticket, but he said il in d way that to
any one cOnVersant with the bitterness of
that fight. proved that the wish was
father to the thought.
But ii is certain that the national COM
mittee will insist that the West Virgin
ians shall not carry their fight TO the ex-
tent of endanSerinS the electoral ticket
which would result il one faction insists
on carrying out its threat to enjoin the
placing of the Taft electors on both tick
cts. The national committee will do
everything in its power to prevent that.
II the West FirSinians want to cut
one another's threats on the state ticket
and will insist upon doing it. despite all
efforts to bring them together. they will
have to go ahead. but they must not turn
a republican state over to the democrats
on the presidential vote. it is declared.
Big Day Tomorrow.