Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-20
CAPITAL CHAT,
Busy Times at the Taft
Headquarters.
How a Big Presidential Boom
Is Managed.
Other Candidates Are Also Keep.
ing on the Move.

Washington, y. c., March i9.-(Spe-
claD.-High up in a new granite build
ing the greatest Wire pulling contest
seen IN Washington for many q day is
on. On the eighth floor of this struct-
ure, which is just around the corner
from i full view of the White House,
only block away, are the Taft presi-
Dental headquarters. A political can
dldate never was working harder for
the nomination. Everybody around
him is working about twenty hours a
day. His manager, ex-F'irst Assistant
Postmaster General Frank II. Hitch
cock, is up a little while after the sun
peeps over the horizon and keeps
awake till long into the evening. A
corps of typewriters are banging out
communications by the hundreds. 4
corps of clerks and assistants are
working as though their very lives de-
pended upon Secretary Taft's nomina-
ton.
The secretary rarely visits the place
himself, but from his office in the war
department, he is in frequent commrnf-
cation and every little while something
of Importance is discussed by telephone.
The big people generally go over to the
SeCretary's office first and wind lp bv
visiting mis- campaign manager Some
times the campaign manager runs
across worker or admirer whom he
thinks the secretary ought to see. An
appointment is made forthwith and the
visitor takes his turn in the secretary's
crowded antcr0um.
Never before since the campaign for
the nomination began has there been
so much throbbing, feverish effort. All
the candidates in Washington are
wrought up to high pitch. Every
little advantage that any one Of them
scores is looked upon as notable and is
put into circulation in the hope of dis
lodging some of the voters in numerous
states who are hanging on the top rails
of the fences.
AS ali example, the other evening
there was suddenly great comnlotion
in the Taft headquarters high up on
the eighth floor. Every newspaper Of
hce in Washington was notified that a
telegram of moment had been received
from Guilford, N. c. a county down
there had instructed its delegates for
Taft after a hard fight and by a very
close shave. 1t might have seemed as
though bag of twenty delegates had
been secured for the secretary of war
IN the June convention at Chicago.
Great stress was laid upon the fact
that the county includes the birthplace
OF Speaker Cannon, who. as is not gen.
orally remembered, is a Southerner by
birth. 1t also includes the scene of the
famous Revolutionary battle of Gull
ford Court House and the fierceneSS of
the strife for delegates among The few
Republicans who live in the county
had apparently been like unto that be
tween the l:ed Coats and the Patriots
century and a quarter ago.
However interesting the Guilford vic
tory might be from a sentimental point
ford is only one of ten counties that
will send delegates to the Fifth Con-
gressional ,dis,rict convention and said
Fifth Congressional District convention
will elect two delegates to the Chicago
convention
The Taft worker; and managersare by
no means: the only ones VINO are taking
developments in the campaign SO
seriously Up at the Capitol full grown
congressman are working with all the
zeal of -ycar-olds trying to get del
egates for this or that Presidential
candidate. Speaker Cannon has
coterie of congressional experts in
Southern states, where he hopes to
get a few delegates. Senator's and
representatives have been on the go
Tor Vice President Fairbanks, hasten
ing into Kentucky, into Colorado, into
Utah, into many other states trying
to hold the local politicians in line for
him. Senator Knox. although he is
keeping quiet as n mouse is doing a
lot Of work to keep his boom in thrifty
condition He has some Senator'S and
members looking after his interests in
New Jersey and Delaware and West
Virginia and even in New York
Senator Crane of Massachusetts re-
(Cnnfirr,nI