Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-15
EACH FOR HIMSELF
Probable Motto of Republican
Candidates for the House.
PREDICTIONS AT CAPITOL
Administrative Policy, It Is Said,
Will Be Ignored.
WILL BE PERSONAL CAMPAIGN
Those Seeking Return to Power
Likely to Adopt Most Prom
ising Methods.
PREDICTIONS AT CAPITOL
WILL BE PERSONAL CAMPAIGN
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

BY N. o. MESSENGER.
Every man for himself and heaven
help the hindmost''
This is likely to be the motto Of repub-
lican representatives in Congress seeking
denomination and reelection in the COM
ing campaign, it would seem from the
way things are drifting now.
At present there are absolutely no
signs of teamwork between the admins
tration and republicans in the House and
men in that body are going it alone.
each playing to his own hand. In the
recollection of the oldest member there
was never such a chaotic and disorgan-
ized situation.
Predictions are freely made at the Cap
itOl that republicans seeking return to
power will be found throwing the admins
tration overheard and attending strictly
to their own knitting. They will vote. it
il prophesied, according to the sentiment
in their own districts and regardless of
party or administrative policy.
Carried to the last analysis this would
mean sacrificing the national ticket to
their own interests. and there are indica-
tions that many of them are getting in
shape to pursue that policy. II it seems
best for them to override the Presidents
veto of bill declared to be i'm violation
Of republican principles or to dodge the
issue and not vote. they will do so.
OF course, few Casabiancas will stick
to the burning deck-case-hardened resu-
lars. such as Uncle Joe Cannon, Mann,
Payne and other reconcentrados. but the
fact is there are many among the rank
and file who are looking anxiously for
cover.
The Congressional Committee.
Eager inquiries are being made by re-
publican members as to help to be OBJ
tanned from the republican congressional
committee in the coming campaign. but
the responses are neither specific nor en-
couraging.
The committee has an organization
and nothing else to speak of. that is, in
the way OF tangible assets convertible
into high-class. smokeless, white ash
campaign fuel. 1t falls out that the COM
mittee this year is made an annex to the
national committee to the practical sub
mersion of its own identity and individ-
uality. Always in presidential campaigns
the congressional committee has drawn
upon the national committee to an ex-
tent, but this year the national commit
tee has swallowed the congressional COM
mittee.
Under Mckinley, Loudenslager, Sher-
man and Babcock the congressional COM
mittee has heretofore maintained sepa-
rate headquarters. collected and disburs-
ed its own funds-of course taking such
hand-OutS as could be 'panhandled'
from the national committee. The func-
ton of the committe was to keep in mind
the election of a republican House of
Representatives while the national COM
| rnittee was electing a republican Presi-
dent, the two working together in the
main. but caring for essential details in
each branch of the work.
Lack of Organized Effort.
At this time there are few signs of any
vigorous attempt to carry on an aggres-
sive campaign for the election of re-
publican House of Representatives This
is not chargeable to neglect on the part
of the duly organized congressional COM
ber of causes.
Discouragement is one of them. In
the first place. the odds seem all against
the republicans In the next place-and
this is said to be an important reason
there is the question of Whats the use
OF working our hearts out to elect re-
publican House If the republicans are not
going to vote for republican policies?''
Another reason is lack of funds. 1t
| takes money to run big congressional
campaign-money for printing and dis
| tribut1ng speeches, help here and there
| for close districts To get out the vote,
clerical hire, expenses Of campaign speak
ers and all that sort of thing. And the
financial weather signs indicate a long
drought ahead of the republican congress
| sional committee.
In a few of the delegations in the
| House the republican members are prac-
| tica1ly cutting loose from the congress
sional committee and framing up their
| own state organizations That is to say.
| they will raise their own money, help
! each other. try to keep their own dis
| tricts and win back some of those which
| went astray in 1910
| Such a movement as that il is de-
| clared by some republicans is bound to
put the congressional campaign ahead
| of the presidential campaign. What
| would you?" is the response Self
| preservation is the first law of nature -
| Still another element In the situation
is the apparent indifference of the busi-
ness interests of the country TO Con-
! gress. Time was when the business men
| found their greatest safety in repub-
| lican Congress. but party lines are SO shat
| tered and demoraliZed now. and il is so
| difficult to tell who and what is a re-
| publican in the House. that business has
practically thrown up its hands in de-
| spair and cries. Democrat or republican.
| either one or both. We don't care
Largely Personal Campaign.
| So it turns that the coming campa ign
for Congress is likely to be to the repub-
licans, at least, largely a personal cam
i paign. Men will go before their constitu-
ents and make their pleas to tit the case.
cut the cloth to suit the coat, even if
1t should be like Joseph of old a coat
of many colors.
And in some districts IL must be So il
is said. While candidates for Congress
can refuse TO declare categOrically for or
against Roosevelt. shielding themselves
behind the law which penalties making
such promise they can take such arti-
cles of the coloners political wardrobe
as may array them more peasingly i'm
| the eyes of their constituents. There is
a large assortment to choose from, Of
| course.