The Washington herald., 1912-05-26
WILSON'S CAMPAIGN MANAGER,
McCOMBS, IDEAS IN POLITICS

GO over the names OF the Democrats
who are candidates for President and
tell me who among them win poll the
largest number Of independent and Re-
publican votes. The Garfield managers
In 1850 organized clubs Of first voters In
all the cities Of the East and West
They knew that tens OF thousands OF
young men come OF age between one
/ Presidential election and another Il
was q clever act In sound management
1 Come away from the graveyard Gar
field said In many OF his speeches. The
Democrats can repeat hfs words this year
II they VIII nominate woodrow Wilson.
| National life.' he has said, Is renewed
from the bottom and not the top
would add that political parties are kept
alive by young men"
Has Gov. Wilson placed any reEtrie-
tions on your"
He Is not afraid Of any one. and he
has no prejudices; but he does not want
campaign money that has q string on it.
money that Is given In the belief on the
part Of the contributor that It may be
good personal Investment"
Does he write out his speeches and
then commit them to memory"
mo: that method Is distasteful 70 him,
though he has done it with some Of his
more formal addresses On the stump.
+
means to say but he does not know in
what form he will give expression to his
IDEAS He is one OF the most forcefuI
and graceful orators In the history Of
American public life That Is because he
thinks clearly and has the gift OF words.
It must oe remembered that he had been
lecturing to students and delivering ad-
dresses on political subjects for twenty
five years before becoming the Governor
! Of New Jersey. His phrases are mostly
the inspiration OF the moment.
II you want to cure men Of Joy
riding he once said. you won't break
up their autoSnobiles, but catch the men
that do the Joy riding and see that
these very useful and pleasant vehicles
Of our modern life are left for legitI-
mate uses II you want to stop Joy
riding in corporations-for that Is what
is being done-you will not break up the
corporations; We may need TO use them;
but you will break up the game, namely,
that use OF corporations venture to
say the language OF that idea, and pos
sibly the idea itself, was entirely 'spon-
taneous. In all Of his t>Aching life he
was accustomed TO make his thoughts
plain and striking. and naturally that
has become his method and explains his
effectiveness and briIliancy on the
stump"
He Danced n CakewaIk.
Does he tell anecdotes while among
his friends?"
Plenty OF them. He is telling them
all the time. Now, I want you TO un-
derstand that he is a hearty and inter |
esting man. He is more companIonabIe |
than any person I have ever known |
The word professor has a dignihed and |
distant sound. He is a professor, all |
right, but first OF all he is a human /
being. And ne is adaptable. That is
why he can persuade others to accept /
his leadership and his plans A Re-
publican IN the New Jersey Senate came
to him and said that he sympathized
with his principles and would like 70
help him put his policies into effect. /
That was hne and the Governor thanked
him and shook his hand.
And now,' the Senator said, I'd like |
you to appoint the man for sherin
whom shall recommend
Agreed the Governor exclaimed,
only pick out the best Democrat you
Know Then he again voiced his thanks
and shook hands.
The Senator was offended. In fact,
he failed TO see the Governor after that
II he happened to meet him face to face.
At senatorial dinner. late in the win
ter, the POSTMASTER said: And now
Senator Blank will favor us with a song
entitled Why Don't Love Him ANY
More" after which he and Gov. Wilson
will dance cake walk II was all a
joke, you understand. but Gov. Wilson
arose. went over to the Senator, gave
him his arm and the two men actually
did dance cake walk while the band
played its nveliest selection OF ragtime
Thus the breach was closed and the
Senator afterward supported all the Gov
ernor's recommendations"
Il suppose" 1 said remembering Gen
Claytons swamp and hill Democrats,
that you are the son of a farmer?'
No, sir" Mr.. McCombs vigorously re-
piled. with another roaring laugh, my
father was a planter, a merchant a
banker and the unpaid counselor Of all
the inhabitants OF Ashley County. There
are such men in the Southwest. Before
the civil war the sons Of planters
moved to Arkansas with their families
and their slaves and bought large tracts
Of land. Ny grandfather was such an
emigrant. but his slaves had been freed
by the time my father grew up and be-
came landowner himself stilI we I
lived in something akin to baroniaI
fashion, residing in the village Of Ham (
burg, but having a number Of cotton
plantations in the neighborhood. There {
was no money. We traded merchandise
for cotton and then sent the cotton to !
New Orleans for more merchandise. I
Might Have Joined q Circus.
Those comfortable old conditions are :
changed. however. SawmiIls and other
obnoxious agencies Of civilization came in '
10 break up the scenery and change our {
habits Of life. In 1885, a branch rail-
road was built through Hamburg. For c
had left home and was not
here to witness the passing away Of the d.
mule team as q means Of transportation, !
or Of the packet, which. in high water, | /