The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-15

his spirit. mis- courage. MS determIaa-
ton or his intelligence.
McCombs put in a card-indeX system, /
classified and briefed all the letters .
about Wilson that We're received, or /
ganized field force, put Tom Pense
in charge Of the publicity in Washing .
ton and went a il. He personally
financed the first trip Governor Wilson
took TO the Pacific coast, and he had
good deal TO 10 with the kind Of
speeches the governor made out there.
1t was a sort Of Introductory trip 10
Wilson, and McCOmbs saw TO i that the
oratoricaI credentials the governor pro-
duced were right and suited 20 the &C
casion. He enlisted men in various
parts Of the country, organized in
states, worked day and night and kept
| mis- head.
His only previous political eXper-
fence. in a specific way. was when ne
ran for the assembly in New York City,
as a democrat. and was beaten. He
therefore, wasn't Handicapped by any
barnacled political notions. Being
young, the old organization gum-shoe
IDEAL and dOuble-deal methods did not
appeal to him. He has fresh view
point. He played the game out in the
open. When ne sent man into a state
he didn't send him sneakin= in 70 Try
to fix UP something with the bosses.
but he sent him IN and instructed him
TO tell all corners ne was after Wilson
delegates and TO advertise that fact in
the papers. Moreover, he had the great
good sense 10 keep away from the
bosses, and his card-indeX grew to
such proportions that he had tabs on
Wilson and anti-WilsOn men in every
section.
Big men-not bosses, but men who
believed in Wilson as the man best fit
ted 10 be the democratic candidate
: came into the movement. They all
worked in harmony with McCombs and
his advisers. McCombs sat steady dur
ling the Harvey Waters on Ryan Will
son squabble, through the Joline letter
. episode, through the attacks on Wilson
for anti-emigrant sentiments. and kept
his head. That Is his main strength
keeping his head.
Then the convention came McCOmbs
!, moved to Baltimore. His generals came
with him-Gore, Hughes, Lynch, John
sharp Williams. Davies, and the rest
land they took advantage of every cir
Icumstance. including the very power
: full w. J. Bryan circumstance. As the
ballots progressed McCombs was there
steady as a rock we haven't won,
; he said continually. but were win
; ming" They didn't tie up with th'
: bosses. and they won, was inevita-
BILE.
L Whereupon. as has often been tn,
-, ease, it was proved that American
ipOliticS is a most various and muta bl'
!contraption. Two years ago McComb
> was lawyer in New York. aged thirty
Il four He was known in Princeton cir
. cles. and that was about all. Now h
: is recognized political leader-ant
+, Justly so: and the way seems open 70
u him to go as far as he likes. Withou
< detractinG from Wilson's success "a
u candidate, and for these reasons: II
q has courage, sense, organizing abilit.
and keen political sagacity. Moreove
q and this Is most impOrtant-he rec
j. ognizes new conditions and apple
&c suitable methods, instead of relying o
the traditional practices of the old or
der. The country has just begun t
ie hear from William F. McCombs, Prince
- ton, '9S.