The Washington herald., 1913-12-16
With the Political Procession.
~ =. .. q.

The chief remark Of Republican,
gathered for the national COMMITTEES
meeting is that It seems more like the
December preceding a Presidential year
than the one year after an oyerwhelm.
ing defeat. The marvel has been the
arrival Of committee members ahead
| of time and the earnest desire &c
practically open the Campaign Of 1915
with this extraordinary session. Two
years ago Nthis month the old national
committee which enjoyed a few month
diyer-ion in 1905, giving William H Taf,
! a Presidential term, met in Washington
to arrange for q conceded denomination.
There was some nervousness over the
intimations of a possible Roosevelt In
terjection, but no thought Of a third
party or the disruption that followed.
| Since that meeting many changes have
! taken place in membership. and, the
veterans in the gathering of today will
miss many familiar faces of other cam
paigns. Even so those who continue firm
in the faith are wonderfully encour-
aged by the remarkable attendance OF
big and powerful Republicans from all
over the country. Indiana sends Jim
Watson, > Senator Hemenway, Chairman
Goodrich, Joe Heating and other under
waged hopeful Republicans who point to
the recent election results in the Hoosier
State as indicating a return to the true
faith. West Virginia, which did remark
ably well last year, sends Gov. Hatneid'
Virgil Highland. Judge Cox, and two
dozen more stalwart Republicans who IN
sist that their State will give the mat
ter of Presidential electors much more
LOT Waaf NiF-
ginia gained a Republican Senator and
three House members last year, not 10
mention a governor and State ticket
half a yard long. As Edwards, the ma
tional committee member elected at Chi
cago last year, went over TO the Progress
sives, the State is not represented BY a
member in the meeting of today, but one
will be chosen by the State organization
later on.
Senator Scott, who was on the commit
tee since the 1895 campaign, may be asked
to take up the work again, but there Is no
lack of able and real Republicans eager
To accept the honor.
Ever since Sunday night, following the
arrival of Chairman Wells and Secre-
tary Reynolds. there has been a coming
in of Republicans other than members
of the committee that has been almost
startling and certainly cheering. The
spirit of it all year after defeat is what
attracts attention and makes the Demo-
Gratis In power gasp a little and wonder
more.
Republican members OF Congress have
taken pains to be in Washington this
week and to mingle with the committee
members and other leaders in the Will
lard ever since the vanguard, headed by
Chairman Hilles, scame in Sunday. Every
real Republican Or the New York dele
cation has been looking forward to this
national gathering with renewed impulse
anG zeal ever since the Senator Root
speech at the New York committee meet
ing on December .. That speech and the
spirit Of the whole occasion has stirred
up New York Republicans more than any
event OF recent years, and Chairman
Barnes has been given much attention by
r 7ublicans of other States during his
stay in Washington. While kept busy
enough with his own able adjutants In
the Congressional circle Senator Re is
also a much sought citizen with his ad-
mirers taking pains to congratulate him
on the recent suggestions that he would
be a great Presidential candidate in 1916,
and the Senator taking pains to depreci-
ate such talk so far ahead. The New York
leaders attending this meeting are united
in declaring that Senator Root can now
be certain of another Senatorial term
with a campaign in the State a year
hence that will attract attention all over
the country, and with a result that can
not fail to make the Senator the greatest
figure in his party before the convention
meets. In fact, the loyal Republicans of
New York insist that Root is the one
man who can avert any progressive de-
fection in his State next year, and prac-
ticaIly put the Roosevelt organization,
Perkins and all in the scrap heap long
before the 1916 convention is called to
order.
Senator Penrose, OF Pennsylvania, was
also given much attention by visiting Re-
publicans who have heard Of the re-
markable campaign he has been making
for months past all through his State.
He was congratulated. too, on the Penn
sylvania banquet in New York last Sat
urday night, which, while not a political
affair, gave the Republicans much cheer
because OF the patriotic and almost polit-
ical speeches made by eminent citizens
who have held high place in Republican
councils. The Penrose promise is for n
general getting back to Republican ideas
in his State, independent OF personal am
bitions and for results next year that
will have much to do with the predicted
Republican majority in the House.
Republican members OF the House re-
called the good old days when they be-
held Jim Watson, of Indiana, greet John