Evening star., 1915-03-06
Important interests Preparing
to Participate Actively in
Next Campaign.
MOVEMENT TO RETURN
REPUBLICANS TO POWER
Publicity Committee Organized Here
and Conference Held in
New York City.

Important business interests of the
country, manufacturing, commercial
and financial, are preparing to partfcf-
pate actively in all stages of the next
presidential campaign with view to
naming the republican candidate for
President and returning the republican
party to power.
The avowed object is to take control
out of the hands of the politicians,
amateur and professional. and vest it In
leaders who are closer in touch with
what is popularity termed 'the business
interests" No particular man has been
selected as the prospective candldate.
1t is to be a free-for-an contest for the
nomination, governed by the single rule
that the choice must be man VINO is
acceptable to business.
In a way, the propaganda is renals-
sance of the efforts of 1895. when big
business and big finance combined TO
combat free silver. Every one recalls
how the Industrial and financial IN
terests stood shoulder to shoulder then;
the pressure that was brought TO peal
from influential quarters on the VoteLs,
the arguments that were USED ana .le
furnished the party of sound money.
Campaign of Education.
Again it is to be a campaign of edu-
cation" which is to say that the ldea Is
to be fostered among the voters tnat
the democratic party is responsible 1or
hard times and that salvation rests IN
support of the republican party.
If the interests now at work have
their way, the nominee OF the fepup-
lican convention will be man ldent1-
and record will inspire confidence and
attract the support of men OF af1alrs OF
all political creeds.
The keystone of the plan. is to en-
sons" SO that there may be number
of candidates before the convention,
an Embossed convention, every man
to have his day in court and the cholce
com binations.
Such a project necessarily involves
the prerequisite of suita Bile selection OF
delegates to the convention. 1t IS TO
this work first that all EFFORTS Will De
bent, to be carried along simultaneous.
ly with dissemination of the idea that
business must turn to the republican
party for rescue.
Two Steps Already Taken.
Two practical preliminary steps have
been taken in the past ten days In
furtherance of this program. The first
had reference to the strictly partisan
object. that is to say. the extension of
and this was the or
ganization OF the republican publicity |
committee" in this city, announcement |
of which was made in the press Tues !
day morning last. The avowed object
of this organization Is to expound re-
afr{n oh
Headquarters are now open in this
city, in charge of men prominent in
both the old line and progressive wings
of the party.
It is well known that the democratic |
managers are very suspicious of this
of political talent. They |
make no bones of charging 1t to be a |
"fat frying" outfit, bent upon getting
money for the campaign and turning
1t over to the republican managers so
as to evade the federal law compelling
publicity of campaign funds:
this committee will be watched very
closely and upon the slightest evil
dence will be hailed before a congress
sional committee and examined.
Conference in New York.
The second step was a secret con-
ference in New York city yesterday
between the chairman of the republican
nent business men. Some forty busi-
viting Chairman Hilles and Secretary
Reynolds to be present. The only in
formation vouchsafed was that it was
gathering of business men and not
politicians"
It is we'll known to every republican
Of prominence and not denied that the
alliance of business interests and re-
publican politicians is not only deter
deed. instead of making efforts to con-
ceal 1t, every possible means will be
used to exploit the fact and solicit ad-
herents to the cause.
The question of candidates is, as
stated. Of secondary Importance It is
said there Is plenty of available ma
terial. The names mentioned most fire.
quently by business men are Myron T.
Massachusetts,, United States Supreme
Court Justice Hughes of New York,
Representative James r. Mann of Illi-
nois and Charles w. Fairbanks of In
diana.
Others in Favorite Glass.
Either of these would be eminently
satisfactory to business men. 1t is said
by men who are in touch with the
movement. Charles S. Whitman, Sem
ator Cummins, Senator Borah and Sem
ator Sherman of Illinois are to be
placed in the "favorite son" class. to
get the nomination II they can.
The Weeks boom is the latest to ar
rive, but it is admitted on all sides
that 1t is on in all seriousness. Sem
ator Weeks. 1t Is claimed, has an ad-
mirable record In Congress and. Of
course, there is no question of his ac-
ceptabflity to business men. 1t is said
that Senator Weeks will soon make
number of speeches throughout the