Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-02-15
Bold Drives" for Get
ting into Public Life
when the Republicans
"Come Back"
BRANDEIS OPPOSITION
BELIEVED COLLAPSING
Congress Looking into Fast and
Loose Playing with Travel Ap-
preparations and Government
Travellers Disturbed-The
kilograms Sent "COllect"

Washington. D. c., Feb. 4.-(Spe-
ciaD.--A great outburst Of Republican
nomination gossip attends interesting
disclosures about ex-Postmaster Cen
eral Frank H. Hitchcock as Presi-
dent maker. 1t has been established
the last few days by written and oral
evidence in Virginia that Mr.. Hitch
cock had been making a quiet but very
persistent drive" for delegates, appar-
emily with the idea that, once he pos
sessed those delegates. he would have
an asset for getting back into public
life should Republicans win the next
election.
AS postmaster general and also as
national chairman, Hitchcock had a
large following among the Southern
Republicans. many of whom are either
ex-officeholders or aspirants, or both.
Consequently Mr.. Hitchcock turned
Southward in the effort to re-establish
his political fortunes and he seems to
have started out nominally for Justice
Hughes. His operations in Virginia
We're for Hughes but it seems that
Hitchcock wished to be able to trans
fer his support to Col. Roosevelt or
any other available man whenever it
was timely.
His program in Virginia had been ad-
vanced by consultations with r. f,
fabell, former commissioner of inter-
nal revenue and others, but disclosures
by Representative Bascomb Slemp OF
Virginia, the only Republican in Con-
gress from the Old Dominion, mas prob
ably checked the schemes of the for.
mer postmaster general His ambitious
undertakings in the South will prob.
ably topple, for Justice Hughes has
hastered to discredit Hitchcock's oper.
atoms IN his behalf. Old line Republi.
cans. aroused lest the Southern dele.
gates be baeged again to control the
Chicago convention, are taking steps
they believe will prevent Roosevelt,
from stampeding the convention in
case of deadlock. They are trying tc
! do this by carefully selecting anti.
/ Roosevelt men for delegates in nu,ner.
Gus Northern states
| Hitchcock Not Alone.
. Mr.. Hitchcock was simply playinr =
ooid game for his own political ad.
Eanccnent and was playing it on a large
scale Many politician Of course
starts drive for some aspirant fo,
/ public office, hoping eventually to real.
lZe On this asset of support. Uitchcocl,'s
success in getting his Southern de1e.
gates apparently depended upon dar,,
lantern methods but it is thought he
had been anticipated in many localities
Ex-senator Jonathan Bourne of Ore.
Son ana Washington City, has beer
through the South of late and presum.
ably has been tying up RepubIicar
leaders there for certain of the ole
Guard candidates. For Bourne are,,
i progressive that he has been and is
wants llke Hitchcock. TO get back into
'upilc lie and, like Hitchcock, has
peen Trying to start a drive" and ac.
q'ire merit through accessions or ser.
wees. which would stand him we'll ir
case the next administration is Renub,
lican
6rande's Opposition coIIapsino.
->uHierouS important topics are he.
ing overlooked in these tempestuous
ashlngton days. No one gives a sec.
"iu tnousht Just now to Mexico anf
! oarranza- Yet a little while and mer
We're running terribly because the seq.
retary Of state had not sent to tho sen.
ate his detailed reply to MANY ino,i,.
les. true, the Senate has not vet con.
'''eu f1ehry +. Fletcher as ambassa
oor TO Mexico and probably will no,
'iii thls data is forwarded, as Republi
can senators have demanded. Rut the
1act remains that Mexico is a very oui.
! escent topic for the moment at tbe
United States Capitol.
Edse also has been taken Off the IN,
Vestigatlon by the judiciary committee
VI the senate into the nomination ~
LOUIS d. Brandeis as associate inc.
.ice or the supreme court That was n,
intense interest for a few days and i,
"oheo IKE a long and bitter fight ova,
connrmation. The very unusual tbiro
OF having a hearing on executive hus=
mess open to the public was determ;n.
ed upon. The enemies Of Brandeis 90
~ pe heafd but thus far have had ne
eonVlnclng evidence. Perhaps the law.
yers from Massachusetts, who have
uee" summoned to appear, will furnish
lne committee something Tangible m
mhich TO base rejection Of Mr.. Rrandeis
10 oate, however, it looks as thoueh th.
brandeis opposition were collansine
anu as though in the course of a fa,,
weeks ne will be sitting on the sunren,e
court bench. sup e'''e
The Philippines Bill.
me House will shortly have the nuh.
nc eye IN its dealings over the Phil.
ipplnes bill. Much controversy has de-
ve,oped over that and it will be re.
ealled one Of Mr.. Garrison's reasons
1or reslgning was the Presidents m
wilnnsness to interfere with the Sen.
ate action in voting for independence
OF the islands in from two to four
years. The President wrote Secretary
aai,lson " IRIS he did not altogether approve
OF the Independence clause and II ;s
sun rather doubtful what he will saw
70 the House Democratic leaders about
II: senator Clarke Of Arkansas. author
OF the independence clause, thought
PRESIDENT Wilson was for it. If the
House votes aCainct ;r.-,.