The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-18
Political Leaders Here Think
Things viii Begin to Hum In
Near Future.
REAL SPEAKING BEE DUE
Hughes and Wilson Only Wait.
Ing to Be Notified Formally
Of Nomination.

Beginning early in August, II tho
views of political leaders here are cor
rect. things will commence to hum in q
political way.
Once the two Presidential nominees
are formally notified. II is the prevailing
belief of the leaders the campaign will
take on new animation. Hughes will be
notified July 81 and Wilson a week later.
The Hughes notification speech and
the speeches he will make in the trip
he will begin to the West following no
tihcation. are relied on by the Republic
cans to rouse the voters from their
lethargy.
Wilson To Do Much Work.
President Wilson, too. will make
speeches in increasing numbers as the
campaign opens UP.
until prominent speakers in and out of
Congress will busy themselves in Maine.
Fear OF apathy among the voters is
giving real concern to the leaders. al
though they express the hope that once
the campaign is really started this will
disappear.
The appearance Of apathy among the
voters Is never pleasing to the man In
politics. He never knows whether the
apathy Is real or assumed. whether II
means the people aren't going to vote
or have made up their minds to vote
the way he doesn't want them to.
On both sides. Republican and Demo-
crat. there Is some disposition to feel
that too long a campaign would be q
mistake.
Want Short SHARP Fight.
The Republicans. in particular. in.
cline to short. sharp fight.
On the Democratic side, so far as the
presidential campaign goes, there has
been a curious disposition to wait or
1t is well-known that the Democrat.t
leaders have purposely held back the
notification of President Wilson because
they. wanted to wait and see whai
Hughes would have to say. to this ex
tent at least acknowledging a whole
some respect for the powers OF the Re
publican candidate as a campaigner.
NO one here doubts that Hughes will
make vigorous campaign which vii
Men who have been to see Hughes an(
talk to him recently have no doubt tina
ne ID eager to get on the stump anc
- prepared to make things hum. Tha
ne Will get big crowds is expected.
All Want To Hear Him.
Al for President Wilson, while hi
would prefer not to do great deal OF
speechmaking, he probably will be
drawn into plenty of 1t before Novem
Der comes. All over the country IN,
Democratic political managers wan,
him to appear. Maine, of course, Is
calling for him. and It Is expected he
Will 60 there before the election Sep
TENDER II, provided the Congressona
situation does not make 1t impractica bic
able.
The most curious difference Of opinions
obtains among skilled politicians as Ia
the outcome of the elections In No.
vember. Some Democrats are blue al.
ready in anticipation of defeat. One
class Of Republican leaders is busy
talking that hughes can't be beaten
Another class Is saying much about 0
close fight and indicating doubt and mis-
giving over the fear that Wilson is 20
ing to get a large pacifst vote which
will win him another term. 1t il a case
where the doctors are sadly disagreed
no two of them being able tc diagnos,
conditions alike.