Milford chronicle., 1938-05-13
BY HENRY EHRLICH
Washington Correspondent Of The
Boston Herald)


washington Correspondent Of The
Boston Herald)
Among a certain wing Of the Re
publican party it was fashionable
until a few months ago to point the
finger of seorn at John ID. M. Ham
iltOn, the chairman of the Republi-
can National Committee. His resig-
nation was timidly demanded in pub
lie and brazenly whispered behind
his hack. There were those who were
satisfied to place the entire blame
for the deluge of 1886 on his shOul-
ders, and members OF Congress were
afraid TO have il known that they
had been in communication with
him or with his committee.
The reaction against him was a
natural one. The higher a man is in
the esteem of his party, the further
he can fall when his popularity is
waning. No candidate is hoted more
than by his own party after he has
been defeated, and so 1t is with
party chairman who has been as
much in the hmelight as the presi-
dental candidate himself.
Opposition Qnleted
Since the start of the recession,
Republican opposition to Hamilton
has quieted down. Elections are in
the offing. and members Of the party
realize that unless they score this
fall. they will be out Of the picture
forever. There is a spirit OF desper-
ate cooperation, and for il the chair
man is largely responsible.
In the 14-mOnth period from the
1886 election to the end of 1887 he
paid on more than 100000 on the
party defcit-7he paid $4,000 TO the
congressional commit
tees, 1884, 900 for the operating ex-
penses of the national committee
(including costs of collectiOn) and
Sl37 900 to state organizations for
their use. And while these payments
were being made. he did not increase
the deficit.
While collecting current funds. he
received money pledges amounting
TO more than $780, 900 for the 1888
elections, and 80 per cent Of these
pledges are coming in on time.
From January. 1887, to the middle
of this last March he took 55 sepa-
rate tRips out of Washington, made
speeches and conferred with Repub-
iican' groups in all but seven or
eight of the states. No chairman
has ever been more physically active.
Division Of Research
lie set up in the national commit
Tee a division of research, which has
services for 20 OF the 80
House Republicans, and all but two
Of those in the Senate. This division
has written speeches. prepared ma
terial for speeches and articles. and
has published periodically pamphlets
the historical and current
position of the party membership on
an infinite variety of issues.
This is by no means all. The chair
man of n national committee might !
we'll qualify at the conclusion of his /
term for appointment TO a major di- |
DlOmatic post. for he is required con- !
stantly to exercise the difficult art |
lf creating harmony where nothing 4
but the bitterest rancOr exists. He
.annot play one powerful interest
against another-his job is to make
both sides see a problem through his
lwn eyes. and Hamilton has done
his with repeated success.
In the short period of his leader
ship. Hamilton has done a remark
lble job, and one that is little appre-
lated. In previous years the nation
Il committee has functioned only
turing national elections. Member
ihip was an honor rather than re-
In OF years there was
N occasional statement on an apprO-
,riate subject by a pOmpOus stuffed
hirt who had no notion of what it Il