M'Combs Chosen For National Chairman.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 13, 1912:
Gov. Wilson Has Not Announced It, but Hudspeth Lets It Be Inferred.
LAFOLLETTE MEN TO SEE HIM
May Be Coming East to Offer Support— Democratic Congressmen Decide to Go in a Body to Sea Girt.
Special to The New York Times.
    SEA GIRT, N. J., July 12.— From the front door of Gov. Woodrow Wilson's Summer home here three men emerged together this afternoon, one of them showing a slight limp, and all three appearing very solemn. Many personal and political friends of Gov. Wilson were assembled on the lawn outside. They drew near the three, conscious that important political conclusions had been reached by them. The oldest of the three men, and the most experienced in politics, drew a little apart from the others, and spoke to those who were waiting.
    "It's McCombs," he said simply, and it was clear that a lump was rising in his throat. The crowd rushed to the man who limped slightly and shook his hand. They knew he was Gov. Wilson's choice to be Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and that he was the choice of every member of the committee who has, so far expressed himself. The man who broke the news to them in a spirit of solemnity, as on the eve of a great battle, was the only man who might have been a serious rival to Col. McCombs for the position.
    The three men first who heard from Gov. Wilson the conclusion he had reached as to his choice for National Committee Chairman were National Committeeman Robert S. Hudspeth of New Jersey, who will carry to the meeting of the National Committee at Chicago the Governor's personal message on campaign plans and policies; National Committeeman Josephus Daniels of North Carolina, and Col. McCombs himself.
    McCombs was in no mood to receive congratulations from his friends. He walked rapidly through the group, stepped into a waiting automobile, and hurried away. National Committeeman Hudspeth went away shortly afterward, still under the spell of the protected conference that had just been held with Gov. Wilson. He had nothing to say to any one. National Committeeman Daniels was in a more communicative mood. He has long been a newspaper editor, and the news view of things was what chiefly appealed to him.
    "You saw that young man going past with a slight limp," he said, "and I have no doubt many of you wondered, as hundreds of others will wonder, whether he is robust enough for the big job that may possibly be ahead of him. Well, I want to say he is a great deal more robust than he looks, and will outlast a great many men that may appear to be stronger."
    "Did you urge upon Gov. Wilson that McCombs ought to be the Chairman?" some one asked Committeeman Daniels.
    "I certainly did," he replied.

La Follette Leaders to See Wilson.
    For publication no official announcement was made that McCombs had been chosen. Reporters were left to gather that from the momentary thrill that went through the politicians as McCombs appeared from the Governor's library and from the rush to shake hands with him.
    The marvel among the politicians will be that a conclusion has been reached upon the matter of the Chairmanship that seems certain to be unanimously approved, and to have no possibility in it of leaving a sting anywhere along the line. They have begun to use a phrase among themselves to explain their feelings toward a chain of fortuitous events that have culminated in the request from the National Committee that Gov. Wilson make his wishes known, so that they may be granted, and, in the response of Gov. Wilson with the communication to be forwarded either as a verbal or written message through National Committeeman Hudspeth. The phrase is, "Wilson's Luck."
    The "Wilson luck" made itself felt, to the astonishment of. many close friends of  the Governor, within ten minutes after Col. McCombs had gone away to sleep over the prospect of new and heavy responsibilities. There arrived for Gov. Wilson a telegram from Wisconsin, stating that two visitors proposed to come to see him on Saturday. As Gov. Wilson already had an appointment with Champ Clark for the afternoon of that day, the fact that new visitors were coming and would be welcomed caused the conclusion to be rapidly reached that the visitors must have an important purpose in making their call.
    It was learned that, the two visitors will be guests for luncheon at the Little White House at 1 o'clock, and will meet Champ Clark when he arrives from Washington at 2:40 o'clock, although their errand is entirely separate from that which brings the Speaker of the House to Sea Girt.
    The Western visitors are Charles R. Crane from Chicago and President Van Hise of the University of Wisconsin. The work of President Van Hise has always been of keen interest to Gov. Wilson, as he was one of the first men in the country to take up as a moral question, Independent of politics, the propaganda now known as "Progressivism." The chief fact about Charles R. Crane that was recalled in connection with the news that he was coming to Sea Girt was that he was the chief financial backer of Senator La Follette when he commenced his campaign for the Presidency, and that he led the two Pinchot brothers in the amount of money provided for the opening of the La Follette head-Quarters in Washington.

May Augur La Follette Support.
    Why these two friends of Senator La Follette should come to Sea Girt could only be surmised, but each politician in the Governor's veranda cabinet said he would give the others just one guess and then, would bet that all of the guesses would be right. The leaders of the Wilson campaign here hold that the support of La Follette is surely coming to Gov. Wilson, and that when Mr. Crane and President Van Hise go away to-morrow afternoon public announcement of this fact will be made.
    One fact emphasized through the sudden rising of the McCombs star is that Gov. Wilson does not propose to surrender in the slightest degree his personal responsibility for the conduct of the campaign, either as to policies or as to finances. An experienced member of the National Committee said this afternoon that it had been practically agreed that there would be no division of authority through the coming campaign; that all the authority of the National Committee would be centred in the Chairman, and that any campaign committee selected would be subordinate to the National Committee and under the jurisdiction of the Chairman as manager of the campaign. It was also decided, he said, that every National Committeeman should be put to work for the campaign, and that as many experienced politicians as could be accommodated should have places on the Campaign Committee.
    Some matters, such as the appointment of a Finance Committee and the selection of a Treasurer for the National Committee, were not wholly settled at this afternoon's conferences, and will have further consideration on Saturday morning. In order to attend this Saturday conference National Committeeman Hudspeth has postponed his departure for Chicago until Sunday afternoon. Col. McCombs, State Chairman Grosscup, and Col. Thomas H. Birch will go direct from Sea Girt to Chicago with Comitteeman Hudspeth. National Committeeman Daniels will go by a separate train and will participate with Committeeman Hudspethin expressing the views of Gov. Wilson to the committee.
    It is said here that the National Committee plans to name a sub-committee to come to Sea Girt after the committee meeting in order to take up with the candidate all questions on which there is not complete agreement. The questions to be referred here, it is said, will not be questions on which Gov. Wilson has already passed judgment, but questions originating with the committee and of the nature of which he has not yet been made aware.

The Swing to Wilson.
    In the plans for the campaign, if Col. McCombs is permitted to have his way and does not change his present purpose, there will be a headquarters in New York City, a branch headquarters in Chicago, and another in the Far West, possibly on the Pacific Coast. Col. McCombs will have the hearty support of the
Princeton alumni, of whom he is an enthusiastic associate.
    From Samuel Huston Thompson of Denver, known to all Princeton men as"Shy" Thompson, who played right end on the football team of 1894, a pledge of support has been received. The pledge says that its maker, "Shy" Thompson, always has been a Republican and always has voted the Republican ticket, but that a little consideration of this sort cannot keep him from taking the field to organize his State for the former President of Princeton.
    From the Rev. Dr. William Paden, head of the Presbyterian Missions in Utah and organizer of the anti-Mormon movement there, another pledge of support was received. While the Rev. Dr. Paden has always been a Republican, he has decided that this is the year in which to transfer his allegiance to the Democrats, and, incidentally, to his former college classmate.
    The two Princeton men who have come over from the Republican side have been supplemented by a large group of Republicans in Maryland, who according to William K. Wilson, organizer of the Wilson Progressive Clubs in Maryland and a visitor here, have come into his clubs in numbers almost as large as those of the young Democrats.
    "We have got to face the fact," said Mr. Wilson of Maryland, "that Col. Roosevelt, and not President Taft, is the real opponent of Gov. Wilson. We have got to face the fact that the fight is for the young men of the land, and in our State we are seeing to it that no young man has to leave the Democratic Party to have all his aspirations put into the form of political action. The bull moose call will not lure our young men away.
    From. John T. McGraw, National Committeeman of West Virginia, an urgent telegram was received to-night asking Tom Pence, publicity manager of the Wilson campaign, to please rush to West Virginia "the large portrait of Gov. Wilson that created so much furore at Baltimore." The message continued that West Virginia was about to have a State convention and that McGraw had every confidence in the ability of this particular Wilson portrait to touch off a thrilling Wilson demonstration.
    Joseph H. Preston, Mayor of Baltimore, it is sand here, will arrive Saturday afternoon with Champ Clark. Mayor Preston was attached to the Clark forces in the Democratic Convention and was mentioned as a candidate for Vice-President on a ticket with Clark at its head.
    Another Clark man who has expressed his allegiance to Gov. Wilson is James T. Lloyd of Missouri, Chairman of the Congressional Campaign Committee. While the National Committee is busy with Gov. Wilson's campaign for the Presidency Congressman Lloyd will be busy seeing that Democratic members are elected to the House of Representatives. Congressman Lloyd came to Sea Girt this morning to see if it would not be possible for the Congressional campaign and the Presidential campaign to be very closely interwoven and consolidated.
    "I think in the past," said Congressman Lloyd, "that there has hot been enough co-operation between the Congressional campaign and the Presidential campaign. I told Gov. Wilson I wanted to get together with his managers on all matters, to eliminate duplication of effort and waste, and to make our two campaigns along identical lines. He seemed very glad to receive my assurance of a willingness to co-operate."
    The news that ex-Senator Pettigrew of South Dakota had taken up the trail to Oyster Bay caused National Committeeman Daniels to say what he thought of Pettigrew and several other things this evening.
    "It only illustrates the fact." he said, "that the Democracy is more united than ever before. In becoming a bull moose ex-Senator Pettigrew has only lived up to his previous record for quick switching. Ex-Senator Pettigrew is best known as a Populist and Republican. He is every thing, but a Democrat, and he made a vain effort to break into the Baltimore Convention. The National Democracy refused to have any part of him, and after being denied a seat as a delegate, he has cast his lot with, the bull moose. The Democracy is to be congratulated. Never has the party been so united, and the ex-Populist from South Dakota has surrendered it a real service by giving emphasis to the fact that there is not a bolting member between the two oceans."

Some Belated Congratulations.
    Belated telegrams of congratulation continued to pour in. The following have just been received:
    From Richard Olney: My congratulations on a well-deserved victory of immense importance to the country and as unique in its responsibilities as in its honors.
    From former Mayor George B. McClelland, dated at Venice: Accept my congratulations, best wishes, and support.
    From former Vice President Adlai Stevenson— Earnest congratulations upon your nomination. We hope to give you the electoral vote of Illinois.
    From Dan M. Dickinson, former Postmaster General— I congratulate the country and you on the result at Baltimore. Michigan proved true to you at the critical moment, as our people expected.

    Just before dinnertime to-night Gov. Wilson came out among his friends on the lawn, said he felt tired to death, and asked his chauffeur to take him for a long spin along the sea coast. He still was tired when he returned, and he said things would soon have to change as to political conferences if he was ever to get any other work done. He spoke chiefly in his daily chat with reporters about campaign funds.
    "I favor making the list public and keeping it open to the public at all times," he said. "I would say I am in favor of making public my own pre-convention fund, except that I do not know how much work such a promise would entail upon Col. McCombs. I know that every contribution was from an unimpeachable source, but I do not know just how easily a complete list could be prepared for publication. By all means, the campaign contributions should be known to the public, so that the public may censor the list and form its own conclusions."