New-York tribune., 1880-10-02
HINTS EoR EErrELLc1N WoREERs.

Coming through c,Ttaln part OF this State
last week, shrewd politician remarked IN
the cars, "Eyidently the Republicans are not
"going to do well here He was asked why
not. and answered, Because they are making
:" n brass band and -bIg-banneT campaign of it,"
Bands are good, hut taey convert nobody.
Banners are fine, but the IN n who votes for
the best looking face on the cOotlie>t banner is
not fit to vote at all. He cost OF one great
banner, that does no good except to show that
the party has money to waste II spent III clicu-
latng good documents or newspapers, III get
ting up good scho0l-disrict meetings, such as
the missionaries who created the Republican
party used to hold, in pcTfectinga a canvass, or
III getting out II full vote on election day, might
easily make a difference Of so or 100 votes in
the result THIS is not year for wind. Let
Ihe Democrats make as much noise and display
rs they like. What Republicans need is to put
sharply and clearly before every voter, Demo-
craft Greenback, or Republican, poor or rich,
the reasons for voting against d" a change
There are at least 100000 voters in this
cOuntry whose votes could be changed, even ut
this late day. from tie Democratic to the Re-
publican ticket at the next election if they could
them. The men who care whe Ter Democrat
or a Republican sits in the post-ofice are not
very many. But the voters who do not want a
return of hard times as the result of mistaken
vote are several millions in number. Make the
average voter understand Uhy 1t Is that Demo-
cratic success would be likely to cause hard
times, and there will be no need OF arguing
with him any more. Here and there, of course,
there are intelligent men who know that a
Democratic victory would mean mischief in
finance, in commerce. to manufactures, to bank
ing, and TO the public credit, and who are never
theless so passionatey partisan in spillt that, as
one gray haired man said, they will vote for
" Hancock, if il does ruin the country" Also
there are many angry partisans among the
working people, who would vote for any ticket
labelled Democratic, if they knew 1t would leave
their children without bread. In the same
spirit, there are some who leave their children
without bread because they will have the extra
glass which they do not need. Drunkenness of
partissnship is as real and as mlschievous as
any other. But the average voter of this coun
try Is not brute, nor a dolt. He will not vote
wrong, as a rule, If he knows how to vote
right. To help him to know how to vote right
il lUlIltcly HuOIc lHlpolJduJ loI
just at this time, than to raise gay banners or
to fill the ar with meaningless music.
Ii Zach Republican who reads this will think
over the men he knows and can reach he will
see that he has not done his whole duty. There
are some TO whom he has made no effort to eX-
plain the matter as he sees it. Has he "nO
@time"2 Perhaps he will have more if Demo-
cratic mischief-makeTs cause his store or his
shop or mill to shut up. Does he feel unable 10
state his reasons clearly and well? Then let
him send to the nearest Republican Committee
for some document on the point which seems
most important to him, and ask his neighbOr or
acquaintance, as a personal favor, to read it
through. How often it Is said No good can
abe done in that way; these Democrats will
"neither read nor listen" But that is not gen
orally true, when the approach is courteous and
kindly, and when the argument offered is ad
dressed to the reason and personal interest Of
the voter. If man begins by beating his
neighbOr over the head with a club, or with po-
litca abuse or chafi, ii is no wonder if little lis
tening follows. Begin by taking it for granted
that the average Democrat wal Is to vote right,
and show him why a change" may close mills
and mines, ruin savings banks and insurance
companies PROSTATE trade, wreck railroads, and