The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-08-11
HOW THE WORK is DONE.
A Glance af the Democratic National
Headquarters.
From the N. Y. Times.

From the ~. 4. Tunes.
The work at the Democratic National Headquar-
ters at 10 West Twenty nfnth-street is perfectly
organized under the general management of Col
Brice the Chairman of the Campaign Committee and
of the basement the campaign documents are reeeiv
ed and sent out This department is at present ull-
der the charge of L. Z. p Mcclure who was trained
to the business in 1884 He has large force of clerks
under him, and never before, even in 1876, under
Mr. Tlden, were there such facilities for the spread
of Democratic literature through the country.
On the ground floor is the German Bureau, the
reception rooms, and the reading room. On the
first floor is Col Brices private room where he and
and his private secretary Cap. William McClelland
disposed of an immense amount of correspondence
every day; the department of oratory where the
demand for speakers is attended To- and the meeting
room of the Executive Committee lists of speakers
are kept and their assignments. Each State Com
mttee can have all the speakers it wants by simply
applying The National Committee deals mainly
with the State Committees, and having awarded the
own Jurisdictions as they see fit.
On the second floor Commissioner William S. An
drews manages the literary bureau in the back
rooms Commissioner Andrews invented this bu-
in 1876 and it has been continued during every
campaign since. Mr., Tilden considered it to be one
of the most effective devices Its principal business
is the forwarding to Democratic papers all over the
country OF sheets containing editorials statistical
paragraphs, suggestons-in short, everything that
will assist an editor in discussing politics and pre-
senting the Democratic side his readers 1t gives
country editor the largest liberty of selection and
saves him an immense amount of hard work. No
department of the National Headquarters is more
popular than this In another part of the building
document room are prepared for the printer.
In front Secretary Dickinson reigns supreme. He
keeps record of everything that is done in the bull
ding. All the account books of the campaign are
kept here-the books of the document room, Of the
oraorieal department, and of the literary bureau.
About 500 letters and kilograms are answered every
day; no mail is allowed TO accumulate. Each letter
and telegram copied before it is sent each letter
and telegram received is filed and indexed. Every
dollar received or paid out is entered. Secretary
Dickinson is now serving his fourth campaign, and
he has reduced organization to science. At the
end of the last campaign Stephen B. Elkins compli-
mented Mr. Barnum on the way the Democratic
headquarters were managed. "They were run like
clock work, said he. ours was in charge of green
hands, while your men were experienced"
The country has become so vast that the manage
ment OF national campaign is an immense and
complicated business requiring great knowledge of
Affairs and thorough training large force of clerks
Is busy all the time working much harder than any
private enterprise and the discipline maintained is,
of necessity, rigorous and exactng. Col Dickinson
prides himself on keeping everything well in
hand that Colonel Brce and his fellow members of
the Campaign committee can at a minutes notice
ascertain the condition of affairs and learn all
that has been done to the smallest detail.