Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-10-09
PRACTICAL POINTS.
VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS FOR PRO-
HIBITION MANAGERS.

How to Manage a Public Meeting-Things
That Should Be Done and Things That
Should Not BE Done-How to Advertise
Meeting.
GFrom advanced proof sheets Of The Prohibi-
Scranton, Pa.
Printers ink rules the world.
The business man who does not ad-
vertise is lost in the onward march of
trade.
The secret of advertising is to everlast-
ingly keep at it.
That which applies to the business
man applies with equal force to every
thing that must be brought to public
notice.
The reckless and savage abuse of the
Prohibition party and ST. John by the
press Of the nation in 1884 was a thou
sand times better for the party than be-
ing ignored Abuse shows that we are
drawing the fire of the enemy.
Do not hide your light and your work
under bushel, but let tho public know
that the party is alive and at work.
If you are going to have a committee
meeting, get it in the papers, and get it
in again after the meeting has been
held. Call your conventions through the
old party press. In short, get into the
papers, and deep i'll the papers.
There are thousand and one differ
ent ways of advertising a public meet
ing, and can give only a few here.
The most important point is to place
the entire advertising in the hands of
one person, and be sure that he under
stands his Business. Map out your work
we'll in advance and see the end from
the beginning. Keep your best cards for
the last few days before the meeting.
Work up public interest. (Read the sug-
gestions given in this book regarding
writing for the press.)
In the winter of 1884 L was placed i'll
management of q meeting at Hyde Park,
OCIdutOL, NllSu was W DO
dressed by Walter Thomas Mills. I ad
vocated the hiring of st. David's hall,
which had a seating capacity of between
roo and 500 The committee ridiculed
the idea. Why, we never could fill one
corner of it! l persisted and guaran-
teed to fill the hall. carried my point,
and tho hall xyac enpaoed
/ followed out the plan given in the
suggestions on writing for the press
given in this book. l had printed 5000
tickets, which were placed in the hands
of the right parties When the night of
the lecture came, hundreds were turned
away, unable to gain admission. Some
of the best workers in the party III this
state were converted that night, and
great good was done. In few weeks
afterward we had the same speaker in
the rink, and nearly 5000 people were
present.
If you use handbills, get enough to
cover the town.
When you use tickets, admit no one
without, otherwise you lose faith with
the public.
Posters should contain only few
words in big type, SO that he who runs
may read.
Muslin flags, printed with big red let
tiers hung ON poles, barns, etc., never
fail to draw attention.
Let the amount Of advertising con-
form to the size of the speaker and to
the meeting you really expect to have.
Meet your speakers at the train, If
possible with carriage. If you do not
honor your speakers, how do you ex-
pect others to?
If you are to entertain the speakers,
keep in mind that nine out of every ten
of them prefer going to a hotel, and
with good reason, for boarding around"
for six months would kill the strongest
speaker in the nation. If you must take
them to private house, give thom good
rooms and do not try to entertain"
them with talk. Give them rest.
Be certain that your place of meeting
is we'll heated, lighted and ventilated.
A room too hot or too cold will kill any
meeting, and poor lights are enough to
give any one the blues.
The doors should be open on time and
the ushers ready for business.
Make certain that the chairman will
be there, and he must have his pro-
gramme ready in advance. There must
be no whispered consultation before the
audience. Unless absolutely necessary,
make no excuses to the audience, but
proceed with the business in business
like manner.
Don't, please don't, call ON any one
who will make a long winded prayer.
If you have prayer at all, let it be just
q minute long.
If you have choir, let it sing only
stirring selections Many a meeting has
been killed by choir that sang inap-
propriate music.
Never, never, never take the time
that properly belongs to the speaker and
the audience with children s reoitations,
etc. The place for such is in regular
entertainment and not in connection
with public lecture.
See that the platform is nicely ar
ranged end tastefully decorated. Get