The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-05
ON ELECTION NIGHT.
How a Big Newspaper Handles the
Returns.
Results Attained Only After Weeks Of
Preparation.


tial election is to most people problem
and puzzle. Briefly, IL makes prepara-
tions commensurate 90 the size OF the
task, employs the most trusted agencies
obtainable. spends money WITHOUT stint to
secure early and late returns, tabulates
them and displays them in the most at
tractive form, describes in telling way
the "story" of election day, comments ON
the results on its editorial page and goes TO
press and is on the streets at the earliest
moment possible The details are almost
numberIess, but no great newspaper neg
lects them.
Preparation Is as necessary In "cover-
ing" an election as is fire apparatus in
| putting out a fire Here Is what paper
! like the Chicago Tribune sets out to do:
! First - Print kilograms from every
state in the Union showing the vote for
! president, giving in the case of the more
/ important states the vote by counties and
! arrange the net results in an electoral Ia
! BILE prominently displayed where it will
| attract the readers eye, and, next TO the
headlines, toll the main story OF the elec-
| ton.
Second. = Print similar kilograms re-
garding the fate of the various state tick
cts, displaying the names of the successful
candidates under the headings for the diff
fe-ent states.
Third Ascertain the political complex
ion of newly elected legislatures and show
at glance the political standing Of the
next United States senate.
Fourth - Print the congressional re-
turns and present "A table showing the
standing of tho new house of representa-
tives and complete and correct list OF
members
Fifth.-Pay specials attention TO tho
legislature of its own state, printing the
returns and similar tables and lists OF the
new state senate and house OF representa-
tives.
The earliest returns on election night
| come In the shape of bulletins from scat
tered sections of the country, and when In
telligently compared with the vote OF the
previous election show the general drift of
things In those sections. The political ed
itor, who has an important place in the
telegraph room of the newspaper on elec-
ton night, has the vote of 1892 where 1t
| can be consulted instantly. A steady per-
centage of gain for one side or the other in
the precincts heard from Is of the greatest
significance to him, enabling him to fore
cast with reasonable accuracy the result in
a. given state His assistants, generally
expert accountants, under his Immediate
supervision, are prepared to cooperate
with him in some prearranged division OF
the work. The political editor himself, for
instance, probably devotes himself to as
certaining and tabulating the results,
while his colaborers handle" the United
States senate the lower house of congress
and the legislature. 1t should be explain
ed here that the duties of this particular
corps of figurers and tabulators do not in
clude the preparation of the dispatches for
the printer They will merely glance at
the returns, take off the figures they need
and pass them back TO the telegraph edi-
tors, whose business 1t is to read and
head them and send them to the COM
posing room.
In addition to the usual staff of report
ers 1t was found necessary formerly to en-
ploy small army of expert accountants
to "help OUT on election night by keeping
tally of the votes and computing totals
These were engaged in advance, and their
services werc in demand not only on elec-
ton night, but often for several nights
afterwafd in tabulating the revised figures
Under this years system the necessity for
extra help, so far as the newspapers direct
" are concerned, was largely reduced. The
small army of accountants will be en-
ployed by and work for the City Press as
sociation, thereby simplifying the task OF
the newspapers.
or course no big paper goes to press the
morning after an election without tell
ing cartoon on its first page, pictures and
sketches of the new president and vice
president and other prominent winners,
and interviews with and gossip concerning
the successful and losing candidates, their
bearing under victory or defeat and their
future plans. All these things must be ar
ranged for In advance even If IL be neces-
sary to have two cartoons ready, each tell
ing different story, but one of them
f.warranted to fit"
Another impol tant adjunct Of tho work
on election night is the reception and dis
play of bulletins TO the thousands that
crowd about the newspaper offices. No one
who has ever witnessed the briittUHt 1ffU-
mination about the Chicago Tribune build
ing ut such times and the latest returns
, flashed by a stereopticon on.ap imnense
screen across the way will forget the scene
or the enthusiasm of such portions Of the
crowd as were pleased with thc resalts al
tho ballot box. The bulletin service must
/
sores provided and the paper that fails to
meet these expectations is forthwith voted
back number.
1t is o'clock election afternoon, and as
the polls close at in Chicago tho night
and telegraph editors, the political editor,
the city editor and his assistants and thc
expert accountants and department. men
who aid both the telegraph and local forces
election night are already at thcir desks
getting everything into shape for long
Siege. Owing TO the difference in time, re-
turns from tho east come In earlier than
those from the west. Significant "stDaws'
may have been received from New Egg
land, New YorR and other states along
tho Atlantic in the form Of early bulletins,
which arc hurr1,1 " ,hc stercopticon room
and thrown On the screen across tho street
Tho flrst installmcnt of the crowd about
tho building has gathered, and while IL Is
not rs noisy as IL will be later on 1t Is SUI
flciently enthusiastic for n starter City
Y | ..~.ot,,.t Ittfiotipa n-o coming I'm now nd