The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-04
TAB ON THE RETURNS.
wuA1 gEwsPArER MEx NAVE
- - o. EL.cTsoH usomr.
Isrsnsensnts fer Gettisg he xevvs
pDo0 City, Cesnty, slnss 49, Va
1Doa-uorses, Dfeyeses, Stesness
$50 uen's Less Relied upsn ss
Get TIE Ress1as Rrem Oct Of the
Way Peiats-A HARD KlgAs ssr
Evevybody.

Everybody.
The POet-InfelliGeucer congYzyusases st.
Ueif and it, readers that few newspapers
ia The country are able 10 give better and
fuller election returns than i. publishes
this morning. This can be said win some
assurance because In The first place /; has
come hours the advantage Of time over sss
great contemporaries OF the East Their
frst and second. and possibly third eda-
tiOns, vii be on the streets while the POST
Jnteiligencer r. stiIl falfpg returns from
~ telegraph wires. Thur. 10 Ear az the
octual results Of the election are con-
cerned. the reader of the Post -Inselli-
Ecncer VIII De better able TO form an ordn-
ION from his newspaper this morning than
will the New Yorker or Chicagoan with
BIS Herald or his Tribune. This refers Of
course 70 the states east of us. and the
farther east tSN STATE u the later win be
che election returns from that state.
~ 20 the returns Of our stafe. the Post-
1nteRigencer may not be up to ssase with
IT. Eastern contemporaries. but this IS be-
cause the VAST otafe ft.eif Is wanting IN
rapid means OF communication. In this
respect election night here offers TO the
oewspaber many obstacles 20 contend
with. Sometimes Il Is ten miles, even
more, 20 the nearest telegraph once, and
Chs intervening distance has TO he covered
- .gell as may be. by horseback. along a
oaxrow trial. on foot. by rowhoat- liz, some
1ow 5ustances only carrier pigeons have
boon found available. The necessary de-
t1ils 70 overcome these obstacles IN the
shortcut possible time are q subject of
oone6derab5e worry. and the arrangements
Ave 70 Do made some time before election
dav a1d with such desinltenass that a slip
~ r. practically impossible
H@ene Tn "a
md tho most popu1osss county OF the state.
mare are many long breaks between tele-
0rAp0 hines. and the most expeditions way
~ making connection between these
eeea1w requires consideration and good
Judgment. not to mention the cost. Be
ginning uear 81 home. for instance, the
3unt-Intsll1gUncer has q steamer on Lake
Washington to carry the returns from
3uAnlta. Kirkland. Houghtsn and Belle
vuo. and from this side of the lake. in or
Dr. 20 ave few precious moments. spe-
c3al telephone connection had been ar
eangod. Pretty much the same thing had
heen done in regard TO the returns from
tho vas11on islspd precincts. From chau-
tauQuA. yashon and Maury the returns
.arD rushed on horseback To Burton. where
spectna steamer carries them at high
epsed over tho 10 miles to T'aeoms. 10 be
delivered there TO the Post-Intesligencer
bureau Tor teiegraphing here
From 6noQualmie Falls handcar takes
4he news 10 tho telegraph once IT Ixsa-
Quah: and from Avondale. the northern
pqrt OF the county. aaorsoback gailop OF
nine miles through the black night 10
WoodinvfIle falls to the lot of the Post
Inte3iigencer correspondent.
These arc simply examples OF innnmera-
No instances In which a quick study OF re-
sources has TO be made and awaited OF.
just to give people an ides OF abe amount
u.
voived In the publication OF the election
returns. Even with the same work In each
precinct Of this broad land. however. the
work IL not nearly finished. There Ia the
army Of telegraph operators. then the
army OF tabuiators IN the Po~t-IntcIii-
Gencer ONCE engaged in sorting out and
arranging the returns In consecutive and
ipieiiiEfblc form: then there is a special
force Of ASSISTANTS In addition 90 the Of
Geo force and Its editors, and all have 10
work long and rapidly before the linotype
machines can begin to click
This e. written by one who knows what
an exciting night he viii have of Il In this
of5lce tonight. afsd just that the ordinary
reader may have some conception OF IL.
For everybody who knows how to read
buys n paper the morning after election.
He may have known the general result the
night before or in the small hours OF the
morning. hut tho details OF yesterdays
battle. the latest figures. what the winners
and losers have to say for themselves how
they received the returns. and ''how they
account for ~ together with all the usual
cabinet and other gossip that follows an
election are matters Of Vital human inter-
est All this aud much more he finds IN
his paper. And shen. In spite of the fact
sina ne has seen the same thing accom-
plished every four years and on a smaller
Gcaae =. intervening times, he wonders
how Il l.. ali done. The mere he thinks OF
II. tho more his wonder grows.
How a newspaper covers. a prsstden-
tai election is 10 mos. people A problem
and puzzle. Briefly. n makes prepare
lions commensurate 20 the xixo Of the
task, employs the most trusted agencies
ehtainnbie. spends money withou. stint to
secure early and late returns. tahuIatea
them and displays them In the most at
tr1cftve form. describes In a telling way
che STORY Of election day. comments on
the results On Ia EDITORIAL page. and goes
60 rrAsa and IL on the streets a; the earl
uut moment posaIhle. The details are al
most nu1nhsrless. but no great newxgs pe r
0esiects them
Preparation - IA necessary IN ''coyer-
anx' an election as Is Ere apparatus for
rutttrg out q IRE, Here Is synopsis 81
what tho Pcst.intei.sxencer SO Oh; 70 do:
I. Print telegranss from every state in
the union showing the vote for president.
UiVt0R
stnfee the vote by counties, and arrange
tNk y,4t results in an electoral table prom
s,,eyytiy displayed whore Il VIII attract the
r.a6er.s eve and. next 10 the head lines,
Ell ne main story Of the election.
i Print ~intlsr tesegTams regarding sAe
este a. tRN vartosss state tickets. aispsay-
srr me names OF che successful candidates
uus4ar the seae.sngs Of the different states.
: Anrertxln the political complexion OF
~ex,lv elected Legislatures ana show az a
.naace tho political stanaiss OF the NEXT
f,nft~d Stafes senate
y,,int enc congressional returns and
,x,.~snf = table sstowsng the standing %:
"a new house Of representatives aud q
~cn,,,efo nasl correct ~; az members
f>nv special a<t~ntscn 70 the lcgsslaturs
AZ "a cwu utAxs> PRINTING the returns Of
~. rnw houee OF representatives.
e A. uecpennxy pasv Of al tho forewo-
a.. ~,xsr safnute1y the esectioa IN hGns
rns,,,tv. it, own 3nyrs<isete tcr~Ttory. FROM
rrrr,deut ssown - the Hast efiicsi On the
county ticket
In the easr Of cur own stste, where Sen
asnr Wilson holds over AMI Senator Squire
wyli retire forever next Aasco. thts pcr'
s,..n ~ the sena4e isss will appear.
WASHINGTON. r. II
v-s.x,n. John l.. Spokane -..,..-..-,. e.
The rss OF presidential rlss-es,rs. especial