The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-15
How Crowds Are Furnished For
the Meetings.
WORK OF "PLUGGERS."
Men Whose Duty It Is to Bring
Voters.
Republican Party Machinery in
Excellent Order.

the campaign this year is the closest
and most perfect in the United States
1t is a world-beater. It is without a
precedent. It is an improvement over
the organization of 1898, which received
the endorsement of the national COM
mittee, and the Kansas committee OH
Gals were praised for the minute de-
tail which characterized the workings
of the campaign machine.
The Kansas machine is doing so well
that the officers Of the national commit
tee think the state needs no assistance
For this reason the Kansas committee
is receiving no money at this time from
the national committee.
The enthusiasm of the Kansas man
ayers. so the politicians claim, was
largely responsible for the statement by
Chairman Mark Hanna at a Chicago
dinner last week that there is danger
in over confidence.
Whatever may have been the direct
cause of Chairman Hanna's surprising
declarations, it is noticeable that the
published bulletins of f1Ops and other
material issued for the benefit OF the
voter have, in a measure, ceased IN this
state. The committee Is now connnlng
itself to the work of sending out letters
and literature to the workers and voters
respectively.
The Kansas campaign is being carried
on along the same lines which were fol-
lowed in 1898. Organization is the
watchword and the state committee is
directing it's energies towards the per-
lection of q more extended organization
than now exists, if that be within the
range of possibility.
The Populists complain that the voters
this year seem to be apathetics that
thew are not enthusiastic and do not
attend political meetings as has been
the custom of the Kansas man since
the early days of political strife.
The claim Of the Populists is largely
true, so far as their speakers are con-
cerned. because the small crowds when
turn out for political meetings would
ment also. were it not for the system
which the Republicans have at work IN
every county of the state
When a meetings is announced for a
town or township by the Republican
state committee, for which Charies
LobdeIl has charge of the speakers, II
is a cue to the local workers.
In addition to the county committees,
which have members from every voting
precinct in the county, the state com
rnittee has In each precinct hve adol-
tional workers They DO not take part
in the arrangements for meetings;
neither do they seem to be identified
with the local machinery They, a1ter
the meeting for the territory Is az
nounced, Immediately go to work. There
is no need for advice to them; they are
at all times fully instructed, this work
having been done by letter from the
state chairman.
of professional mournerS who furnish
tears at a. funeral for consideration
The local workers for the state Hepup-
lican committee differ from these pro-
fessional mourners in this respect: they |
furnish the crowds for the Republican |
speakers -,.-, |
TO take a neighbor or two neighbors. TO |
the meeting to be addressed by the Re
publican speaker. At first glance TINS
does not seem to be sufncienr 70 IuTnlsn
hi a n
of the facts places a different Phase
upon the proposition.
There are over 23O0 voting precincts |
in this state. There are 1O5 countless SO /
the average in each county Is AltIlS 4HOAe
than 20 precincts.
This then gives the county central
committee of each county 20 members
Add to these the five state conmlttee
representatives in each precinct, ana the
total exceeds 12O- 100 |
This gives a local working force of 12O
men at the outset. With the presumption
that each of this 12o succeeds in placing
one man in the position of hearing a Re-
publican speech, there is total OF z4O
listeners assured the speaker. None or
these men leave the hall Add to this
crowd the average crowd OF curious peo-
pie who always go to a political meetihg
and the average speaker representing
the Republican state committee races
from 300 to 500 people.
In a majority of places in this state
this year the local workers who might,
|
.-pluggers," have been more successful
than the committee anticipated. Many
have earned special mention because
they have taken several men to near
the truth In this manner the crowds
have been augmented and the reports OF
great and enthusiastic political meetings
for the Republicans have not been ex-
aggerated The Republicans are having
good crowds this year; there IS no dis
pute on that proposition; the Populists
admit it, but the reports which have been
sent out from various places concerning
these meetings do not state that the
credit of the attendance is due the
"plugger'' rather than the speaker, or
the wonderful interest of the voter
election two years ago by this system of
The combined opposition
had the votes to defeat the Republicans
but they did not get the voters to the
polls The Republicans had their local
representatives at work and pol1ed a
heavy vote. This is substantiated by
the fact that the losses to the opposition
were in the country where the Republi-
cans made their gains. Here appears the
handiwork of the local worker, or plug
ger" This emissary did his work well
as the election returns show.
The hand that planned all this two
years ago is still a potent influence in
the campaign although the boss busters
league has had its rise and fall. Cyrus
Leland was the prompting influence in
the organization of 1898. Morton AL
baugh, then chairman. he now is,
Dave Mu1NaIl6 now Inc naLlOnal commit
teeman for Kansas, Tom Kelly now the
secretary of the state committee, assist
ed in perfecting the plans for this nota-
bic organization and they are in evidence
now. The plans of 1898 govern in 1900
and this is the basis for the confidence
Of the Republican mana gers.
Everywhere two years ago the Repub-
lican management was effective.
the campaign the county COM
mittees worked on plans submitted con-
hdentially TO them by the state commit
tee; then the individual voter was seen |