Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-24

engaged in discussion of proposed
plank for the platform, Forest would
pick it up, crumble it into small ball,
and shove it into his pocket. Then
came the various planks-the financial,
the good roads, the land, the taxation,
in fact all those which go to make up
national political platform. But in q
short time Chairman Weaver turned to
Forest and said:
"1hat machine of yours makes too
much noise. You go into the next room
with it, and do your typewriting there.
But look out for the newspaper men
and do not give them any informa-
ton"
Then Forest feared it was allup with
him. He knew that in order to gain adj
mission to the next room he would have
to run the gauntlet of half hundred
newspaper men, many Of whom would
know him. But there was no alterna-
tive, and he started for the room with
his machine, He had hardly seated him
self, when q reporter for the Chicago
Inter Ocean, with whom he was ac-
| quainted, gained admission to his room
and started to talk with HIN.
For Gods sake, Frar.k," said Forest,
''get away from here and give me q
chance for my life. ALI the Chicago
newspapers take the report from our
association, and it is not possible for
you to print that platform in the In
ter Ocean tomorrow unless you get it
paper men, who use the report Of the
other association, know that ever saw
newspaper"
/ Not only did that, reporter comply
with the request, but he warned other
Chicago reporters not to recognize For
est. A few minutes more and re-
porter representing the opposition as
ISOLATION came in. He was an eastern
newspaper man, and was not acquaint-
ed with Forest.
| What are you dbing?" he asked
| Copying the platform"
"Let me see it?''
"Oh, no."
Say, would you like to make S1o02''
"Well, should say would"
"Well, you get me copy of that plat
form and / will give you $780,"
"Not much. You can't buy me. I
know you. You are one Of those news
paper fellows. You never saw enough
money to buy copy of this platform"
The reporter remained for few mo-
ments in thought. Seeing that he could
not obtain the platform, he thought he
could have little fun at the.expense OF
Forest.
Are you q populist 2" he queriest
/ "Yep."
{. where are you from?"
KANSAS"
Then he called in the other reporters
and endeayored to rouse the ire Of the
"Kansas populist typewriter" by SUBJ
uniting him to the ''guying" process.
But the Ire could not be reused Just
then. To make matters more ludicrous,
a newspaper man representing the
same press association as did Forest,
was one Of the party. OF course, he saw
that Forest was doing his work, and
in order to keep up appearances helped
the opposition reporter in his efforts to
en1barrass Forest.
AT 1880 o'clock that night the last
plank Of the platform had been agreed
upon, and was given to Forest to take
to the other room to copy. As he was
leaving he was asked by schilling in a
tone of voice loud enough for the whole
committee to hear, il any OF the news
paper reporters had tried to get the
platform. He answered that he had
met them, but that they had not been
successful. Then Schilling turned to
the others and said:
Now, gentlemen, you know it is es-
sential to keep the doings Of this COM
mittee secret. desire that each one
of you shouldrealize that, and when APP
preached by the reporters, have moth
ing to say to them. I will not be re-
sponsible for the keeping Of this plat
form out of the papers unless each
member Of the committee gives me his
pledge to that effect"
Andthey pledged. Ten minutes after
ward Forest rushed into the headouar-
tiers of his press association, and Owed
down into his pockets. From his trous-
er's pockets he took the preamble,
from another the land plank, and SO on,
until the telegraphers were busy sendl
Ing out the entire platform.
AND that is the way in which q
stenographer secured a scoop" Of the
platform at the populist national con
vention.
This story would hardly be complete.
however, without referring to little
incident which happenedpa few hours
later. About three o'clock in the morn
ing, after the nights work was com
pleted and it was too late to send any
further news, Forest accompanied an
other reporter for the press association
he represented by the name OF Tom
Dawson, to that somewhat famed res
taurant in st. Louis run by Tony Faust.
Entering the place, he saw his friend
who represented the opposition associ-
alton who Gid not get the platform,
/ seated at a In hlo with a p,rL.~ !. q