Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-24

iitei aluie, SeeuS, ETC., which you may
be able to obtain. In short, make ev-
cry effort to get well acquainted and
TO get on pleasant terms with every
voter and the members of his family.
Make special list as you go along
OF all aliens not naturalized, of all
boys who will be voters within four
years, and of all men of the voting
age who for any reason are not en-
Titled to the franchise
DO not attempt to visit too many
houses in day, and go over your book
frequently so as to fix your informa-
ton firmly in your mind.
Fay special attention to first voters
and endeavor to interest them in the
work you are doing. Secure their CO.
operation, if possible.
Make no statements that are not alb
solutely true and make no promises
you cannot fulfill.
While doing this work you may be
able to do people small favors and you
should be on the lookout for such OBJ
portunities. Your territory may CON
tain people of all conditions. For in
stance. family may be looking for a
servant, you learn the fact Another
family may contain young man look
ing for situation of this kind. 1t
will prove easy to bring them togeth-
er, and you will confer favor on each.
A man may have horse to sell An
other man may wish to buy such an
animal. You may learn of the desires
OF each and thus promote a trade. and
so on.
Be careful while in this work to
avoid all controversies, political or
otherwise. Keep your objects in view
and steer clear Of neighborhood quar-
rels and factional feuds. Learn to
suppress expression that will give Of
Tense. and above all practice patience
and forbearance.
In some places you will meet with
rebuffs and discourtesy, and no doubt
some people will absolutely refuse to
answer your questions. In such cases
you will have to get your information
from the neighbors, but this will not
be necessary very often
Correcting the Poll.
Having completed your poll, the
next step is to revise, correct and tran
scribe it for use. and in doing this it
will be well to put in practice some
to produce practical results.
You have, while making your poll,
become acquainted with several, per-
haps a number. of young men of your
own political faith who are interested
in politics or in whom you have sue
ceeded in exciting an interest. Call
them together, being sure to include
all first voters. State frankly your OBJ
jects and ask their cooperation. Show
them the benefits that will accrue to
the people. the party, and to them
selves, and if you have so far learned
your lessons well and make a good
presentation of facts, you will find
most of them ready to join you. You
can, if you wish, form regular or
ganization or club. The advisability
of this depends upon the circum-
stances.
We will suppose that dozen are
willing to cooperate with you. The
first thing to be done is to divide your
precinct or district into as many parts
as you have helpers, each division to
include, if possible, the residence of
helper, and to be known as the sub
district
He should be directed to make at
once poll, such as you have made
OF his sub-district. Each should be
carefully instructed as to his work
Suppose that the district contains
four hundred voters. This will give
an average of about thirty-four to
each sub-district. The polls of these
sub-districts will soon be completed
and they should be carefully compared
with the polls you have made. Where
they agree, it may be taken for grant
ed that they are correct. Where they
fail to agree, variations should be ac-
counted for.
The poll should then be carefully
copied in a book properly ruled for
the purpose. No scrap of information
should be omitted.
A copy should also be made for the
committee in the book furnished for
the purpose.
1t is as well to say at this point that
the boundary lines of voting districts
or precincts are sometimes changed
and this may occur between the time
of completing the poll and election
day. In such case you may have to
revise your work.
Time of Taking the Poll.
A political party usually makes its
poll at certain fixed period, govern
ed by the election laws of the state.
For instance, if the laws require a
man to be resident of the county
ninety days before becoming voter
the poll is taken ninety days before
the election, and if thirty days resi-
dence in the voting district or pre-
cincU is required, the poll is corrected
thirty days before the election.
When student of politics takes a
poll, as shown above, the date is of
less Importance, so that it be early
enough, | would advise making II at
least eight months before the election,
or even year. 1t should, of course.
be revised and corrected at the usual
time of taking the poll-Copyright
1901, Lewis D. Sampson.