The Portland daily press., 1901-02-20
POLITICAL sPOTTING.
Recent Development OF business
Entsrpriss involving millions.
Is. H. Adams in Ainslee'sl


political spotting Is a recent develop
ment or the profession. but It has become
necessary in the establishments OF politi-
cal campaigning as business enterprise
involving millions or dollars" capital
aud run on strictly scientific principles
Every state chairman has at his COM
mand corps OF trusted workers. Now
this term has a wide range OF meanings,
varying In reputapility. In some cases,
it desiEnates the men who use money
wheIe It will do tn } most good; In other.
the men who look after these disbursers
to see that the money is actually used
where 1t will do the most good to the
party and not to the handler OF IL. But,
rs n rule. the 'secret service fund is dis
tributed only among those In whom the
party managers have the utmost conti-
dence, and the work OF the spoilers
along this line IL not extensive.
"To this corps falls the task OF guard
ing against fraud on the part OF election
officers when election day comes. They
are supposed to he encyclopedias OF infor-
nation as to the spending OF money BY
the other side, and to block oil in one
way or another, either by threats or
countsr persuasion, any attempts to cor
rupt the men who register or count the
votes. There is no doubt that many
schemes are frustrated in every election
on both siees by the activity OF this SER
vice.
"This species OF service lie continually
in demand TO keep headquarters In
formed as to the progress and pertineuce
QI VAYilnN hnldfnU marty ORGANIZATIONS.
For instance, word is received that the
Intercollegiate hammer throwers Mokin-
ley and Roosevelt marching club has or
Ranizqd with membership OF 20, and
would te glad OF little financial aid
toward furnishing their ciubrooms
Now, all these organizations are pro-
NOTED by professional organizers who do
not regard virtue as Its own reward, at
least in political sense, but hope Tor
something more tangible. This they get
IL their labors are worth votes 60 the
party. As soon as the notification IL re-
ceived spotter is quietly sent out from
h headquarters to. rubber around the
locality and lind out whether the new
club has an existence otherwise than on
paper. Another matter wherein the
political spotters Judgment is OF value
to headquarters Is that of campaign ora
tory. scores OF speIlbinders are sent out
in every livery campaign TO all parts of
the state. Each man has outlined his
speeches, and had them censored by the
powers that be, for the ma nagers don't
want any 'BurohardisD'' to crop out and
spoil their campaign. Lest the spellbind-
er should he a traitor in disguise, or have
ambitions to launch out into unauthor-
izsd paths OF eloquenca, a trusted
worker Is set on his trail to make a re-
port on his speeches. This report also In
olldes an estimate of the spellblnder's
effectiveness and popularity with his
audience. Many of these useful adjuncts
to political party are minor otiics-hold-
ars, Others hops TO be office-holders, and
In addition they hope to draw $40 or $40
week for their work, while still others are
volunteers. Nobody but the managers
themselves know what men are doing the
confidential work OF a campaign"