Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-17
/ PRACTICAL POLITICS /
II BY Hon. w. H. Hinrchsen. II
BY Hon. w. H. Hinrichsen.

Copyright 1901, Lewis D. Sampson.)
This lesson on political committees
is not intended to be complete but will
prove sufficient for the student at this
point. Ii later lessons the full sub
ject viii be developed in such a man
ner as TO impress itself more thor
oughly on the mind
A political party is a voluntary as
ISOLATION Of voters, and the manage
ment of its affairs is usually intrusted
to a number of committees selected
by the voters themselves or by their
representatives in the party conven-
lions.
These committees have such powers
as are conferred by the voters or con-
vcntions, or which custom has given
them. In some states political COM
mittees are recognized by law, but in
others they are ignored. On the whole
politica, committee may be said to
derive its authority from support
of the majority of the members of the
party, and obedience to its DEGREES is
purely voluntary.
Each political division authorized
TO elect q public officer or group of
public officers has, or should
have, it's committee. although
mittees in some cases are only nomi-
nal, the committees existing for the
purpose of keeping up e permanent Or
ganization.
What are known as regular work
ing committees are, or should be, four
in number, as follows:
precinct committee for each pre-
cinct.
A county committee for each county.
A state committee for each state or
territory and the District of Columbia,
A national committee for the whole
country.
precinct committee may consist
of one or more members and is usual
ly selected directly or indirectly. by
the voters of the precinct.
This committee, though the lowest
in rank. is very important one and
in practical work the most important
of all. It's duties are to call the pre-,
cinct primaries, conventions, Or eau,
cuses, fixing the time and place, al.
though it is customary to follow the
suggestions of the county committee
in such matters.
1t is usually charged with making
the poll Of the precinct, looking after
the registration, getting out the vote
managing purely local meetings and
reporting to the county committee al
matters in the precinct requiring at
tenticn, and to perform any Other
work ASSIGNED TO it by the county com
mittee. In some places it has Other
duties, but lack of uniformity pre-
vents a description.
A county committee has charge of al
county matters. 1t should consist o.
at least one member from each voting
precinct in the county unless tht
county contains a verv large city
where a special organization is re
quired.
The members of the committee are
as rule. selected by the voters il
each precinct according to custom o.
county convention or of the commit
tee lfself
The duties of the county committed
are 10 call the county convention, fix
ing fire and place, and fixing TIL,
MUIR : CT delegates to which eacl
precinct is entitled, or to call primar.
elections and make rules for thei
conduct. To prepare and distribute
literature OF local character. II
manage county meetings. To look al
ter naturalization, the instruc
Z ton of voters, etc. To advise and di
rect the work Of the precinct commit
tee. To report to the state commit
tee from time to time the condition C
the party and to perform such servic
within the county as may be ordere
or suggested by the state or nationa
committees.
The state committee, as its name in
plies has charge of party affair
throughout the state. Its size is es
ulated by custom or by resolution c
the state convention. In the large
states it is made up of a represent;
tive from each congressional distric
with sometimes several members g
large. In other states some smalle
unit, such as the county or the legi
lative district, is selected upon whic
to base the representation.
Usually the state committee is
copied by all other committees in til
q a