Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-21
PRACTICAL POLITICS., By
HON. v. N. HlNRlCHSEN

curiosity, but most of them looking
for speakers, for literature, and for in
formation. They come singly and in
delegations. They may have a local
dispute or contest which they desire
to submit to the state committee, or
they may have a protest to make
against a certain line of policy pur-
sued by the state organization. The
speakers, organizers, writer's, and ag-
ents on duty with the committee form
a considerable part of the crowd, and
the whole makes a body fairly repre-
sentative of the party in the state.
The student should call upon the
chairman and secretary, state his bus
mess, and ask for information. He
should also call on each of the bur-
eaus for the same purpose. He
should make the acquaintance of ey-
cry person possible, and should never
cease asking questions. He should
compare notes with persons from 9TH
er counties as to political methods, and
should be, by his demeanor and con-
~versation, aim to make a good and
lasting impression upon each and ev-
cry person.
If he should visit the national head
quarters he will find it an enlarged
edition of the state headquarters, and
conducted, as a rule, by men of great
er reputation. He should follow the
same course as at the state head
quarters and will be as we'll received.
At the national headquarters he
will probably meet men from every
state in the Union, men of national
and worldwide reputation, the great
statesmen, speakers and writer's OF
the country. He should endeavor to
impress each and all Of them with his
individuality, but should avoid being
loud, impertinent, or %obtrusive.
In his visits to these committees he
should secure copies of all printed
matter that lie thinks may be useful
In his own county, and should study
the bookkeeping and other business
methods in order to take advantage of
every suggestion they offer in making
his own work perfect.
He will find his two weeks we'll
spent, and will carry home with him
fresh knowledge that will not only en-
courage him to increase his activity
and vigor in the local campaign, but
will prove very useful to the county
committee.
He should make note of all he hears,
sees, or learns, n should. refer to
and study these notes frequently,
He should, after these visits, be
able to answer the following ques-
tons:
Make a revised list Of all the off,
GERS and members Of the state COM
mittee.
Give the names of the heads of the
principal bureaus, and the duties of
each in a general way.
How many documents will the state
committee probably issue during the
campaign, and how many will be sent
to your county?
How many speakers are on the
state list?
What is the method adopted blythe
state committee for raising campaign
funds.
Write a brief outline of the plan Of
campaign adopted by the state COM
mittee.
Answer the same questions concern
ing the national committee as far as
they will apply.
Ii it should prove impossible to visit
either the state or national committee
much Of this information can be OBJ
tanned by correspondence and by ask
ing questions of those who have made
such visits, but it will be seer very
readily that the visiting plan will
prove the more satisfactory.
At this time the student should
write out a political prediction, basing
it upon the information he has gath
cred, tempered by his own judgment.
This prediction should be by states, and
should show the probable number of
votes for each party. Brief reasons
for losses or gains as compared with
former elections should be given. This
prediction need not be shown to any
one, but should be sealed and given to
a friend to be opened after the cleo
ton.
Conditions in Districts.
The student should now give some
attention to the conditions in the leg
islative, congressional and other dis
tricts in the state.
In districts that cannot be classed as
in the least doubtful, but little effort
is necessary to obtain all the informa-
ton he needs, and correspondence and
conversation will enable him to form
an opinion as to the conditions in all
districts that can be classed in any
degree doubtful. He should write out
a prediction as to the result in each of
these districts, which should also be
sealed and given to a friend to be OPP
ened after the election.
During this period the student
should observe carefully the relations
between the different committees and
endeavor to discover the reason for
anything peculiar in those relations.
He should make a note of anything he
thinks will make the organization of
the party stronger, and giving rea-
sons for so thinking should lay it be-
fore the chairman of his county COM
mittee.
Campaign Stories.
The campaign being at it's height,
the air will be filled with stories re-
garding the parties, their platform,
their candidates and their managers.
AS a rule, but a small proportion of
these stories is true, and the student
should never believe them till he veri-
files them to his own satisfaction. Even
then he should not allow even true