Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-28
Republican Leaders are Afraid
That Apathy is Abroad.
MAY CUT DOWN SOME MAJORITlES
Prizes Are Being Offered in Some Of
the Iowa Counties for the Biggest
Republican Gains-lndications Are
for Good Majorities.

Several republican county commit
tees are this year adopting the plan
of offering banner to the township
or precinct making the largest increase
in the republican vote this fall. A
banner was given in Polk county last
year, and it will be awarded again this
year. The republican committee in
Cass county is now offering banner
to the township making the best show
ing this fall. Several other counties
in the state have similar plans to en-
courage the getting out of the vote.
These prizes are all modelled after the
plan that has been followed by the
Tippecanoe club for a great many
years.
In some counties the awarding of
the banner is turned into ratification
meeting, held in the township winning
it, if practicable, and if not, at the
county seat. All of the prominent re-
publicans of the county are present
and speeches are made. This tends to
keep alive party enthusiasm and help
the republican cause in a general way.
If some such plan as the offering of
banner could be inaugurated in every
county it would aid materially in poll
ing the full republican vote. A con-
test OF this kind, once inaugurated, be-
comes an annual affair and the interest
increases, every year, especially il the
county be close.
Apathy Abroa.
The apathy which preval Is this year
will make it difficult to get out the
full republican vote in many parts of
the state unless the county chairmen
should exert themselves in every pos
sible way to arouse the voters. 1t is
always advisable to make the award
on the percentage of gain on the vote
of the last preceding general election.
This year it is highly important that
the full vote be polled by the republ-
can party, on account of the effect on
the election next year and in 1904.
No Hope for Democracy
There is no reason to believe that
the democratic strength in Iowa has
been increased since 1907 said we'll
known politician today Local con-
ditions may have temporarily affected
the situation in some parts of the
state, but there are more republicans
now than ever Every congressional
district in the state will easily be car
ried for the republican ticket il any
thing like tire full vote is polled. Re
publicans who express doubt as to the
outcome in any OF the districts say
that there has been no change of sen
timent. There has simply been fall
ing Off in enthusiasm, occasioned by
the general feeling that the outcome
of tie election cannot be in doubt. 1t II
hi tIoL -
before election day. In many districts
it will do no hurt: in Others it will
merely mean reduction OF maiorities.
In two or three, it may endangar the
election of the republican candidate.
County committees that are alive
to the situation are making special
efforts to get out the vote this year.
II they succeed in polling practically
the entire republican vote they will,
1t is thought, pile up the old-time re-
publican majorities. 1t will take an eff.
fort to do this however. Every repub-
lican worker should take hold of the
matter with a vim and see to it on
election day that the republican vote
of the county is polled Every indi- |
yidual republican voter must vote and
see that his republican neighbors
vote
The poll books are beginning to
come into Des Moines from the various
counties and show good condition
Many county chairmen
have written in that they are prac-
tically through with their poll and will
return their books in the near future.
1t is important that these books be in /
the hands OF the state committee as
soon as possible. Those received thus
far indicate that the state will return
It's usual big republican majority if the
voters go to the polls on election day. I
This is realized to be the great danger /
all over the state. In the close coun. |
ties more interest will be taken, but
in others there is danger of falling
off of the majority.