Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-10


eral purposes and provides literature
on national questions. 1t advises COM
mittees of smaller jurisdiction and pro-
vides them with information on ma
Honal questions.
Its work is done mainly through the
state and other committees, although
it sometimes has it's own agents in
each county or even in each voting dis
trict in the country.
Its work is divided among number
Of subcommittee or bureaus, and it
employs large force of clerks, writ
ers, bookkeepers, etc. Its business is
usually as we'll systematized as that
of great commercial esta blishment.
The headquarters of the national
committee are located in one of the
larger cities, but it frequently has
branches in other places.
The student should procure a copy
Of a political almanac for the current
year, published in his own state, if pos
sible. In this he will find large
amount Of information concerning the
state and national committees He
should write to the secretary Of the
national committee for copies of the
year book of the last campaign and of
the proceedings of the last national
convention, together with such other
printed matter bearing on the COM
mittee as can be furnished him.
He should write to the secretary of
the state committee for copy of it's
constitution or set of rules and for
any printed reports made by that body.
He should consult the files of the
newspapers, both metropolitan and To-
cal. He should question every one like
~ to know anything about any of the
committees and should keep record
Of the information thus obtained. He
should be able to give information on
the following subjects:
Who are the members Of your pre-
cinct committee, and how and when
are they selected? What specific work
is assigned to them? Give the names
Of the members of your county COM
mittee unless In large city, where
the names of the members Of the ex-
ecutive committee will suffice.
Give the names Of all officers Of the
county committee and name the SUBJ
committees, if any. How and when is
the county committee selected? Give
brief outline Of the plan Of 0rganiZa-
ton in your county in the last cam
paign.
Give the names Of the officers and
members Of your state committee. II
very large, the names Of the members
of the executive committee will suffice.
How and when is the state commit
tee selected, and Of what is it COM
posed? Where are its headquarters To-
of organization in the last campaign.
Where are the headquarters Of the
national committee located? Give the
names Of it's officers and members,
with the state in which each lives.
Give the names Of the heads of the
principal bureaus or subcommittee in
the last campaign.
How many documents were distrib-
uted by this committee in the last CAM
paign? How many speakers did it
have on it's list in the last campaign?
If your county contains large city
in which the affairs Of the party are
managed by a committee under spe-
cial organization, describe the system
briefly and give the names and adj
dresses Of the principal officers Of the
committee. Give the names Of any
other committees in your state, with a
brief statement Of their duties.
Conventions and Primaries.
Some study should now be given to
the plan of nominating candidates.
Candidates for president and vice
president are always nominated by
conventions composed of delegates
from each of the states, equal in num-
Der to twice the number Of senators
and representatives in congress to
which such state is entitled. Terrific
ries and the District Of Columbia are
also allowed delegates, the number be-
ing generally fixed by the committee
or the convention.
State officers are almost invariably
nominated by convention, the dele
gates being chosen by counties in pro-
portion to population or the party vote
at the last election.
Candidates for congress. the legisla~
ture or for county Offices are some
times chosen in the same manner and
sometimes by primary election. In
primary election each member OF the
party may vote for the candidate OF
his choice, and the person receiving a
plurality Of the vote cast Is declared
nominated. Delegates to the higher
conventions are sometimes selected in
the same manner. In some states there
are laws governing these primary cleo
lions; in others they are regulated by
custom or by rules adopted by the par
ty convention or committee.
The student should read the laws
bearing on nominations, if there are
such, and should also consult members
Of the county and precinct committees
as to the system in use in his precinct
and county and in his legislative and
congressional districts. Newspaper files
will also furnish him information on
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