The Washington times., 1908-08-22
Big Parties FeeLLack of F1nds;
Papers Must Spread NeQUS
Campaign Material Must Look Like News or Editors Will
Refuse It-How Franks Help Out

In the absence Of campaign funds the
managers for both political parties art
planning 70 make the newspapers do
their work for them.
To an extent never before known, the
press agent will be the real campaignel
this year. The press agent costs less
than the campaign orator, and gets &
vastly bigger audience. Moreover, there
is general belief that be is rather a
more effective agency for this campaign
tt ere is grave doubt whether the peo.
pie care TO go TO political meetings
there is no doubt whatever that they
are reading more about public affairs
than ever before
How potent the newspapers have be
come IN public affairs since the cam,
paign OF 1896, may be judged from the
statement that newspaper Girculations
in this country have more than doubled
IN that period, while magazine circula-
tions have had an even greater Increase
With that, the amount OF matter print
ed by newspapers OF magazines IS
vastly greater than il used to be. Rural
free delivery and other conditions have
brought the Increased circulation; type
setting machines and business prosper
ity have made it possible 20 mage bigger
and better papers. Altogether, the press
reaches the public as II never did be-
fore.
No Fees, if it is News.
The newspapers don't require fees SoI
giving political matter 10 the public,
provided it looks like news. Mr.. Bryan
worked long and hard in the effort tC
cut his acceptance speech to such shOrt
compass that all the papers would be
able to reproduce it complete. He got
excellent returns for the effort. Mr.
Taft's speech, try as he would. was toe
long for a vast number OF papers, and
had to be subjected to the unsatisfac-
tory process Of editorial bIue-pencning
1t c-cts an immense amount Of money
to get literature to the people by pro-
cess OF making and mailing documents
and when they are thus sent out they
don't get so good attention as II printed
in the newspapers. The newspaper, IN
short, is the IDEAL medium; how tC
make ''Our stun look like news -
how to induce the cold-heaTted editor
TO use the stuff" is the problem Of this
campaign. If the newspapers will jsst
provide the campaign documents, the
cain lldlegl AAEdSlAtlb VIII not nave &c
dig up the money 10 pay for printing
and postage.
Get Trained Assistants.
So the national committees are call
ing into service a great numbers oi
trained and experienced newspapermen.
The head Of the Republican literary
bureau is a newspaperman, and he IS
surrounded by a corps of the craft,
Henry Watterson has been placed IN
general charge Of the work for the
Democrats. The chairman Of the Dem
ocratic national committee is a news
paper publisher. while the executive
corps OF the Republican committee is
composed of working newspapermen "a
such an extent that It has become some
thing akin 70 a joke. 1t Is pointed
cut, in this connection. that Mr.. Bryan
is an editor and publisher, and spent
some years as an employed editorial
writer. while Mr. Taft began life as
a reporter on Cincinnati daiIy. Hon
ors are sIst about even as between the
two parties IN their willingness to
shunt the burdens OF their publicity
work of on the newspapers.
Campaign literature viii be prepared
iu manifold copies, on the mtmeOgrapn
and in ell sorts OF ways. The speeches
of distinguished men viii be carefully
prepared In advance, and sent out TO
the press for release when they are
delivered. This will cause an unusual
demand for the really big men" on