The Virginia enterprise., 1908-09-04

fixed rules and statutory laws, and
that he must OF necessity familiarize
himself with these things else remain
mere tyro in the art.
This means that he will have to
study books, read up the laws, keep
posted in the changes which are con-
tinually occurring in the laws relating
to elections and nominations, and in
various ways get next" to the legal
aspects of politics. Then he will have
to learn his ward; know it's various
precincts and their boundaries; know
the location of the polling places, and
who the people are in whose shops
or stores the polling places have been
placed, their politics, and everything
about them. He must serve as clerk
and judge of election, and learn the
duties of challenger. He must know
the poll list of his precinct as we'll as
his a, b, c, and keep tab" on deaths.
removals, new residents, etc.
Politics affords shining example
of the wisdom of the rule about open.
ing hostilities yourself. Never wait
for the other fellow to assail your abil.
ity. Always start out by soaking"
him. And by this is not meant by any
means to throw mud" or indulge in
abuse. Far from it. Do it in a gentle
manly way. Get him on the defensive
and keep him there If possible. One
of the surest ways to do this is to
prepare lot of questions, no matter
how irrelevant to the questions at is
sue, II there happens to be any lis
sue," and keep hammering away. at
him with these questions.
Never answer any question yourself.
Print your platform on your cards, if
you are candidate, but don't answer
any questions about it. The platform
speaks for itself, don't it? A profess
sional politician ought to be able to
convince the most captious questioner
that his platform" faces every way
to the four corners of the earth and
was meant for the blessing of all men,
When he starts on his career he must
expect to go slowly, as a rule, emerg-
ing from one unimportant position to
another until he has either become a
power himself, or has been useful
enough to some Boss" to be placed
on ticket. Once fairly launched in
political Office, and he becomes a
target for the press and public criti.
cism, and his native ability is sub.
jected to the corrosive test of having
power placed in his hands.
A good politician must always be
on the alert to catch the instant at
its forward top" and direct the cur
rent of any popular movement into the
proper channel. If there is a reform
movement in the air he must not only
champion 1t, but he must be in the
lead of the crusaders. The public are
the sheep, the politician is the bell
wether.
remember a typical instance OF
this kind.
A certain paving scheme was be-
ing broached, and in the district
where it was proposed to introduce
it, there were a great many Swedish.
American citizens who opposed the
improvement. Nearly all of them uR
derstood the English language al
we'll their own tongue. A grand
mass meeting was called for and held
amid tumultuous enthusiasm. A well.
known Swedish-American was select
ed as chairman. and a Swede Sec
retary duly installed. Two speeche9
were made in Swedish, and then q
popular Irish politician made ring.
ing address amid great applause. HI
was followed by "a German lawyer
who was even more fiery, if anything,
than his predecessor in denouncing
the outrage contemplated. che law.
yer was also politician.
A call for names was started and a
club formed. There were 367 Swed.
ish.AmeriCan members of the club and
the Irishman and the German, 1863 mem.
bers in all. And at the next meeting
! postponed two weeks to elect officers
the 1rishman was elected president
and the German secretary and treas
urer. ERNEST M'GAFFEv
Copyright, 1908, by Joseph B. Bowles.)