The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-11-05
The Old Fashioned Campaign
Present CAMPAIGN Run in Far Different Way from Those
Of Days Gone By Primaries, Autos and
Telephones Responsible

b. Four years ago candidate who
made campaign with an automo
mobile, would be almost certain OF
defeat, so prejudiced were the
farmers against the "Pesky" ma
chimes Today, touring car is in
Guided among the necessities OF
making a first class campaign. The
candidate is able to get over the
ground with precision, and barring
accidents, he is able to arrive at
his destination on time. He is able
to arrange his schedule with clock
like precision, and often make =
dozen talks in a day, besides meet
ing many farmers at their homes.
In the old days, when a state speak
er came to the county, he hired a
livery rig in which lie drove to the
school houses and made speeches.
Some time it is train Of auto
mobiles, four or five of them, that
takes a party Of campaigners, Wis
iting town after town and covering
much more ground than ever be-
fore. The farmer and his family
is given a ride-possibiy their first
ID such a conveyance, and it looks
well to see a big red car standing
in front OF the gate adding to the
Farmers Importance in the COM
munity.
Along with this in a great number
Of states has come THE most sweep
ing change OF all-the direct urinary
Tor the nomination of ail officers
from United States senator down to
road ewrseer in district No. 4.
"A prospe otive candidate came to a
country chairman the other day:
I'm thinking of being "a candidate
for registrar" he began. II can get
the support of my own town and of
CenterviMe. l Thought maybe
could depend ON you ITO fix it so that
Wild Horse township would vote for
me-"
well, could-once,' was THE re-
sretful REPLY, but now there will
be no convention
''Brt," stammered the wouId-be
candidate, ''can't you get their
votes?'
Get nothIing-you will have to
get 'em yourself Go out there and
canvas; beg, rnomise, plead do your
own campaigning. It's different
now"
The direct primary has worked
tremendously with the daily papers
ON the rural routes, with the farm
telephone and with the automobile.
The voter in Wild Horse township
reads abotu the candidate and goes
into the booth and votes as he has
read; or he sees the candidate who
is whirled to This door i'm motor
car and votes as he sees; or he talks
with the chairman over the phone
and votes as he hears. In each or
ali these events he votes directly for
the man and has no convention be-
tween I;
4 1T SPOTS all of our fun" bemoans
the country politician when the
delegates came in we always had a;
dinner for them, then "a CAUCUS then
some red hot speeches while the
committee were working, then a
shsnrah of nominating and a banquet
In the evening when everybody felt
Aood. Now a man takes his lead
pencil back Of curtain and makes
some remarks-and it's all over"
Also lis over the kind of campaign
Ing he used to do before each con-
vention. He drove hundreds of miles
seeing the leaders in every precinct;
he contributes hundreds of dollars
Tor DINNERS; The pockets fairly buig-
ed with passes-but his county al
ways came to the front as he desired.
I'll In tneSe tunes The cam only guess,
and the rn1imary, with its speech
making, with advertisements OF cam
.dddates in the papers, with circulat-
ing, with interviews and counter
Interviews i'm the daily papers, is an
uncertain quantity.
Ten years ago in one Western
county There We're sixty4eight tele-
phones in operation Today, with
no increase i'm population, there are
4,459. Over 1000 of these are i'm
farmers houses. They place prac-
4 ticalfy every home i'm touch with
every other home in the county.
Only recently did the politician
learn what could be done with the