Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-08-03
POLITICAL ADVERTISING AS AN ASSET
2. 9. IopkIns N Kansas MagasIne.


equipment these days is complete
without a press bureau. In olden
times 1t was the hRbit to depend on
party papers but most Of the candi-
dates for important public places
these days have arrangements made
that their individual needs will be
looked after in am individual way
through the papers. They figure on
doing things and saying things In
such way as to bring them favorable
publicity. Obviously, 1t will bring
the candidate nothing to advertise
himself as common place or conven-
tional. SO 1t Is that the new crop OF
candidates Attempts to keep out OF the
beaten path. The new type Of can
didate seeks to educate the voters to
the notion that his integrity, devotion
to public duty and knowledge OF pub
lie questions is of a startling and un-
usual character.
Il Kansas, always abreast OF the
times, has several public men who
were quick to take advantage OF the
new system Of political publicity. OK
course, Theodore Roosevelt is the
master. He set the first patterns and
no one in America knews SO well as
he how to keep himself continually
in the public eye in manner bene-
,ficial to him politically, But from
the outset he has had apt pupils in
Kansas.
Victor Murdoch Is perhaps the
most apt. Murdoch has kept him
self mighty we'll advertised ever since
he broke into public life. An old
newspaper man himself, he knows
news and he knows too how to make
news. Few men in public life would
hRNe gotten as much personal adver-
Using out of his discovery regarding
the mail weighing system as did Vic
tor Murdoch. That advertising did
Victor world Of good and need have
harmed no one else. Why then
should Murdoch be censured for help
ing himself to great credit for what
he had done?
Governor Stubs is another Kansan
who appreciates the benefits of news
paper publicity to the fullest extent.
However, the governors work is
sometimes a trifle coarse as COM
pared to that OF the congressman
from the Eighth district But the
governor has an organization that
sees to 1t that he does not fail to get
credit in the newspapers for the
things he does that he considers will
prove popular He has had such an
organization from the outset Of his
political career although It is more
efficient now than ever before. As
far back as 1905, when he was the
Speaker of the House Of Representa-
tiyes, he maintained a press bureau.
John Dawson, attorney to the board
of railroad commissioners, and the
members of the board, had not as
clear an understanding of modern
political publicity methods as the gov
ernor, otherwise they would not have
permitted Stubs to run away with
all the credit, in the popu-
lar mind, for the agreement the Mis-
souri, Pacific railroad company en-
tered Into some time ago to bring
its lines in Kansas to something like
a standard condition.
Dawson and the board did most OF
the work, actually. The governor
cooperated with them, Of course. But
the point is that Dawson had the mat
ter practically closed up before the
public knew that Stubs was taking
part at all, or much of anything else
about It for that matter, But the
governor handled the final closing
Of the agreement in such way as
to make hot stuff for the news
columns of the daily papers and 1t
is he who gets present credit for
bringing the Missouri Pacific to time.
There are a great many men in
public life, powerful through long
stretch OF years. who have not learn
Cd the new way. Some Of them say |
they do not want to learn 1t and that
i is employed only by demagogues.
Wherever you find a politician Of this
type you are likely to find also a
politician who is slipping in power,
popularity and influence. He is be-
Ing outstripped by rivals who are
using the tools at hand. taking ad-
Tantage Of the public demand for
knowledge of what is going on.
Kansas too has some examples Of
his type. Men who lave accomplish
ID things in public life that would
have greatly strengthened them IL