Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-08-31
BOOK 1.-THE BATTLE FOR
FREEDOM.
CHAPTER VII.

The Outs Mould Fain Take a Hand.
The political declaration Of GormIy
was the sensation OF the hour; the
sensation Of many hours, in fact 1t
came at exactly the right time. The
non-church going section Of New
York, from which the larger part of
politics was unfortunately recruited
the truly good Christian being a
man who leaves the doing of such
duties to his ungodly neighbor as a
rule!-had abundant leisure to read
the papers on Christmas morning,
and every paper in the city contained
that same announcement which Miss
Haldane and the party at the cottage
had read in The Planet
Every paper contained also editori-
al comment then and thereafter. The
administration papers ridiculed the
proposition, endeaVored to laugh st
out of court Other men possibly as
high in character had announced
themselves from time to time with
similar platforms. Their announce
ments had created mild sensations,
their campaigns had sometimes ere
ated more sensations; but the re-
suits had invariably been defeat.
So the administration papers sought
to whistle the new candidate down
the wind Of their disdain. Neverthe-
less, since George Gormly's money
was as good as anybody else's in
Now Work tboyr f-oDt or min +3rrr h;o
communications, in which his adyer-
tisements were alternated with his
political manifestos.
The anti-administration papers, and
those which strove so far as. news
papers could to take a dispassionate
view of the situation, were unanimous
in their approval of Gormly's .candi-
dacy. They declared that his cleo
ton would be the best thing that
could happen for New York: they
were also practically unanimous in
their hopelessness of his success.
Gormly had carefully studied the
situation. He was not disappointed
in the least degree-and he realized
that while such a proclamation as
he had made would inevitably cause
a trcm ndous discussion, it would
have to be followed up by work, if it
was to be more effective than a flash
in the pan. He had learned that or
ganization was the keynote OF success,
as REORGANIZATION was its death
Eneil. He knew that the arrangement
which secured all general principles,
leaving the utmost liberty in details,
was the one which was in the end
bound to succeed, provided the fac
tors upon whom dependence was to
be placed were in any degree worthy
of their responsibilities.
He was also aware that the ma
tive intelligence of the community.
even allowing for the vast num-
Der of ignorant foreigners who
were allowed without let or hin
drance TO fill the city, was very
high. The first requisite for sue
Cessful campaigning, therefore, he de-
eided to be education. knowledge, as
OF old, is still power.
The ideal method of christening
the people to the seriousness of the
situation and of convincing them OF
their ability to amend it was by word
of mouth Gormly had never been a
public speaker. Fortunately he had
plenty of self confidence, and he was
quite capable of presenting a sitda-
ton in simple, businesslike, way.
so clearly that even the ignorant
could comprehend it. A few months
only would elapse before the spring
elections that would determine the is
sue. No matter how assiduously he
campaigned. he could reach only a
portion of the vast conglomeration
that made up political New York 1t
would be necessary for him, therefore,
10 keep telling the same story in the
different papers of the city to reach
those who did not hear his voice, and
to drive home in the minds of those
who had heard what they had listened
30.
He was prepared to spend his
money as well as himself for this end.
Watson. one Of the assistant gen
eraI managers of his great institu-
lkoh, lAIo IKE GOTnIy IN pOltlcS,
but man Of great ability and acu-
men, he made manager Of his cam
paign. The party out of power
through its leaders declared that it in
tended to make him its candidate: 9th
er smaller parties proposed to fall in
line. 1t was pointed out by those in
terested that Endorsement by these
organizations would provide Gormly
with an organization and be of i'm
mense benefit in taking OF his hands
the details and minutiae OF political
campaigning, about which he was sup
posed to know nothing; that it would