The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-27
CONGRESSMAN READY
FOR 1914 CAMPAIGN
Prepare Thousands of Stock
Letters For Their Many
Constituents.
USE A MIMEOGRAPH
Ambitious Politician Uses
Franking Privilege For
Own End.
USE A MIMEOGRAPH

click and put Of mimeograph ma
chimes in the House office building
proves beyond doubt that another
campaign is approaching Walking
down the corridors of the structure
where the members of the House OF
Representatives have their Offices, one
hears the steady grind of the mimeo-
graph, manipulated by some young
woman or boy who is engaged at
so much per" to turn out letters for
my congressman"
Over in the majority room there is
q larger mimeograph, driven by cleo
tricity. This is available for the use
of members who have no machine of
their own but who want to send OUT
thousands of letters to their consti-
tuents
During the off years, so-called, the
member of Congress isn't the lette1-
writing busybody that he is when the
campaign is only a few months OF.
Last winter and spring the mimeo-
graphs and typewriters were compar-
atively quiet and the member content
ed himself with answering the daily
mail and writing an occasional per-
sonal letter to some politician bench
man. N
Getting Busy.
The 1914 elections, however, will be
comming along next spring and sum-
mer and the House member is getting
busy. Everybody in the House must
stand for election every two years and
almost everybody wants to come back,
once a taste of Washington life is
had. Consequently, the ambitious pol
1tician desn't hesitate to use the frank
ing privilege and the mimeograph to
keep in touch with the fellow with
the votes.
Hundreds of thousands of docu-
ments and letters are going to be sent
broadcast from the House office build
ing in the next six months. Scores of
members are already at work getting
up campaign material in their own in
dividual interest and in the interest of
the particular party to which the let
ter writer happens to belong.
1t would be almost impossible for
member of the House to write a per-
sonal letter to every voter in his dis
trict and to keep up the correspond
.ence. Consequently, the average mem
Der of the House gets out stock let
ter about this period of the campaign,
has it mimeographed and then writes
in at the top, in the same type and ink
SO that the entire letter may seem
personal, the name and address of his
constituent. Many of the wise" con-
astituents know that this letter Is
merely a circular, sent to every voter
in the district. Others cherish the
epistle from my Congressman" and
proudly exhibit 1t about the family
circle.
Uses Stock Letter.
Practically every member has a
different form of letter which Is used
for stock purposes. For instance, the
member who comes from a district
where there are many veterans will
talk of the prospect of pension legis-
lation. Another who halls from an ag
ricultural district will ask If the con-
stituents doesn't want few seeds or
farmers bulletins issued by the De-
partment of Agriculture. Still another
member who halls from a union labor
district will discuss labor legislation,
pointing out incidentally that he, the
member, is endeavoring to push this
or that bill.
A letter typical of the run of them
all Is that sent out by members of
Congress who represent the rural dis
tricts. It breathes solicitude for the
voter and places the Congressman alb
solutely at the long-distance service.
of his constituency, as follows:
my dear friend: l am sending you
under separate cover a list of the
Farmers Bulletins issued by the De-
partment of Agriculture. some of them
quite valuable docments. l would be
glad to have you examine this list
and advise us on the enclosed sheet
the names of those desired by you,
checking off whatever documents you
most prefer.
Il have made arrangements at the
department to get quite supply of
these documents for the people in my
district and l assure you it will afford
me pleasure to send you as many as
you desire. l have also at my dis
Fposal limited number of Yearbooks,
issued by the Agricultural Depart
ment. Do you desire one?
Il trust you will take the time to
tread over my recent speech on tariff,
which had the honor of mailing you
1.-THE other day. Will you write and tell
me what you think of it? l am an
sxious to keep in touch with my con-
istituency. and, as you will note in the
,speech, l believe this bill will be of
material help to our section. Do you
lagree with me?
Much to my regret. the present
isession is dragging along through the
ed to stay by may duties in Washing
iton, foregoing my usual annual visit
Ito my neighborhood. I am in hopes
that we will adjourn within the next
three weeks, in which event | shall re-
turn home where l trust to have the
pleasure of seeing you"
Meanwhile, do not hesitate to COM
municate with me on any subject and
Ipermit me to assure you that it will be
ALWAYS pleasure to serve you in any
way l can"
with kindest regards to yourself
land family"
Mail Many.
Thousands of letters of this tenor
are being mailed from Washington
every day. In the busy season, when
the Congressman wants to blanket his
entire district with vote-getting letters
and documents, he engages force of
shalf dozen girls who addresses en-
lvelopes, fold and mail the letter for
so much per thousand. the average
rate being S1.25 a thousand or $3.50
q day.
While this extra force Is sending
out the stock letters, the regular sec
rotary I'm the CONGRESSMAN js answer