They know just what argument will reach each man, just what speaker the people of their respective sections want to hear upon public questions.  They keep everybody supplied with the right kind of literature from their party’s view-point.

They either take the poll of their precinct or see that it is taken; and that means the putting down in a book the name of each voter, his past political allegiance, his present political inclinations, the probable ballot he will cast, etc.

Not many of these men do this work for money or office.  There are too many of them to hope for reward.  Primarily they do it because they are naturally Americans, because they have the gift of government, because they like to help “run the show.”  They are useful elements of our political life, and they are modest.  They seldom ask anything for themselves.

They do require, however, that their opinions shall be taken into account as to appointments to office made from their county, and of course they make their opinions felt in all nominating conventions.  Without these men our “American institutions” would look beautiful on paper but they would work haltingly.  They would move sluggishly.  They might even rust, and fall to pieces from decay.

This much space has been given to the political precinct committeeman because, as I have said, he is a type.  He is the man who sees that the “citizen” does not forget his citizenship.  This great body of men, fresh from the people, of the people, living among the people, are perpetually renewed from the ranks of the people.

All this occurs, as has been said, by a process of natural selection.  The same process selects from this great company of “workers” county, district, and state committeemen—­county, district, and state chairmen.  And the process continues until it culminates in our great National committees, headed by masterful captains of popular government, under whose generalship the enormous work of National and state campaigns is conducted.

Very well.  If you appreciate your Americanism, young man, show it by being a part of American institutions.  Be one of these precinct committeemen, or a county committeeman, or a state committeeman, or a worker of some kind.  If you do not, a bad man will; and that will mean bad politics and bad government.

You see, this whole question of good government is right up to you. You are the remedy for bad government, young man—­you and not somebody else, not some theory.  So be a committeeman or some sort of a “worker” in real politics.  Help run our institutions yourself, or, rather, be a part of our institutions yourself.

If you have neither the time nor aptitude for such active work, at least be a citizen.  That does not mean merely that you shall go to the polls to vote.  It does not even mean that you shall go to the primaries only.  It means a great deal more than that.