Also have clear in mind that, once you are elected, the kind of service you desire to give. You will find if you are fortunate enough to be nominated and elected that the opportunities for real service in your city, county or state, are very great. You will find that the usual method followed by politicians is to work for the future, letting the mistakes of the past take care of themselves.
You will find in public service that there is great opportunity to build a reputation for doing things, and if you are in continual fear of injuring somebody’s feelings while rendering a real public service, you will not make a success.
PLAN No. 636. AN ATTORNEY BECOMES SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR THE CITY
He had no political standing but he knew the employes of the different departments of the city, and thus he became aware of what could be done for the city in the way of collecting back assessments, supposedly-outlawed claims etc.
He made a memorandum of these as best he could from a superficial examination, and took the matter up with the councilmen of the city. He had the support of the councilman of his district who furnished him a great deal of information. He then set about to become acquainted with the councilmen of other districts, and was successful in winning some of them to his support.
No sooner had he stirred up interest in this subject and got the matter squarely before the council, than he was advised that there were other attorneys who were seeking this appointment for the work to which he had called the council’s attention, and was advised not only to submit a commission proposition to the city council, but a salary proposition as well. Finally, through the activity of his friends in the council, he was named as special counsel for the city for a period of six months. It was up to the attorney to make good.
He made his own investigations, obtained his own material, and brought actions. He immediately got into contact with some of the newspaper reporters, and showed them the work he was accomplishing, and had proper attention directed to it.
At the end of six months he was able to make an excellent record, which continued his work another six months, and in that way he continued without any political standing, until he was appointed a regular assistant in corporation counsel’s office at a salary of $200 a month. This employment continued until new political lines were drawn and a new corporation counsel put into office, after which he was continued as special counsel. Each six months he made a showing, with the result that he stayed in the office for two years, based entirely upon the showing he was able to make at the end of each six-months’ period.
From this work he derived $175 to $200 a month, and won a good acquaintanceship in his work and an invaluable experience. He not only handled cases which brought him in contact with thousands of people in the community, but he also received experience in the police court, and in that way obtained an experience similar to that of an assistant in a prosecuting attorney’s office. This plan could be followed in many of the cities in our country, as there is always an opportunity to find something wrong in the average city government, in remedying which an attorney can render a good service. As a matter of fact, you can always depend upon it that the mistakes of former administrations are left alone, and to attempt to stir them up politicians of the city believe will make unnecessary enemies, besides the reformatory work can be done by a special counsel without injuring the future of the parties in office.