To win this position in twelve years would seem impossible but if you knew the man and the plan he pursued it would appear to you quite possible.
In the university he developed himself in public speaking. He became a good speaker, and before his term had expired had won a reputation as an excellent debater. He was not of the argumentative type, but more of the persuasive turn of mind. He endeavored to win people to his convictions rather than to compel them to follow his ideas. He took an extra year at the university and obtained a special degree. Before his school was over he concluded that the Philippine Islands offered the best opportunity for a young man in the law work, so he secured, through his connection at the university, a position to instruct in a law school in the islands, as the American law was to be followed there. From instructor he was soon advanced to the head of one of the law schools, and within twelve years after leaving the university he was appointed to the position of associate justice of the supreme court in the Philippine Islands. Being an American and familiar with the American laws, and having specially qualified himself while at the university for this work, he won, with little difficulty, the position which he now occupies.
PLAN No. 638. A PHYSICIAN BECOMES CORONER
While at the university this young doctor learned something about politics. As soon as he got settled in the community he made investigations of the coroner’s office. When politics opened up he became a candidate and made an original campaign for the office. He could speak and tell stories far better than the average man, and he made a good impression in his addresses. The political party arranged dates for speakers, and being one of the best speakers he was called upon in a great many cases. He made a clean campaign, not calling attention to any weaknesses in the former holder of office and won the support of his fellow doctors. He had an automobile and made it a point to reach many of the farmers in his county. His campaign was successful. In this way he won a good acquaintanceship in the country and obtained an excellent experience. Usually the county records show that either the Republican or Democratic parties, for years, have dominated the situation, and it is a matter of getting the nomination on one of these tickets. Nomination in these cases means, virtually, an election.
When he first came to the town he made it known he could speak and would be an aggressive man in any campaign, and showed his strength by addressing the various meetings that he attended, and in this way, got recognition from the organization and everything was done to give him an opportunity to have the nomination with as little competition as possible.
PLAN No. 639. A DEACON MAKES MONEY ON TAX DEEDS
I met this gentleman in connection with some old back taxes which the city claimed were against certain properties. He showed willingness to pay the back taxes at once without any argument, and after making his payment entered into a conversation with me relating how he had acquired this property and how much he had made. One rainy day, he said, he attended a sale at the courthouse, and there being no bidders present, for the property there offered for sale, except himself, that he acquired this piece of land for a $150, and two years later sold the same piece of land for $3,000. He said that for the last six years he had made his living by punctually attending these tax sales and, from time to time, making good purchases. He took a great deal of the property that, at the time of the purchase, he did not know what to do with, but later used it for trading purposes and profited on it very handsomely. He made more than $3,000 a year in that work alone. He found, in attending tax sales, that about the same crowd were always present, and soon he made arrangements with them for the purchases of different properties that each wanted to secure. In other words, he would not bid when another party wanted a piece of property, and the other party would not bid when he wanted a piece of property, and in this way, they obtained their property at a low price.
There is a Chicago corporation that follows this business entirely, however in the connection with it, they purchase tax certificates. They say that about 25 per cent of the property on which they purchase tax certificates, come to them, and out of this they make very good money.
PLAN No. 640. THE DOCTOR MADE MONEY
When I was a boy about ten years of age, I well remember the new doctor coming to the city. He received his furniture and appliances for office use, and showed them to us with great pride. He started in and worked very hard. His office was in a very unpretentious building in a small Iowa town, and, naturally, the first year his practice was limited, but everything he did he kept strict account, made his charges, and rendered his bills. He was not very insistent on pay at once, but he was anxious to render anyone service. No matter how far out in the country the patient lived, he would make every effort to reach them. As a matter of fact everybody knew that when they called him, he was always available and would be there at the earliest moment possible. He followed this practice for years, and saw to it that none of his bills outlawed, and while he had to wait for his money, he made a charge sufficiently large so that he could very well wait until they were able to pay him.