I Want That Cow
The Leader Senatorial Guessing Game - A Chance to get a cow.
– The Leader and Weekly Edition | Jan. 1, 1893

Whomever names the senatorial nominee, the ballet upon which he will be nominated and the number of votes he will receive, can secure a cow from the Leader.  The guesses will be received until January 11, 1893.  The cow is the gist of our enterprising city engineer, Mr. Chas Alderman.  The lively interest which the people of Wisconsin are taking in the election of United States senator from this state has induced the LEADER to offer a premium of a cow to the person who will name the man or who comes nearest to it. Who will receive the Democratic caucus nomination, giving the ballet upon which he will be nominated and the number of votes he will receive.

Competition will be open to all, and each person will be permitted to vote as often as he chooses, using the LEADER blank provided below.  The guesses will be received until January 11, 1893, and the name of the successful person will be announced when the nomination is made.

Fill out this blank and mail to Political Editor of the LEADER.

Chad's Take: I want that cow!

I think we were all glad to see the 2008 Presidential race finally come to an end.  Even the most diehard political junkies suffered from exhaustion from the long drawn out process, yet this article has given me my second wind for elections simply because I could have won a cow.  Now I try to do my part and vote in local, state, and national elections, and I like to think I do it because I believe in the process.  However, if I was alive in 1893 you can bet that the only reason I would have filled out this card and voted would be for that damn cow.  It’s not like I would really even want to win the cow, it’s just that the contest is so cool I would have no choice but to participate.

This contest is pure marketing genius as you could fill out as many of the ballots as you wanted as long as you bought the newspaper as well.  I know radio stations, newspapers, and even Volume One give away a lot of cool prizes to their customers, but I don’t recall any of them giving away a free cow.   I realize that in today’s world most of us would not even know what to do with a cow, but that is beside the point.  So this is my challenge to the Chippewa Valley businesses, step up and give away a cow for a prize and you will garner my support and money.