, 1879-03-18
AN ENGLISH VIEW OF THE AMERICAN
CAUCUS,


AN ENGLISH VIEW or THE AMERICAN
CAUCUS.
Tho American correspondent OF tho Lon
don Times has been onlightoning TINT papcr
upon tho beauties Of our political caucus sys-
tenn by showing how tho machino works nj
primary elections in Philadelphia, mud sends
tlreo&olu,nns OF mattor, which is supple
lnented by two.column editorial commont-
ing upon tho information which ho fur
nsi,os. At this distance from Philadelphia,
some Of tho information which lie supplies
will undoubtedly be now aud interesting TO
our own readers. For some ti1no past tho
Republican party in that city has been Ill
yila1 into two fac.ions, tho "WAite Hats"
and "Black Hats" tho former led BY m OK
Sheriff aud the other by n ehrowd Irishman.
To.theao there has subsequently, boon added
q third faction, oegor' to hold balance Of
power, called tho "slouch uats." Upon nj!
occasions OF conventions Or important pri-
mary elections these factions appear in hats
Of tho styls indicated by their titles. The
primary meetings arc held on tho
second Tuesday in january, and BIZ
thet day every Republican politician IN tho
city trained under onu Of tho three hats.
st. AZ the Mayor aymratlixcd with one fac
tion, tho Mayors police wore white hits :
As tho leatlor OF tho other faotion III tho chief
Of tho department supplying tho city with
gas md rules that supplying tho water, nll
tho turucocks and nlotre-men, stokcra, cll-
ginecrs, aud mechanics wore black hats !"
Tho Democrats aro not bol,inl tho Repub-
lieana in this sort of tllng. At tho samo
primary election they appeared in three fac-
lions, each with its sat Ut candidates, known
by tho titles Of the, Kickers," tho Rats,"
and tho:" Mioc," mud ono Of these WIS again
Bubdiyilcl iuto Irishmen anl Sous OF
1risl,mon,"-''t Tho descendant oil Tho Emerald
14lu born in Asnerioa lisru.ing his tnthcs's
right to control OF tho groat Democratic
purify
Tho samo correspondent describes In Il
very graphic manner how i]ie "Whitc Hats "
and "DIack Mats," when tho lines woro 30
tightly drawn thnt 1t 1ookutl as if tho purity
might bo lcaten, secretly mot aud agrocl to
compromise on the basis Of d division Of tho
spoils and to smash tho :. SLOUGH Hats," and
draws tho following interesting picture Of a
not worry crotlitablo phase of American pol
itics:
.,Tho new ooysrnor of ponuav,v.u,a wos IN,
| anguratcs!, and j. DosALp UAME,tus WIS on thu
sanu day elected United statcs Senator at Ilstr'a.
burg about loo n',les from lhsadslp''1a' These
vr IN" ,, po IN ~, nr, 1s'"H'1 S"a,o.
Ind ipcn ,nal!yu,ns. and cheating, and so,utn,es
pum'mclIag each other. THO railrouds leulsns ID
llasr'shn's were bored fur free nasae'.' and
noela' as @ ,,e we.s 'axon lot eaaas ~
cred tbefv from a,l par,s Of ,v State, and o., III,
appointed day Tho several thousand Republican
'stasa''sen who ruiz tho rhi'adelphia INN
eh,ae % were nnnseo.s'u 10 10 'ho t.o oap,'a' an'
l cirst lbc scn.tor. It war ,nwlntur md thr, ,,
all wuse black hats. The nauaGnl ut Isadurs wcui
up In paacs car, ald drink ehamI~sno 10 sca
tha.' eonps""as1' wal|a the tanE an" a5e p!e'ae'
Th, .'Iay ~ wa, n,,anma.,y y,irS @u ",.n, "", ~,
eo... nnu il cured almost MI tse rh..asiph,a po
lltical ilE..emprr. Farty.ctrht hours of lha,!ons
with larHh Intervals Of relotelnE' music. and spec
".u., "" , s" " neu; W. 49, us"n
fc4, when no rr,. huns, am,, l,uyIus returned /,
Philadelphia and rested. lhs ls.,,urs lners an