The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-17
lNew York World speclal. ]

Augusta PoIs-The Free Use of Money
and whisky Wins a Dearly Bought Vic
tory.
AUGUSTA, Sept S.-Seldom if ever in the
history Of American politics have such dis
graceful and humiliating scenes been wit
messed as those at the polls in this city to-
day. Your correspondent stood at the poll
ing box of the First Ward. which is the larg-
est ward of the city and the place in which
Mr. Blaine lives and votes. The voting COM
menced at 10 O'Clock and closed at 4. Just
as the polls opened six ladies entered the
hall bearing bouquets in their hands, which
they placed in the windows and on the
up a position near the entrance with
affirmative ballots on the prohibitory amend
ment in their hands. They were elderly
ladies' neatly dressed, and OF a very deter
mined appearance. Ballots had been printed
for them, the Eyes" being in very large
black letters that could be read across the
street. They offered ballot to every man
that entered, and one of them would follow
such voter to see whether he put 'No" or a
''Yes" in the box. 1t was the first time
women bad ever appeared at the polls in
Augusta. 1t was therefore a novelty.
Some responses made to solicitations of
the women were rude and insulting. One
man who was quite drunk swOre that he
could never be ruled by lot of petticoats
and then said he would be id il he would
ever take ballot from a woman. The poor
women looked terribly dissatisfied. One OF
them sat down, saying she was discouraged
Notwithstanding the existence of a strict
prohibitory law in this city3 beer and whisky
were freely given at a common hotel near
by. The Republican women worked for pro-
hibition at the polls while the Republican
men made their dupes drunk before march
ing them in like cattle to cast free ballot.
There was little concealment about the pur-
chase of voters. The prices paid or received
were freely discussed. Bottles Of whisky
were carried in coat pockets and handed
from one man to another with many a
drunken grin and grimace,
There could be no more disgusting evil
dence of the yenalitv and hypocrisv that
have grown up in politics Of this State under
the leadership OF James G. Blaine and Neal
Dow. Here was the spectacle of a party
labOTiDg 10 adopt prohibitory amendment
and using purchased and drunken voters in
that endeavor The poor women whose
cheeks turned crimson more than once az
speeches and exhibitions they had never be-
fore heard or seen and for which they were
evidently unprepaIed. The whole days
doings were degradation of manhood and
wOmanh0Od.
One could but turn away from such
wretched spectacle and shudder at the pos
siOlutl6S VI Inc lutuIe, rhneu suCu Migrant
ourages go unrebuked by the law, when a
candidate for the highest Office in the Nation
lives within stones throw.
But Mr.. Blaine himself would increase
the climax of double dealing andI hypocrisy.
For several days it has been known that he
vas greatly annoyed over the urgent offer
made TO him from the West to oppose the
amendment because of the fatal effect IT'S
advocacy would have in that section. He
was threatened on the other side by the loss
of his own State if he voted against it. 1t is
believed he went away to Bar Harbor Satur-
urday night with the intention of not being
here to-day and there escape, but some pres
sure drove hin back after having been at
Bar Harbor but few hours.