Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-12
THE PLUDrED KNIGHT.
How Blaine Shirked the Prohibition
Issue and the Ladies Retreated.

How Blaine shirked the Prohibition
Issue and the Ladies Retreated.
Mr.. Blaine gave it out on leaving Angus
ia Saturday, says an Augusta, Me-, special
Of Sept. s, to the New York Herald, that ne
would return last night. He returned
only this morning by the last train which
he could take and reach the town in time
to vote. He was accompanied by his son
Walker, and was met at the station by
the exuberant Moody Boynton, who
almost embraced him. Otherwise MI
Blaine's return was the source OF no other
sensation than that aroused by the curl
osity as to whether he would not dodge
vote altogether rather than face the appa-
rent necessity of voting either LOT or
against the prohibition amendment. AS
it was, with characteristic evasion, ana
even dupliclty, he shirked the issue.
Arriving at IL in the morning he was
driven at once TO his home, only some
fifty rods from the polling place OF ms
ward. There he remained until $3.50 In
the afternoon, 80 minutes before the polls
were to be closed.
THE woMEN's WORK AND RETREAT.
Meanwhile, and as soon as the poll
were opened, eight or ten most respecta-
BILE ladies, all, as it happened, wives OF
Blaine Republicans, appeared at the poll
ing places. They were committee from
the WOmen's Christian Temperance Union
at Augusta. Similar committees took their
stand at the various polling places OF the
town. OF the committee tor the First
ward. IN which is Mr.. Blaine's residence,
one Miss Williams was designated to
present to Mr.. Blaine especially the
ballot Yes to be voted for the pro-
hibitory amendment. The ladies failed in
no instance up to O'Clock IN the after
noon to present a similar ballot to each
person as ne entered the polling place.
Other ladies stood over the ballOt-bOX IT.
self to see how each ballot was cast.
There were two boxes; one for the State
and Congressional vote, all the names
being on a single ticket, the other for the
amendment, each voter depositing
separate ticket with eyes" or mo" upon
it. By either the law or custom, it is in
sisted by the poll clerk that the ballot
shall be open and not folded. So sedulOus
were the ladies that no voters should be
missed that even the out-ot-town news
paper correspondents had the ballot in
favor of the amendment pressed upon
them.
Alta little after O'Clock, nearly an hour
before the polls were to be closed, and
with heavy rain still falling, these la
dies suddenly, and as with one accord,
opened their umbrellas and left the place
precipitately, trudging through the wet
and mud to their homes. 1t was really as
if a comprehensive order had come
to them to leave forthwith. The rain was
already beginning to slacken, and if they
had waited ten minutes not one of their
umbrellas would have been dampened.
MIR. BLAINE's APPEARANCE.
Whether or not word had been sent to
Mr.. Blaine that they had gone he appear
ed at half past three walking down the
street leaning on Walker Blaine's arm.
In the yard in front of the polling place
there were gathered perhaps seventy or
eighty men, the majority of the Republic
can office-hOlders. Mr.. Blaine looked
neither to the right nor left, speaking
hardly to any one, and was greeted with
no applause. Walking into the house he
marched straight up to the ballOt-bOX,
having a straight Republican ticket in
his hand. Lying in a heap before the box
was a number of the amendment tickets,
face up. Mr.. Blaine, with eyes cast
down, voted the straight ticket, passed
by the amendment box, waited for
Walker to vote also only the straight
ticket, and then left the place. Twenty
five persons or more were in the room.
"DOdged, by goshp' said one stalwart
Democrat, loud enough for him to hear.
Mr.. Blaine's impressions touching his
responsibility as a Presidential can
didate, seem to have been rather
suddenly formed so far as concerns the
prohibition amendment. 1t is asserted
by Mr.. Joshua Nye, a Republican and
notable temperance apostle here, that Mr.
Blaine pledged himself within the last
four weeks to vote for the prohibition
amendment. In point of fact, his excuse
given at the serenade last night is laughed
at by those who know him here.
His evasion was in entire keeping with
his character. Moreover, the obvious
clearing away of the women before he
came to the polls was alone sufficient to
show that in refusing to vote he was in no
wise Influenced by brave consciousness
of principle.
His son Walker, apparently, has no re-
sponsibility, but he, too, lodged the vote;
but perhaps Mr.. Blaine thought his sons
vote might be ascribed to his teachings.
1t was puerile business altogether, and
is so universally regarded b re.