Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-09-23
How Blame shirked the Prohibition
Issue

Mr.. Blaine gave II ont on leaving
Augusta that he would return last night.
He returned only this morning by the
last train which he could take aud reach
the town In time to vote. lie was ac-
companied by his son Walker. aud was
met at the station by the exuberant
Moody Boynton, who almost embraced
him. Otherwise MIR. Blaine's return
was the source OF no other sensation
than that aroused by the curiosity as TO
whether he would not dodge avote al.
together rather than face the apparent
necessity Of voting for or against the
prohibition amendment. As IL was,
with characteristic evasion, and even
dupiicity, he shirked the issue.
Arriving at eleven In the morning he
VAS driven at once TO his home, only
some Fifty rods from the polling place OF
his ward. There he remained until hall
past three in the afternoon, thirty min
utes before the polls were TO be closed.
rHE womEs's WORK AND RETREAT.
Mesnwh lille, aud as soon a. the polls
were opened, eight OF ten most respect.
able ladies', all. as it happened, wives Of
Blaine Republicans. appeared at thepcll-
ing places. They were a committee
from the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union Of Augusta. Similar commit
tees took their stand at the various
places OF the town. OF the committee
for the First Ward, in which Is Mr..
Blaine's residence, one Miss Williams
was designated to present to Nc;
Blaine especially the ballot Yea
to be voted for the prohibitory amond-
ment. The ladies failed in no instance
up TO 3 o'clock In the afternoon to
present Q similar ballot to each person
as he entered the polling place. Other
ladies stood over the ballot boz itself 10
sec how each ballot was oist. There
were two boxes, one for the State aud
Congressional vote. all names being on a
single ticket, the other for tue amend
ment. Each voter depositing separate
ticket with "Yes" or "No" upon IL.
BY either the law or custom, 10 Is in.
sisted by the poll clere that the ballot
shall he open and not folded. SO
seiulous were the ladies that no voter
should be missed that even the out-of-
town newspaper correspondents had the
ballot IN favor of the amendment pressed
upon them
At a little after three o'clock, nearly
m honr before the polls were opened,
aud with heavy rain still falling. these
Indies su ldenly, and as with one accord,
opened their umbrellas aud left the
place precipitately, trudging through
the wet and mud 10 their horses. 1t
was really as II comprehensive order
had come to them to leave forthwith.
The. rain was already beginning to
slacken, and II they had waited ten min.
utcs not one OF their umbrellas would
have been dampeped.
MR.. BLAINEs APPEARANCE.
Whether or not word had been sent to
MIR. Blaine that they had gone no ap-
peared at half.past three, walking dow n
the street leaning ON Walker Blaine's
ann In the yard in front of the polling
place there was gathered perhaps seven
~ or eighty men, the majority OF the
Republican officeholders. 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 straight Re-
publican ticket In his hand. Lying in a
heap before the box was number Of the
amendment tickets, face up. Mr.. Blaine,
with his eyes cast down, voted the
straight ticket passed by the amend.
ment box. waited for Walker TO vote,
also only the straight ticket, ard then
left the place. Twenty five persons or
more were in the room. "Dodged. by
gosh" said one stalwart Democrat, loud
enough for him to hear.-Cor. N. Y.
Herald, Sept. Sth, 1884.