The Labor enquirer., 1888-02-25
Vivid Description Of the Meth
DDS Adopted by The N. Y.
Political Scoundrels.
BUYING VOTES LIKE SHEEP.
The Routts, Tellers, Psttersons, Vol.
cotts and Ed Chases Work the
Same Racket In Colorado.
Edltor Labor Enquirer.

SNNNS' w VIZ sOs
lowing article, entitled "An Elec-
ton in New York;"
The candidacy-of Mr.. Delaney
Nicoll for district attorney in the
late municipal election appealed
to me as worthy Of the personal
cxertions OF good citizens. Filled
with what was perhaps the zeal of
one unfamiliar with practical pol
tics / volunteered to work in be-
half of Mr.. Nicoll at the polls on
the day Of election. Whether my
political preference was proper or
improper is immaterial for the
purposes of this article, but the
experience met with illustrates
so clearly the great defects in our
present electoral system as to
seem worthy of relation. 1t has
been stated that honest men, at
all conversant with the methods
employed at the polls in New
York city, have, without distinc-
tion of party, arrived at the con
clusion that hereafter either re-
spectacle men will be forced to
abandon all participation in politics
or a radical reformation in the
mechanism of our elections must
take place. The facts which fell
under my observation certainly
bore this out, and while they may
be sufficiently familiar to most
well-informed persons in New
York city, they teach pregnant
lesson to the entire country. What
has just taken place here will in
evitably occur in other large cities
when the occasion arises which
seems to demand from political
posses the same methods.
The polls were opened at 6 a.
M. / had been assigned by the
citizens committee which had
charge of Mr.. Nicoll's canvass, to
took after a number of election
districts in the western part of the
city. was, therefore, not con
fined to a single district, but had
ample opportunity to observe
what was going on all over that
portion of New York. ! reached
several election districts before
the polls were opened. AT all Of
them a large number of persons
we're congrsgated, and formed a
line extending some distance from
the polling place. My curiosity
was at once excited to see who
the jealous citizens were so anX-
ious to exercise the priceless boon
OF citizenship that they had arisen
almost before daybreak in order
TO avail themselves of the privi-
lege. On approaching ] saw that
they held their ballots tightly
clenched in their right hands,
which were elevated at right
angles with their bodies, and that
they took good care to keep them
in their position until the polls
opened. In a few minutes the
voting began. As soon as each
man voted he passed out and
filed into the side door Of a bar
room located near by. entered
and saw awell-known ward 'heelcr'
(whom did not then know, but
whose name was familiar to me as
soon as ! heard it) pass FIVE
dollar bill into each voters hand
with no effort at concealment
The whole transaction from first
to last had quite the air of a bust
ness transaction. This was my
first introduction that day to
practical politics. and thus did
grasp the very arena of our cleo
ton system at bound.
THE polls had not been
opened an hour when a voter ap-
preached and asked me for some
Nicoll ballots. i do not vote
here he said,, but above in the
election district Of the -
assembly district. There are no
Nicoll ballots to be had there.
He is sold out. The Irving hall
worker has been bought up: the