Arizona republican., 1892-11-10
CURRENT COMM EMIT.


university, contributes to The Century
an article on money in Practical Poll
tics" which is enough to lift the hair OF
the average citizen who votes on prin.
ciple and believes other men do the
same. Only for the risk of suggesting
to some eager party manager the Scrip
ture quotation, "Go thou and do like
WISE" we might mention one or two of
the villainous tricks whereby elections
have been won. For instance. an honest
farmer there was once on time that
wanted to buy bull Of a neighbor who
was party manager. The two could
not come to terms. But election day the
honest farmer and his two sons came to
town with their freemen's ballots ready
for sale to the highest bidder. The bull
was made a consideration, and for the
three votes he was turned over to the
man who coveted him. while from the
campaign fund the willy party manager
put into his own pocket the price he had
asked for the animal in the first place
Professor jerks knows what he is
talking about Under promise that no
names should be made public he Sc
cured pollbooks, notebooks and account
books and made sure of his facts. He
says that after all legitimate election ex-
penses have been paid "in close cam
paigns in doubtful districts by far the
largest part of the funds goes for the di-
rect or indirect purchase Of voters" In
his opinion the majority even of politi-
clans would like to be honest if they
could, but they think that loyalty to the
party requires them to use every means,
fair and unfair. to win-that, in fact, is
their idea of both honesty and patriot
ism The general corruption is bad
enough. but in justice to those who buy
votes it must be said that even they do
not enjoy it. II better way could be
found they would be glad. but since one
party resorts to disreputable tricks to
win. the other must also or get left The
idea Of there being any abstract princi-
pie Of craftsmanship involved in cam
paign is something that the politician
cannot in ordinary times comprehend.
He simply goes in to win.
The education Of public opinion is the
only remedy, in Professor jerks esti-
nation. He tells us that in one election
the party managers mutually agreed not
to spend money to buy votes. They
could not trust each other, however, and
on election day they went in pairs. Dem
ocrat and Republican. about the polls.
each man keeping an eye on his oppo-
nent. Professor jerks would like to
see honest. rational politics" taught as
a branch in the schools and colleges.
Can q political club flourish without
bar? The Penrose club, Of Philadelphia,
is going to find out. 1t has abolished its
bar. II now there is not enough enthu.
siasm IN grsndfsther's hat to keep that
club on its feet without liquid enthusi-
asm being added, the organization will
perish. The eyes of the country are on
the Penrose club.
For years it has been sort of wayside
inn to travellers who wanted drink at
the clubs bar. Men who were not
mem bers shared in members privileges
TO this extent. II was also whispered
that little games in which money was
passed were not unknown in the long
evenings at the Penrose club. II began
to get name, and old soakers, whose
appearace was not credit to
the front entrance or the neighborhood,
haunted its doors. Then the directors
met and considered matters. The clubs
finances were low; its reputation was
following suit. They resolved and is
sued the edict, abolish the sideboard.'
It was done, and the buns found them
selves homeless
Melancholy shades of their former
selves, they haunted the scene of their
ate happiness and begged for respite,
put twas no good. They could get only
,old water and colder comfort. At
'ronted and Disguised, they fled. The
oenrose club proper then moved into
lew quarters without any sideboard
md without any blear eyed atmosphere
bout them and settled down to work
or political success ON the dry basis.
The president of the club is likewise
resident Of the Philadelphia common
;ouncil
American tourists who hereafter visit
Westminster abbey will stand with
everent mien beside one more tomb
hat Of Alfred Tennyson, Baron D'Eyn-
curt, poet laureate of Great Britain,
nd in spite of all that the greatest poet
( his century. His best short poem is
erhaps "Sir Galahad;" his best long
ne "Locksley Hall" The whole world
owed at his feet. For certainly the