Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-09-12
POLITICAL PARASITES.
THE STRIKER THE WHEELER
AND THE "HEELER."

n Distinctive Peculiarities of Each Var
r ety-Above Them Is the Voter.
! The vocabulary of politicians is nc
! frequently enriched by additions Of an
! very striking sort, for the reason, yer
! probably, that local leaders are muc
more likely to quote the expressly
. phraseology Of others than to original
, any of their own. So when in givin
his testimony at one of the Doodle trials
Alderman Michael Duffy, known prio
, to that as "the mayor of Harlem" uset
the term "a combine"-with the accen
on the com-to describe a corrupt ALI
ance between public officials having leg
islate powers, he added something t.
the politicians vocabulary and the tern
has endured, in frequent use, since
There are, however, some nouns of de
scription which all local politicians I'M
derstand, even If no one else does. Here
are few:
A striker" is full fedged or would
be elector who seeks some pecuniary re-
turn as the condition of giving his sup
port to a candidate or party The basis
of his demand is that If his terms are
refused he will work for the other side.
Usually the "strike" is sugar coated
under guise Of ball, picnic or excursion
tickets offered for sale just before cleo
ton, or Of the membership of target
company or a social club, or subscrip-
ton for an alleged destitute person, or a
| chance at rattle. The distinctive pc
culiarity of the striker is that he is with
| out power or influence. He deceives
| only the weak kneed or uninitiated.
Strikers, like wolves, usually go in
pairs-never alone.
A wheeler" is, in politicians par
lance, an elector whose Identification
with party is due to pecuniary reasons
and wholly disconnected with any prin-
ciple. The wheeler" is a grade above
the STRIKER" because he has usually
some influence, and those who pay him
get, therefore, some return, whereas in
the case OF the striker" they are, to use
Bowery phrase, "fiat bunkoed." The
"wheeler" does not remain on the same
side of the political house two years in
succession, lest through close ideDtifica-
ton with 1t he might come to be regard
ed as regular member, and thus out of
reckoning as purchasable agent.
A 'rooter' is a follower of party or
candidate on behalf Of whom or which
his loyalty and enthusiasm is shown
whenever required. He gives and can
give no reason for his support other
than the fact that he is with his cham
pion Through thick and thin" He
holds usually some small place and there
is no discount upon his effusive devotion,
extending, as it does at times, to deeds
OF violence and even to those of a Grim
inal character. The ''rooter" does what
he is told and does it with great energy
and in loud tone of voice.
THE "HEELER's" FORMER BUSINESS.
A ''capper" in the field of politics is the
subsidized eulogist Of local statesman
who is rich in means but spare in fame
The chief duty of the "capper" is to re-
tail in touching accents and in forcible
and picturesque language the kindly and
beneficent actions of his chief. He gets
for this regular weekly salary, and his
ordinary formula in a crowded barroom
or on street corner is about this: 'You
all think that the old man is mean,
small, selfish and only looking out for
himself. You never made bigger mis-
take in your life Why, in my presence,
only this morning, l saw him distribute
x3oo among score Of poor persons, ask
ing only of each of them one thing, that
they would never mention it to a living
soul. suppose he will be dead sore at
me If he hears that have told this, but
I've got to stand up for what is just and
right, even If 1t is my ruin"
A "heeler" is the follower and attend
ant of some boss or subchieftain whom
he accompanies on all missions or excur-
sions OF peril or Importance He is not
enthusiastic like the ''rooterr and has
none of the intellectual accomplishments
of the ''capper," but he is invariably on
hand when needed for convention, a
primary or an outing, and no instance is
known of ''heeler" enjoying anything
but the most robust health on election
day, even though on other occasions his |
infirmities should be as many and as
as Others of the average of hu- |
mainly. In the old days of repeating |
and ballot box stutfing, before a registry |
law was enacted, the prime duty of the
'heeier' was to vote early and often.
ABoVE THEM ALL, THE VOTER
A "hooker" is a constitutionally impe-
cunlous person, who believes that the
living which the world owes him, and
which the world withholds, can and
should be secured in the troubled fields
OF politics. He regards, therefore, every
leader, ward worker and mu-
nicipal statesman as his debtor, and loses
no opportunity to enforce small loans
ranging in amount from dime to dol
ar. lie uses no threats like the STRIKER"
md makes no promises like the wheel
'r, but regards himself as privileged
character and the candidate as his an
prey. 1t not infrequeutly hap
lens that one of the results of tina
'hooker's" persistence is his failure to
egister, the consequence of which neg
ect is that heis unable to vote. and TINS
III the financial aid and comfort given
i'm is entirely thrown away.
The list of personages indigenous. az
were, to the field of local politics
night be still further extended. Int
Snen the striker" the wheeler" the
'rooter, " the ''capper," the "heeler" and
ne hooker" have been told about, the
ubJect in its palmer aspect has been
cry nearly exhausted. For above all
hese Is the one man whose influence ont
'eighs all the others-the voter who. ,
nd who only, determines elections, ap-
roves or rejects movements and policies, ,
ldorses or rebukes the action of the ,
uolic servants, and maintains intact ,,