Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-28
REVERSED POLITICS.
HOW A PAPER CHANGED ITS ALE
GLANCE IN ONE NIGHT.

GLANCE IN ONE NIGHT.
The Resourceful Management Triumpheo
Over the Treachery Of Macbeth ana
Buried Him Too Deep For Resurrection
on Election Day.
Among my numerous occupations while
out west was that of journalist. Inc poll
tics of our paper was occasionally Demo
cratic and occasionally Republican. Once
we came very near being Popultst, put
they could not make up the 5000, SO we
went Republican after all. Ny career az
a newspaper man, though brief, was as
full of incidents as policeman is OF I'M
portance, and it was not lacking IN eA
citement. We were generally in state OF
extreme poverty, but at the first OF every
month enough money was collected 10
nav tho office rent and the expense OF
champagne luncheon. We always 1ndulg-
ed in the latter function and then could
safely swear to the duns that we had no
money with which to pay bills, but II
they wanted to take it out in advertise
ments or puffs we were ready and willing
to attend to them. Mostly when they saw
that nothing else remained they would do
so. but some came with a Colts 40 per-
suader and would not leave until they had
received the money or its equivalent,
which in our case, I remember, consisted
of an order for three plug hats on the To-
cal halter.
The one great event, however, on
which 1 look back with pride was the
changing of the politics of the paper in
one night 1t was the occasion of the
city elections, and two candidates were
running for mayor. The Democrat, a
Scotchman named Macbeth, had pur-
chased our support, and we had got up
first class edition, full of sketches and ar
ticles, all telling what an excellent man
he was and how the future prosperity OF
Arizona depended upon his election. l
had fixed up joke which made myself.
1t ran something like this
"AIl sportsmen should remember
Shakespeare's words and LAY on, Mac
Beth"
Besides his we had three chalk plate
etchings, one of them representing Mac
Beth, the Democrat, and Talbot the Re-
publican, in fighting costume, Talbot in a
state of collapse ON the floor, with Mac
Beth, surrounded by spectral looking an
gels, standing over him, with the smile of
victory upon his face Underneath this
work of art were the words, Virtue tri-
umphs, you bet.
The last sheet of the paper consisted OF
articles showing beyond doubt that Talbot
was confirmed drunkard, horse thief,
wife beater, hog thief and various other
| things. 1t also proved conclusively that
his name was not Talbot; that he had only
taken to the cognomen after leaving Sing
Sing prison seven years back, where he
had been sent for forgery and arson.
This article was illustrated by cut
showing him in his prison clothes, taken
from photograph in the rogues gallery,
as was quantity set forth.
Yes, it was beautiful edition, and the
editors felt justly proud of it-so proud
indeed that they borrowed 50, and taking
proof copy with them set up the drinks.
After indulging until the United States
coin at their disposal was gone they de-
parted with the proof to the house of the
candidate for mayor. Joy was in their
hearts, and they caroled as the house of
Macbeth burst into view. Alas! fearful
and ghostly shock awaited them there.
Macbeth met them at the door, invited
them in, gave them glass of whisky and
cent cigar apiece, looked at the paper
aad was delighted with it, but he refused
to pay the $500 agreed upon. He said that
he did not believe in bribery and corrup-
ton.
| Cunning Macbeth! He saw that the
paper had all been set up and knew no
time remained to change it. He also
thought that the edition had been run.
But there he was wrong.
| The editors staggered from the house in
a dazed state. Where was all their boodlef
Gone. Where was that months spree they
| intended having? Gone. All was gone
| but honor, and there was very little of that
left.
| was in the printing office when they
arrived and at once knew that something
awful had happened-they were sober.
Cocker" they gasped simultaneously,
1--WE are lost, broke up, bust up, all gone
to smash. Macbeth won't put up the
DOODLE"
The shock was a terrible one, but bore
up and suddenly magnificent thought
burst upon me.
Quick" 1 shouted; change the
names"
"What do you meant" said one.
"Wny, don't you see, Macbeth and Tai
bot look like one another, at least my por-
traits of them do, and the articles will do
for one just as well as the other with the
names changed. Run out the revised
proof, take it to Talbot and see if he will
come down with the stuff"
The compositors, who looked suspicious
ly like the editors, changed the names,
made few alterations in such words as
Democratic, and in two hours the proof
was submitted to Talbot, who put up, or
rather down, $500.
The next morning, to the indescribable
rage of Macbeth, the paper came ont a
flaring Republican sheet Talbot, the Re-
publican, won by large majority
through our influence, we always claimed.
In one political election, however, we
did not come out on top. No paper came
out at all, in fact, as four of the opposi-
tion were sitting in our printing room
with loaded Winchesters and Colts. One
editor was in Jail, and besides we were out
of paper.
Some kind friends, headed by an old fell
low whom we had casually alluded to as
"a mean spirited hog, with nature like
coyote and smell like dead greaser, -
were looking for us, so we took a prospect