The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-04
WOman's Experience at the Polls.

anu what ne got
WOman's Experience at the Polls.
The report of the committee to work
at the polls in behalf of Mrs. Jenckes.
at the recent school election, appears in
full on another page, and is a most affect
ing document. Although ii would be hardly
accurate to describe it as pathetic it is
of character to bring tears to the eyes
of the most stolid male person This COM
mittee had arranged with various ladies
who were more or less interested in the
noble cause to be at the polls on election
day to use their persuasive arts on the
voters and induce them to cast their bal
lots for Mrs. Jenckes. Their first element
airy lesson in practical politics came with
a shock when they were informed, at 3
o'clock, that no women were on hand and
that no tickets for Mrs Jenckes were 10
be had, but that the other candidates were
active and that men had been coming up
and voting for them ever since o'clock.
The amiable but uninitiated workers
had evidently cherished the impression that
morning meant any time before noon,
but before the election over they
learned that it is necessary TO get up
very early in the day to keep even with,
much more to circumvent, perfidious men
in their pursuit of office Never before in
the whole course of their lives had those
lady workers seen such rude and inexcusa-
BILE behavior on the part of Unexpectedly
horrid as they knew members of the vot-
ing sex could be when it suited them. too.
When they politely handed a voter
Jenckes ticket and with sweetest smiles
begged him to deposit it in the box some
times that graceless person said he would
and then didn't, and sometimes-oh, sad
and weary day!-sometimes he was tempt
ed to stray from the strait and narrow
Jenckes path by the offer of cigar from
one of the unprincipled male candidates
Bribery is the uncompromising term
used by the committee of the female
workers to characterize this distribution
of cigars. They had no cigars
wherewith TO beguile the weak
and uncertain voter into their camp, and
would have scorned to engage in such
corrupt and debasing practices One man
assured them that it all a matter
of wagons. and that il they. instead of Mr..
Appel. had engaged his vehicles all would
have gone their way. Evidently the ladies
derived some comfort from this until they
learned that Mrs Mckay. in the other
district had this same mans wagons and
was not running a winning race either.
Then they laid all the trouble TO cigars
with "rumors of beer'-and when they
discovered. late in the day, that Mr.. APP
pei still had two boxes in reserve they
knew Mrs. Jenckes had no longer any
hope. To learn the height and breadth
of their Indignation over this shameless
masculine depravity the report must be
read. The Journal sympathizes with them
1t could have told them that they must
not only get up early in the morning
Of election day, but must fix" things
over night if they wished TO succeed. 1t
could have referred them to that eminent
nonpartisan, boss Frenzel, for instruction
as to the most effectudl way of fixing
things-for, though the Boss did not get
himself elected through having scattered
his forces through the other districts too
much. he knew exactly how to bring out
all the boys and the .oughs, and how
to have them vote his way.
But the Journal is not able to agree
with the Jenckes contingent as to the
debasing and immoral influence of the
cigar as an element in politics. The cigar
is to politics what afternoon tea is to
company of ladies; it is a promoter of
genality and friendly feeling, and is en-
tirey legitimate. No proud and enfran-
merely because that candidate gives him
cigar. Perish the thought, The cigar
does mellow the atmosphere. so to speak,
but it is not a bribe-oh, dear, no, AS
for beer, that is another story; besides the
beer was only rumor. The women should
take courage. Though they cannot dis
tribute cigars, tobacco in all it's forms
being condemned as a filthy weed by the
local council, they can offer tea, and even
icecream. Man, too, has been known TO
be touched on a tender spot by candy
| judiciously administered, and is not SUI
perior to the attractions of soda water,
and-speak it softly-chewing gum some
times catches him. Next time let the
workers so prepared to meet the enemy
at all points. The late election was an
object lesson which taught them many
things. Under the circumstances they did
very WELL but next time with eyes wide
| open to the willy ways of the opposi-
| ton, they will do far better