The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-01
His Manifold Duties From
Opening to Closing
the Polls
OMNIPRESENT AND ARTFUL
Eloquent, Ingenious and TireIess, His
Business Is to Get Out the
Full Vote 10 His
District

The ward heeler's duties on election
day make him one of the most intsreat-
ing studies IN American politics. He
hustles. There is no hustlIng anywhere
equal to his. Without him there could be
no politics, no parties, no elections and
therefore no candidates. in his own
estimation he is the man who on election
day ''saves the country" or 'saves the
state" He is sometimes able to prove
this by his aritheme tic the day after.
His party couldn't do without him.
He comes high, but they've got TO have
him. Sometimes they try to forget him
after election day, but tLst is not good
politics. It msans catastrophe next eieo-
tion day.
He begins before daylight, and he keeps
it up until the polls close. Then he goes
out and shouts with the crowd. and when
he wakes up the next day somewhere
bout IL, with the country safe, of course.
he finds his hat band has shrunken over
| night. Each group OF ward workers has
its captain. He is the man with the
biggest pull, the .hrewdest head and the
best executive faculty. He and his fell
low captains of other districts are respon.
BIOlo uO the DOSS Ol IU0 d6ScH UIy ulS.
trict. The work is we'll systematized. 1t
is Tuesday morning. Four o'clock. There
are alarm clocks buzzine in the ears of
election hustlers, and they tum BILE sleepi-
ly out of bed before the stars are out of
the sky. in the cold gray of the Novem-
Der morning. In half an hour they are
on the street, hurrying toward their war
headquarters.
Do you know how the streets of New
York look at 4:30 IN the morning: life
and light and glitter ana noise goneout of
them. A little later come the work day
crowd and the Gathering carts. But at
80 a. m. 1t is dysolation. The election
hustler has swallowed q hasty culp of hot
coffee. but it doesn't keep the shivers
off as he stands with his one or two COM
rades at the door OF the political club
house which will be headquarters for the
day. The captain hurries around the
corner with the key. "Hello Beat me
by minute" he sings out cheerfully.
Then he fumbles at the lock, and the
group stumble up a dark stairway and
the captain strikes light. The day for
them has begun.
The captain has received :he ballots
over might. He has them all ready for the
men in bags convenient for distribution.
Now the club house becomes a cheerful
place. The light shines ont into the early
n orning, and the faces of the candidates
that look down from the walls wear a
special air OF hsnignance. The man who
| came off without breakfast is putting
away at cigar. The captain has one
between bis teeth, but he's too busy
around. More hustlers have arrived, AID
| there 10 some joking and laughing and
good-natursd raillery. Other captains
come in with their men The place fills
up. By o'clock the ballots are all dis
tributed, and the men in SQUADS are on
their way to their districts.
A black cat rusheH out of a doorway
and runs along beside one of the men.
YOU'RE hoodooed,' laugh the others.
"No luck for you today" The young
fellow says, "That's finn McCsrthy's cat
and do my trading there. Tins on our
agreed now to be-. good omen.
Five o'clock. They are at the polling
place. The carpenter, with boards and
booth and placards has been there before
them. The opposition workers are
already in the field. They guy each other
II, bit, and then there is jolly burst Of
chatting for the election inspectors and
the clerks laden with registration books
and the policemen bearing the ballot
boxes, all OF whom appear on the scene.
The hustlers can't hustle too uear the
polling place. and az 6 o'clock draws near
they sauntsr off and take up their posi-
tions in groups on the corners, Matching
conspiracies. The captain has been
studying little book. 1t would be very
interesting reading to anyone. 1t IS q
list OF the names of every registered voter
in the district, with mysterious hero
glyphics after each one. Some indicate
merely the mans political bent. What
others remain only the captain and his
men know, and they are not telling. The
captain could give You personal history
of every man in his district If he would.
The tim. for the opening of the polls
is near. The captain gives the word and
his mon scatter. They form skirmish
line covering all points Of approach to
the voting booth. at a legal distance
away from it. They make you think of
a cat and her kittens waiting for the
stirring of a mouse sure to be caught.
.. Here comes a voter, two, three, up the
street, down the street, across the way.
Six o'clock. The first vote has besn
cast. The voter is an old man who has