The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-12-05


soII, after speaking Of those who take
advantage OF the holiday to flock out
Of town, says:
Another class rejoice in this holiday
es an opportunity to sit at home en-
ioyiHg domestic comfort, reading in
sIippered ease the postponed book, 0:
fondling the pet hobby. The ''peop!o"
call them "silk stockings" and have
10 fear Of their beautifully modulated
expressions OF ccasure, because they
rarely back it up by vote.
Down at the polls they cannot
understand this frame Of mind. A
certain number Of citizens, to be sure,
come, deposit their votes as quickly
as possible, and 60 away with IN atti-
tude OF having performed disagree.
able duty. But to the many who are
more or less visible there all day this
is the most important occasion OF the
year, and there is hardly anything
they would not rather do than
miss it. To be sure, 1t may
be worth o few dollars to them,
directly or indirectly: but plainly
they look further than this, and have
hasy sense OF the dignity Of the act,
comparable to the fetish.worshiper's
notion OF religion. They are not ig-
norant, foreign, doller.a-day men la
,borers, stupid and besotted with
liquor, but men earning wages enough
to enable them to pay their footing IN
the bar.room club, and having stuff
cient brains to make then serviceable
to their "captain." Alert with the
koenness of the street, knowing every
body, and feeling above none, they
are wholly devoted to "the cause" as
long as they get fair treatment.
1t is these men who make the voting
places picturesque. In rough garb
and with lcrdly swagger, they sand
witch themselves between neat and
dignifed lawyers, merchants and
c|ergymen, proudly sensible Of their
equality at tho polls. Sometimes the
motley line reachss out Of doris and
down the street. As soon as one has
voted he joins the loiterers outside,
sna pompously lights 81 cigar, scorn-
IL; OF the black pipe more familiar to
his teeth.
In the afternoon the brisk captain,
who has been lodging ell day from
poll to poll, obtains an approximate
list Of those of his side who have not
YET voted, and dispatches workers to
"bring them out They search their
haunts, and presently return with re-
cruits. Some OF these delinluents
have simply been tardy, Others are
sicl; or lame OF blind, and Gre gently
conducted to tho polls, perhaps in o
carriage, placed ID the line. and care.
fully assisted to the ballot.boz. The
attention he gets on Election Day is q
genuine comfort to many poor fel.
low kicked about ell the rest of the
year. Now and then henchman
seizes o captain and whispers porten.
tously in his ear. A moment later he
hurries off, looking very important,
and soon reappears with u companion,
who is sent on alone, while he himself
stays back ct the corner. This means
that some voter has been ascertained
to be out Of town Or sick abed, and
that n willing and thrifty stranger has
come to vote lllegally) in his name.
This is only ono of many tricks cleo
ton officers and watchers must guard
against toward tho end Of the day,
and sometimes at cost to the latter
of no small courage; for whisky EN-.
boldcns the toughest workers to try to
"stand Oh his head" any one who in
terriers with them.
The day wear on-Sunaa7 without
Aho churches, gray day in every
Hlnse of the word. In the lower wards,
where folks are close enough together
to feel one anothcr's warmth, and
where it really matters whether Nike
O'Farron or Barney Cadigan is to be
Alderman or Coroner, each cross road
has IN excited crowd; but uptown the
side streets ere deserted, and even
Broadway and Fifth avenue are dead.
The first to brea!: the silence are the
noys crying the afternoon pa2ers; but
there is nothing i'll them except clever
guesswork, unless the tension factions
ut somo polling place, Or the wild
foolishness OF a tipsy worker, has
brought on q fight o, two. Election
Day rows are now remarkably rare in
New York.
Loiterers increase about the polling
places and voters crowd forward, fear
full lest they be too late. The weary
inspectors and clerks must now work
harder than ever, and the watchers
watch their very best. This is the
time when the schemer gathers results
gets in his fine work as he would tell
you. Men present themselves with
specious claims, politicians bulldoZe,
and it is Only the most determined
guardian OF tho purity OF the ballot
who in this time can withstand the
pressure. Il happened in several dis
tcicts in 1894, when the voter was
called upon to fold and select from