The times., 1899-11-12

Electricity in Receiving Reports
where Formerly Two Months
We're Required Now "A Few Hours
sumcc 10 Make the Victors known.
Election results are made known TO the
people great deal earlier now than they
were when I was a young man. remarked
a prominent jurist Tuesday night as he
stopped for a few minutes in front Of The
Times bulletin screen and gazed at the re-
turns being flashed upon it by a calcium
light.
Yes, suppose you had to wait a long
time In those DAYS to find out who was
elected commented his younger COM
Tanion-
Indeed we did. Why I remember well
when it required more than a week for the
people OF Washington to learn who had
been elected governor Of New York, and il
we heard how California went within two
months we were very fortunate. Time has
wrought many changes, aided by electrici-
ty. Before the advent of Prof. Morse the
only means the people had of learning the
results of the elections held in the differ
eut States was by the mail or special cou-
Tiers, who came on horseback or by wa
ter
IL was not an unusual thing for mem
bers OF Congress not to know how many OF
their felloW-legislators would be returned
until they al assembled At the Capitol and
were introduced to each other. Newspa-
peTs were then, as they are now. the prin-
cipal sources Of information respecting
the results OF ballotng throughout the
country. but the slowness in gathering and
delivering news in these days made ii i'm
possible to have fun election returns made
known 10 all for many months after the
election had taken place.
Look at the difference now. Here We
two are forming part of a multitude who
only have 70 stand in front Of this bulletin
for a couple Of hours, and then we
VIII know as much about the election in
Ohio. Nebraska. Kentucky. Massachusetts,
OF elsewhere as the people themselves in
those distant States. Years ago IL required
several DAYS for the politicians 10 collect
the election returns after they had been
counted See how il is now The mo-
ment the polls close intelligent men begin
the inspection and counting Of the bal
lots in each polling precinct in a State.
Ordinarily this work is finished in
The various places at about The
same time. As soon as the ballots are
counted the results are given to men who
spring on their bicycles and speed like the
wind 10 the Offices of the newspapers and
the headquarters Of their respective par
ties Five minutes later the result of the
voting al each precinct is flashed all over
the country.
Thousands Of papers between Maine and
California. with special wire connections,
receive the Intelligence within very few
minutes after ii is known in the locality
where il took place and bu and ex-
tras issued by these neWspi announce
the vote 10 the public as Is il is re-
ceiVed.
You and ] can by standing here for
couple OF hours. tabulate the vote Of New
York Ohio or any other State as easily
and practically rs soon as lie men at the
headquarters Of the great P rites IN these
States. Here in Washington il is possible
for us TO know as much about the voting
ia Ohio as il is for the people there TO
know. II Is wonderful but it is true To-
morrow morning when you pick up your
paper you VIII ind the result given Of
every election neld in the country and
beyond the fact that the figures viii be
corrected, and perhaps vary a IL tie, they
viii be the same as those We are now OBJ
serving in bulletins.
IT Is this remarkably accurate ma
Chnery for the rapid one might zay. in
slant transmission OF 5he resu Is OF the
elections all over The country 10 this city
that has caused the thousands Of people
1Laj now JhrCug Pennsylvania Avenue 70
leave the comfort OF their homes. clubs
OF friends and eougTegate about the bulIe-
tin boards. There iE no city iu this cOuu-
Try where so great a proportion Of its
population Is interested in an election.
Here there are more than $4,000 Govern
Ileur employees. each one TepT-s ntiug a
certain amount Of policica. patronage
Each Of these clerks and other department
Ial officials naturally feel more than n
ordinary interest in the political history
q the country. and their auE ETY. TO learn
what has been done in their respective
States brings them 10 the newspaper Office.
sul here tley wlll remain ungl all doubt
is d.speLlpd
III you have been observanr tonight
you have noticed that the number Of we'll
dressed women ia The throng is very large.
In New York Philadelphia, or Chicago
"a person would lot find or expect TO ind
women watching election returns. In those
cities they wait for their husbands. faith
ers, or brothers 10 come home aul tell
them the news, or content themselves with
reading it in the papers the following
day. in Washington IL Is different The
women in Office are all more OF less poli-
ticiaus and they know that In a measure,
The success Of their friends al home means
their retention in the positions they ill.
Hence. ID is that these well-be-
with as much interest as those Of the
Eteruer sex and that they do not feel en-
barrassed would be the case with fe-
males In other cities.
The theatres, always quick 70 learn the
wants Of The public, and 10 cater 10 them.
generally provide bulletins for election
night and this is a boon 10 many Of the
anxious women in this city who are timid
about being iI the crowds about the pub
lic bulletin boards. They 60 10 the thea
ire. see good play, and Al the same time
learn enough about the election from the
special bulletins 10 enable them TO know
whether the friends or party they are in
terested iu have been successful or defeat
ed Most OF the clubs in the city also re-
ceive special bulletins. and the same ii
done at many private houses, and at The
White House.
Polishing PetriRed Wood
tFrom lhe sioux Falls O. D. Journal)