Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-02-04
Rich Mems Seats in Municipal
Bodies Now Occupied by
Their Employees.
Cork Councillor Driven to Meet
ing of Corporation by an
Alderman.
LABOR TICKET CARRIED THE DAY

A cable dispatch to the New York
World says the Laborite upheaval,
which has been the dominant feature of
the first elections in the Irish munich
palities under the local government act,
introduces another bewildering compli-
cation into the inextricable tangle of
Irish politics.
Except in Limerick, where Mayor
John Daly's twenty-five stalwarts are
obviously extremists, the Laborite men,
bers are politically an unknown quantity.
But they must be counted within the
future, not only in municipal, but in
Parliamentary contests, where labor
never has been recognized by representa-
ton AS such, although several Nationalist
members sprang from that class.
AS was predicted, Mr.. DAILY has been
elected Mayor of Limerick In his speech
on assuming the Mayors chair and chain
amid uproarious enthusiasm, he said:
During my years of suffering in
British dungeons my fancy painted many
pictures, but never in my widest dreams
did expect the cruel iron chain of my
English jailers would be replaced by the
golden chain of the city of the violated
treaty.
81 will do all i'll my power to preserve
decorum in this council, and trust it
will be found that my perty displays a
spirit of intelligence and fair play to
those who oppose u.s."
Days salary as Mayor is $500.
The old municipal clique of Limerick
is dazed by the astonishing upheaval.
William Shaw, one of the wealthiest
millers in Ireland. was defeated by a
drayman earning $3.50 week in his own
employ, for Alderman.
Maurice Leonard, the Earl of Ken
-fnSreis agent, "a ground landlord anu
hitherto dictator of his town, was de-
feated, while the first place on the poll
was taken by one of Leonard's day labor
ers earning 1926 week.
All the old ideas of electing men of
property and social standing have been
completely upset in the smaller towns.
The silent revolution finds its most
grotesque manifestations i'll the election
of two jaunting car drivers, locally called
"Jarveys," one for an Alderman and the
other for Councillor. A local merchant
drove to the Council Chamber for the
first meeting of the corporation on an
Alderman's car. paid the Alderman
"Jarvey" sixpence fare, was saluted with
"Thank you, SIR" and both walked in
together, the "Jarvey" taking his seat
among the Aldermen, while the prosper
Gus merchant subsidized into the compare
tive obscurity of the Councillors bench.
Alderman Kelliher is a working tailor.
Three working carpenters have been re-
turned, while Alderman Caves, most
intelligent man, sits all day mending
boots in one of the old-fashioned shanties
on Quayside.
The other morning neighbor called to
get his boots mended. Alderman Caves
lady put her head out of the window and
informed the customer that 'his Worship
isn't down yet.
Councillor O'Connoris working baker
in the employ of the defeated candidate.
Councillor Egan is printer.
Alderman Murphy, the youngest Al
derman in the United Kingdom, is only
twenty-five.
The Worlds Cork correspondent re-
ports:
81 attended the first meeting of the
new Council when the Mayor was elected
and took note of the new men. They are
perfectly cool and unembarrassed lot of
gentlemen, triAe eloquent, but having
minds of their own.
"Some of the faces recalled the French
revolution. One Alderman closely re-
sembles Robespierre.
In Dublin the leader of the Laborites is
the foreman printer of the Evening Tele-
graph. The other Laborite Aldermen and
Councillors are workingmen of different
kinds.
In Listowel. a small town of County
Kerry, the whole District Board except
one merchant is composed of laborers.
The merchant resigned, refusing to asso-
ciate with the rest of them.
Throughout Ireland upward of rs per
cent. of the women electors exercised the
franchise intrusted to them for the first
time. They almost invariably supported
the candidates who advocated temper
ance. and to the great surprise of the
politicians the bulk of the women voted
against the Parnellite nominees. Their
registering had been confidently looked
on as sold accession of strength to the
Parnellite party. Fortunately for that
party the women are as yet only enfran-
chised for municipal and not Parliament
airy elections.
Though cheered or bantered by the
crowd at most booths, the women tool
their privilege in a very serious, business
like spirit, showing keen appreciation
OF the personal merits of the differen