The Washington weekly post., 1900-03-27
AN EXPERIMENT IN POLITICS.
By ARTHUR DRUANOND.

Not politicsr
Eugenia Seton laughed at the horror
stricken note in the exclamation. /
Yes" she said, ''if the great State of
Colorado has given me the privilege OF
the franchise. why should 1 neglect to
use il? Besides, i have figured out that
one visit TO the ballot box this spring may
save many visits for charity's sake later
on. With me. voting is merely a question
of economy"
Then well rally round the polls, girls.
Wen rally round the polls" chanted Ern-
est, who was nineteen, played football. !
and consequently enjoyed immunity from
all sorts of surprise How long since |
you decided to become a 'bOss%
Minors should be seen and not heard" I
was the retort. zone Of my objects in en-
tering this municipal campaign is to sat
isfy myself that for women the political
game is worth the candle, and the other IS
! 10 encompass the defeat of Hene, the
| brewer, who Will run for mayor
''Of course, interest in the election of
young Strothers does not make third OBJ
| ject," sneered Ernest
Il have no interest in the election of
Mr.. Strothers," said Eugenia, a tingle of
color appearing in ner cheeks, but /
T.
before the brewer secured control of the
city's ice business, We paid nothing for
the supply used by the Children's Free Ice
Charity. Now Hene will not even give us
reduction, saying that the charity is
supported by wealthy persons who are
well able 10 pay the retail price"
What very Unwise candidate" said
Mr.. Seton, who had recovered from his
mild establishment over his daughter
new vagary and had once more turned 10
| the mining stock quotations.
so | told him. When l saw that he
was determined not TO give a cent, | cast
my gauntlet into the political arena and
informed him that as president of the
Children's Free Ice Charity | would work
for his defeat at the polls. lie laughed in
my face and told me | could influence
only the silk stocking vote and that only
a small part of that could ever be dragged
10 the polls"
And he's right" said Ernest. supreme
in the wisdom given by very black and
very strong briar pipe. 'None Of the fel-
lows in our set will vote. Just think of
having your ballot Offset by the vote of an
ignorant numskUll-''
And just such fellows have Ter the ig-
norant numskulls run things into corrup-
tion." exclaimed Eueenia, warmly. "Hene
seemed to think my defiance all a Joke
until l told him what friends had in the
downtown wards-for instance Maloney.
the salOOnkeepeT. and Stephens, the fusion
central committeeman. Maloneys wife
runs him. and she's one OF my fellow trus-
tees in charge OF the ice fund Stephens
is a host in himself and there IS nothing
he won't do TO repay me for last sea-
sons coaching parties at Colorado Springs.
The issues are purely local and party
lines will not be drawn, so he can fight
Hene openly"
"GeeI What a wirepuller" exclaimed
Ernest. say, Sis, you're getting me en-
thused.'
What avails that, when you cannot
vOte?" said Eugenia, crushingly My
greatest triumph, SO far. has been in get
ting Mr. Fairburn. president of the golf
club, 10 fOrswear his allegiance 10 the
Queen, become an American citizen, and
act as one OF my ward lieutenants. He's
going 10 get the entire gold club TO vote
as body. and thinks cash in American
politics will be en- awfully jolly lark Ny
last wire will not be laid until election
day. and then Mr.. Here will find that
lack OF charity is not always good poll
tics"
Eugenla began her campaign without
delay. Her phaeton was at the door each
morning, and there was not a ward in
the city left unvisited. Lieutenants were
impressed on every hand. suburban men,
hers OF the Woman's Club made house-to-
house canvasses, and in the crowded
downtown districts Eugenia was aston
ished 10 find how her personal charities
,..s.lx.aa Themselves fvfn Votes
Yer not like thin that gives fer tn
sake OF showin' tn drmOn's on their I'm
gers" said Mrs. Burke, whose husba nd
was president Of the Shelters Union
Mike was doubtful about yOtln' fer
young Strothers or account OF him bein'
summat OF a dood. but when / tole him
how Hene acted about IN chiiders' ice. he
swore he'd fiX tn smelter byes: so you
can depind on their votes"
When IL became known that the beauti-
fol and dsshing Miss Seton had taken 10
politics. the daughter of nearly every
Capitol Hin home followed her, even a.
they had followed when she had set the
pace in coaching. golf. and coyote eours-
ing Municipal affairs were talked at balls
and theater parties. and society seemed
as delegated with It's political fad as a
child with a new toy. Through the entire
campaign Eugenia refused committee ap-
pointments. rarely went 10 headquarters,