The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-01
Political Candidates Called Upon
to Deal with Men Who Practice
a Business Little Less Than
BIaCkmaiI
ALL CONTROL VOTES AND
INFLUENCE is FOR SALE
The Individual CRATER is Easy
to Dispose of But the DeIega-
ton that Represents a Club
Whose Members Will Vote As a
Unit Touches Heavy

If the man who used to make the old
style almanacs that gave warning of
coming events were in business today,
he would un3oubtedly find place for
line about tA.s time of the year,
About new look oct for the political
grafters."
In the old days. when the almanac
maker used his right u franchise, he
probably did so without restraint and
without expectation of reward. But
since those days a new industry has
sprung UP and it is growing vita every
political campaign. 1t has surely at
tanned grand proportions thus Early in
the municipal campaign Of Worcester
that will be decided at the polls a week
from Tuesday. New social clubs that
need furniture are a prime favorite
with the grafters, and no candidate is
exempt from the touching appeal of a
committee from the boys wh1 will
surely vote as a unit for the ,-Indidate
who does the right thing by tn en-
The game has been so Thoroughly
developed that the candidates in close
districts and in the coming municipal
campaign, especially for seats in the
aldermanic chamber, are up against it
are being made from the voter who is
down at the heel to the regularly ap-
pointed committee of three with loads
of influence to sell. In some of the
wards of Worcester, even where the
vote is Overwhelmingly one way, the
winning and losing candidates are
played on The winners are appealed
to on the ground that they want to
get a big majority and the certain
losers are told they want 10 make
good showing against the other fellow
OF course, the influence in these cases
is not quoted at very high figure the
touchers being content with enough to
buy a wet" for themselves and the
rest of the crowd 1t is only before
the caucuses that influence commands
a high price in the wards.
In the present campaign the alder
manic candidates are getting. the toucf
! on all sides, and it is amusing the way
they are getting 1t.
A reporter for The Spy was in th'
office of one of the aldermanic candi-
dates last week, when TOUGHER poked
his head through the door. 1t is very
easy to tell them. The candidate
groaned and said: Here's another;
the seventh today" Hello, ---, old
boy" came from the head, and it was
= followed by the rest of the grafter
whose appearance indicated that he
was in need of money, if man ever
needed it. Say, but you're looking
fine and dandy! How are things with
you this year," ~.
All this was being said while the
CRATER was approaching the grattee
with outstretched hand The gratter
looked appealingly at the reporter, Du'
the latter was not in the game. He Is
NOT running for any political office and
could enjoy the situation. The grattee
finally got his hand out and dld the
pump-handle act, but it panied HIM
THE boys tell me you're going 70
head the ticket this year" was the
welcome information given by the
CRATER. That's nice" said grattee'
The sraftee was waiting for the touch'
but the reporters presence in the once
seemed to be a hindrance, and the re-
porter got up to go. The graftee nae
him bv the shoulder in an instant anu
he whispered Don't go yet.
Thereupon the reporter settled down
again and waited for something ~
break. The silence was painful. Flnal-
Iv the graftee broke it by asking
How is it you are not working To-
davq" ooh. | amt working now, was
ne renlv II amt feeling very strong
his fan and I'm taking layoff.' Con
versation Jagged again and the graz lee
r,,a,ted If over. He rose from ms
obair. and said. Come in here MN
nfe" and he went into his private