The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-13

distribution of what are called labor
tickets" and this labor ticket is the
backbone of the whole system of mu-
nicipal politics as practiced in the city of
New York
The labor ticket is simply card en-
titling the holder to job on some speci-
fed municipal work Whenever men are
needed for work on the big pipes, or in
Central Park, or for street paving or
street cleaning, or for anything else that
may be undertaken by the city govern
ment, or by the corporations that desire
The goodwill of that government, these
tickets are issued according to the num-
Der of men required. When there is
distribution to be made the fact speedily
becomes known IN all the wards that are
populated by the poorer classes, though
there is very little excitement in the
"brownstone' district, inhabited by bank
ers, merchants, and lawyers. The taciturn
little Irishman whom we left just now in
intimate consultation with the President
is certain to be on hand in order to Sc
cure for his own district as large a pro-
portion Of the tickets as possible. And he
in his turn is beset on his arrival at his
own saloon by all his captains, each one
of whom wishes to get the lions share for
his own followers.
The saloon of one of these district cap
tains is the scene of unusual hustle and
activity on the day of one of these dis
tributicns Every man on the block who
is out of work-and that frequently means
a large percentage of the adult male
population-s to be seen leaning against
the bar or buzzing in and out of the
ever open door. Those who have money
spend it ostentatiously, for they know
that willingness to buy liquor is 4 per-
sonal trait that, in the eyes of district
leader, enjoys an even higher rank than
the cardinal virtue OF political zeal. 1t
is usually late in the day before the cap
tain returns, and as he passes round be-
hind his bar to his private Office. pausing
only to glance at the figures on the cash
register the poor devils who are looking
for a chance to make their bread and but
ter flourish their coins in the air in the
hope of catching his eye.
1t is scarcely necessary to say that in
distributing the tickets the captain has
keen eve for the main chance, which in
this case is his-own saloon. And if 1t
comes to q question OF choice between
Pat, who can be counted on to pour at
least one of his 81 day into the pub
LEANS TILL and Tim, who has contracted
the bad habit of bringing the bulk of his
wages home TO his wife, it will be safe to
assume that Pat will have the ticket if
for nothing better than as an encourage
meut to the rest.
Now at the time of which | write no
assembly district in the town was kept so
thoroughly in control as was this che of
5000 enfranchised souls by the silent,
ugly faced and resolute little Irishman
who sat in intimate conversation with his
distinguished visitor on this Sunday
morning in early September. Ut is a Gu
rious thing, by the way, that the Jews of
the lower East Side are more easily led
by an Irishman than by one of their own
race) And among all his thirty heuten-
ants there was none more Loyalty jealous
to the party the year round nor more
efficient at the polls on election day than
x-Assemblyman Jimmy Martin, the cap
tain of the voting district that can boast
of more cheap lodging houses than any
other block in the city, and the pro-
prietor of the very prosperous Bowery sa-
loon that marks the center of his do
main Jimmy Martin was always deemed
fortunate in the number and loyalty of
his followers, but there was one among
them who was beyond all compare in
those characteristics which are the cardi
nal virtues of New York politics, and that
paragon was Hot Corn Pete" whose
caldron, set up this morning directly
across the street from the Martin sa
loon, is already beginning to hiss and
bubble and send forth an appetizing ad-
vertisement of the delicacies cooking be-
meath its tin lid.
For more years than can be counted
Pete's kettle had been set up every SAu-
gust in front of the saloon which was his
home or hang out" as he would have