Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-05-14
ANCIENT POLITICAL POSTERS.
Pompeii and Rome Placarded at Elec-
ton Time.


Ethelbert Stewart in Chicago News.
Political billposting is not new. The
walls of buildings and even of tombs
in Pompeii preserve large numbers of
them. There was a billposters' union
in Cos, one in Pompeii and one in
Rome. OF 1880 political electioneer-
ing inscriptions so far transcribed and
translated 1900 are from Pompeii. In
the better parts of Pompeii the posters
are for candidates for the more i'm
portant offices and are very respectful
for the most part toward both candi-
dates and voters. The earlier notices
of the days of the republic simply give
the name of the candidate and the of
fee, with the simple statement,
"Virum bonum"-a good man. Some
times just the initials, "V. b." are
added to his name. The earlier in
scriptions are seldom signed by any
person or party as making the recon.
mendations. Later such signs as this
became frequent: Make Publius
Fuvius duumvir, beg of you; he is a
good man"
In one case a candidate for duumvil
| is advertised in the fashionable wards
as "a youth of singular modesty." In
regard to one aspirant for office we are
| informed that "he will be the watch
| dog of the treasury"-hic aerariun
conservabit, One says: His neigh
bors request the election of Tiberius
Claudius VeTus as duumvir' Later
on this campaign gets personal and
sentimental, and we read in letters
eight inches long that his little
of Claudius as duumvir, referring to
Verus. In the poor mems wards OF
both Rome and Pompeii the notices
deal mostly with the election of
aediles, since the duties of these Of
ficials, corresponding partly with that
of modern police board and partly
that of inspector of public works,
touched the interests of the working
classes-who were not all Saves, as is
often supposed-in a vital way. In
oOlIlt VI lHtSC CdStO tllt uOllttS are
signed outright by officials of unions,
but for the most part they are simply
appeals to the various crafts, leaving
their source to be surmised. One says:
"The BARRIERS recommend Trebius for
the Office of aedile." Another asserts:
"All the goldsmiths recommend Gaius
Cuspius Pansa for the aedileship." A
third makes this appeal: Let all OF
the craft of fullers unite on their can
didate for the aedileship." Sometimes
plebeians united with patricans on a
candidate, as when the fruit sellers
union and the garlic dealers, who
usually had a candidate of their own,
come out with a flaming sign. All the
fruit sellers, together with Helvius
Vestalis, urge the election of NJ Hol-
conius Priscus as duumvir with ju.
dietary authority" The fruit sellers
were always interested in municipal
elections, probably because Of licenses
or of police protection. 1--WE find"
says Friedander, that during the ex-
element over elections in Pompei
such men as these were interested.
Members of the union of wood sellers.
of salt workers, donkey drivers, por-
tiers, dyers, fullers, dealers in dry
goods, in drugs, in fruits; also the
union of bakers, hotel-keepers, bar
bers, goldsmiths. A ball team also
figures, as well as two religious
brotherhoods." To this list could be
added the tanners and scores of other
unions mentioned in the hundreds Of
political inscriptions. Either red or
black paint was used in writing the
signs.
Sometimes class hatred crops out,
as where the union in one section Of
the city proclaim in red paint for Vatia
as aedile, and in the Swell districts"
the following sign appears: 1.-THE
sneak thieves request the election Of
Vatia as aedile." And again: 1.-THE
whole company of late drinkers and
they who come into your house when
you are asleep favor the candidacy Of
Vatia for aedile." 1t is quite appar-
ent that some ancient candidates for
office were accused of being backed
by the hoodlum element. But If such
is the record of Pompeii, what must