The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-12-03
Never in All its History Has the Austere Old
State Seen Such Change in Elec-
tioneering Methods.
The Governor-Elect a Consistent Friend Of
Labor, of Which He is Large and
Constant Employer.

unanimous vote for the Democratic
nominee, the Brockton shoemaker.
1t would seem, indeed, that there
was truth in the proverb, because
every traditionally Republican city
ana town in the state did follow the
example of Hull. From Boston and
plymouth Rock to the Berkshire Hills,
north, east, south and west Massa-
chusetts split the ticket in favor of one
man, and of one man only, and elected
him by a stupendous plurality over
their own party candidate.
Before entering into consideration of
the spectacular method Of electioneer-
ing adopted by the Douglas campaign
management, it may be advisable to
settle the question in the readers mind
by telling him that there is only one
w. l.. Douglas, and that he is the same
gentleman whose face greets them so
frequently and so ubiquitously in ia
miliar advertisement.
The splendid enterprise displayed in
'"e ''ii"ucl VI the campaign gives
strength to the theory. Never in all
it's history has the austcre old state
OF Massachusetts seen such n reyol1-
ton of clcctionccring traditions as
that set in motion by this practical
shoemaker of Drockton, who is in
cldcntally multi-millionaire and
bank president with a political ex-
pericncc which has included q state
senatorslip and the mayoralty of his
home town.
ilain and prosaic as William T..
Douglas daily routine may appear to-
DAY. his early carccr is full of Inherent
romance not unmiXed with adventure.
His father was a sailor and was
drowned at sea when the. little boy
William was five years old. Left to
the upbringing and care of his mother.
who had large family OF children.
with no means of support, the boy was
bound out at the age of seven to his
uncle, who had a cobblers shop in
Plymouth. Ills uncle was q hard
master, and made him work from sum
rlse Till sunset. He pegged shoes, he
went into the woods to cut and prepare
the fuel for two fires; he did what
he had to do well, but for four years
he led n miserable, weary existence,
suffering all the agonies of a lonely
childhood, with none of it's compen-
sating joys.
For brief periods each year he was
allowed to stop pcgging long enough
to attend a school, where he secured
the rudiments of an education which
he has in later years added to by read
ing and study. At eleven he returned
to his mother. His uncle then made
proposition that he would allow the
boy SIS month and his keep if he
would return to the cobbler's shop.
and back he went to the unremitting
drudgery. For another four years he
pegged shoes, faithfully, silently, un-
complainlngly, working much and say
ing little-a method Of procedure
which is eminently characteristic Of
the man to-day. At fifteen he got a
job, which at the time appeared
rcritlble bonanza in the way Of wages.
For wage Of thirty three cents q day
he left off pegging shoes and went to
cotton mill in Plymouth, where after
few months work he broke his leg
in an accident and was laid up for the
rest of the winter.
Once more able to hobble about on
crutches, he returned to the shoemak-
ing trade, getting job at South
Braintree, where for the ensuing three
years he learned the details of the
craft in an establishment which was
considered large one in those days.
He was now in his nineteenth year.
He threw down his awl and his shoe.
makers last and started out West in
prairie schooner, which took him as
far as Iowa, where he worked inter-
mittently at his trade while trying to
gather funds sufficient to carry him to
California. The spring of 1865 saw
him driving four OK team into the