The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-12

pusher, the button holer and the other types of campaign workers gathered Tor the final effort The scenes at one were typical of the scenes at the others. They differed only in the size of the crowds. The largest beats had the largest crowds about the voting places.
 A rope was stretched across the side walks in front of the polling places to keep out the card pushers and the button holers. They lined up against this slen- der barrier to catch a brief fraction Of e second of the time of the voter as he made his way Into the voting booth. A semi-circle of carriages and buggies stood about the polling place ready for instant use These vehicles were kept In readiness by the various candidates to bring to the polls Ill or crippled voters or voters who were able to spare but a few moments from their business. No voter needed to walk to the polls. A car riage was ever ready for his use. Out side of an automobile, which no candi- date appeared enterprising or up-to-date enough to use, practically every style of vehicle was represented about the poll I ing place.
 The voter as he approached the booth had a severe gauntlet to run. Whether | he came on foot or in a carriage the workers were waiting for him. They caught him as he came up. His personal friend, if he had one, would call him aside for a brief whispered conversation while the other card-pushers waited anx- iously their turn at him. As he ducked under the ropes. He was almost covered with an avalanche of cards. They were showed upon him with remarks, like. Remember Blank when you go to vote" Don't forget us in there" Here he Is. He Is our man." Do what you can for I,1 t. f'
 | Inside the polling places the floor was | covered with a carpet of pasteboard cards.
 Preparing a Ballot. | Having safely slipped through the troublesome gauntlet the voter approach ed the knot of managers and inspectors gathered about the ballot bbx. He was given two tickets, one to vote for Coun- ty offices and one to vote for State of- fees. He took these ballots to shelf in the booth and put cross mark in front of the name of his favorite candidate. He approached the ballot box again. His name was called out and verified on the poll list and the list of registered voters. His ballot was dropped in and 1t was all over His reappearance among the work ers on the outside would attract no att tention or interest. The absence of the old iron booths and the numbering of ballots was a surprise to many voters About two particular contests the in- terest and attention of the crowds cen- tered. They were vitally interested in the contest for President of the Railroad Commission and they were vitaly inter- ested in the race for Solicitor. These two contests overshadowed all others at the polls As soon as the polls were opened it was seen that the friends of | John w. Smith and the opponents of B. B. Conner had organized a most effective working corps. Their organization was the best of the day. It was their evident determination to see that no stone was left unturned to get votes for MT. Smith. There were more Smith workers at the polls than workers for any other candi- date. There were always two or three al each voting place.
 | If was early seen. too. that the Smith sentiment in Montgomery was very strong. The friends of MT. Smith had steadily claimed that this County was one of his strongholds and the truth Ot this claim was soon verified. The Smitf
 men were always in evidence. Early ir the day ic was seen that so far as tho city beats were concernel it was only 2 question of the size of the Smith ma Ijority.
 Few Conner Men Here.
 
 men. The men who came to the polls anC announced that they were going to vot' flor Conner were few and far between The votes that Mir. Conner got were O the silent and quiet order. They cam' from men who went in the polls ant marked their tickets without saying any thing
 MT. Conner in fact had no worker labout the polls. If he had an organiza ton of any sort in Montgomery 1t wa not in evidence.
 A number of the friends of Captain R
 F Kolb were on hand and labored fo their favorite. They had some carriage
 too, and their work for the day bore re Isults. But 1t was Smith day in Mont
 gomery County.
 The heated interest and enthusiasm il the fight between Tyler Goodwin am lHugh Dent for Solicitor, kept up unti Ithe last minute of the balloting. It wa lthe star race in point of interest to tn Iiocal voter Perhaps the most strenuou
 work of the day was put In by the sup Iporters of these gentlemen. Both ha
 well organized forces at the polln
 places. The result was not affected fo Hack of energy and activity on the par of either of the candidates.
 It was firmly believed by both side Ithat the result would be close and the lkept up enthusiasm until the last mo lment The betting of the day was on thi Trace. The man who took stock in thl lsort of thing could get bet at eve
 odds at any one of the polling places O leither of the candidates. A number C
 bets were registered during the day O the race for Solicitor.