The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-19
ADJUSTMENTS

Metrors aitan--sTt The County Chairman"
Il ts = very good picture that George
AIDE has drawn orearal politics Of twenty
odd years ago. Here In Minnesota things
don't get SO warm politically as In Indi-
ana and our primary system has elm
mated q good many Of the picturesque
features Of campaigning. The play re-
minded me Very forcibly Of elections in
small wisconsin town before I came to
Minnesota seventeen years ago
Inc play starts with Jim Hacker the
county chairman, getting his law partner
nominated for attorney Of Jefferson coun-
ty by the Very familiar trick Of wearing
the convention out with deadlock vote
| until dark horse can be sprung, because
the delegates are hungry and want to go
home. Hacker Is assgood type Of the
country ''practical',:s politician. He has
given his life to politics and all he has
got out Of 1t is couple Of suits Of clothes
and some grudges to crafty. Still he
isn't disguised or discouraged When it
looks as tho his candidate had been de-
feated he says, You'll find me on deck
| the next election This is a character
| lstlc OF a true politician, who will always
come up smiling for the next round He's
In politics because he likes the game.
Just as he says, If it wasn't for politics
the country people would go to seed. It's
their recreation
hacker Is a power In politics because
he. has given IT. time and attention IIe;s
willing to spend his, money, too, and
doesn't expect people to. work for him for
nothing. He gives the boys who have
4 ORGANIZED campaign club ten dollars
ana Judge Rigby, the opposition ,candi-
cate, who is rich, only yields up two dol
lars. Rigby rewards sassafras Livingston
by telling him he will give him a lob Of
raKing the leaves off his lawn in reward
! Tor the supposed honor Of having baby
named after him. III ckIer hands the
darkey dollar, altho ne knows the baby
happens to be girl. Do you wonder tina
Hacker was popular?
Judge Rlgby represents type of oul
1 best citizens" who occasionally wan
onlce and think everybody ought t.
at the politicians like Hacker, wrt
i know how to handle the masses" a.
they are fond ofEcalling3 the voters Ye
2 hacker has won and deserves his popu
arlty by doing favors for people between
elections When he complains to Sassa
frass that he won't "stay bought" Sas
safras says, Vas, T does. done remem
per VINO 1t was gave me money last win
tel, to buy medicine for my children whel
they We're sick! That little side ligh
4 tells the story Of the practical politician
secret of success. People find out, ius
; as Mrs. Rigby did, that '.the politician
aren't such bad fellows after ALL" A prac
teal politician will do a man a favor ex
pecting one in return, but he does TIL
favor.
Here is another little touch true to ma
ture: Tilford Wheeler, after Hackle
, has nominated him, is putting up tn
money and doing the work, kicks over tn
traces and says This is my campaign
Mr.. Hacker That is typical of lots {
E candidates who are carried along by tn
+ politicians, and think they are doing
all themselves. Generally after electio
they ignore the politicians who mad
7 them. ,,s.- ~
Hacker says IT have lasted in polite
because don't tell all know" but h
seemed to me to" talk too much for
shrewd politician. Still, he knew whe1
: he was all the time. He was willin
o to withdraw the publication Of an artic
q that would ruin Judge Rigby's reputatio
! as a favor to Mrs. Rigby, but he though
: he could win without it, and save hin
Q self from doing the meanness Of hittir
: a woman over an enemy's shoulder. Whe
the returns come in and it looks like d.
z feat, he's there, cool and collected-say
. "Wait until you hear from Hancoc
y county, And Hancock county gives h
s candidate fifty majority. See? -
: 4 There are some well-drawn polite
characters in the play, but one we
9 omitted who is always present-the
u A.. r. veteran, who has the old soldit
e vote In his pocket, working both sides.
. Sherman s. Smith
= 49, s1 s.. r. s<&,j (Critic proRtem