The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-01-13
MRS. PoReEs IDENTIFIED WITH
NEW YORK POLITICS FOR
MANY YEARS.
Controlled the Votes of Many Men in
Gotham and Swung Them
Into Line.

NEW YORK, Jan. 13.-WOmen In
politics ase not new, but no wmany
persons know that one Of Tamany's
election district captains in fact, al
though not in name, is a woman? She
is Mrs. Max Porges, wife Of a deputy
sheriff and former alderman.
Her son, A. J. Porges. is the nomi-
nal captain of the fifteenth election
district, on the east side, but every
one who knows the facts knows that
she is the real leader of that district,
and has been for something like TWEEN
ty-flve years.
Women election speakers, women
canvassers, women political club orga-
nizers ase not unknown, but a woman
district captain, who never goes to
bed the night before election; who sits
in an office close to the polls on cleo
ton day and keeps tab on how things
are going by means of her own run
ners; who spends all her energy in
getting out the Tamany vote; who
keeps the list Of voters of the district
and makes it a point to know pes
sonally every one of them; who spends
thousands of dollars of the family
money in charity; who takes voters
1ipC
place and who has often watched the
count herself-such a woman is a
practical politician.
Changes Her Politics.
For nearly quarter Of a century
with the exception of one year, when
the family was changing from repub
licans to democrats. When Chaslie
Adler used to carry "de Ate" Mrs.
Porges was one of his most active
lieutenants. Five times she put her
shoulder to the wheel for him, and
every time he won.
After she went over to the other
side, the assembly district went with
her. and it has remained democratic
ever since, up to the recent election,
when Hearst got it by a few votes.
But the republicans didn't win, and
that's some contest to Mrs. Porges,
as is also the fact that she held her
own election district true to Tam
many
Mrs. Porges is one Of the famous
Division street milliners. She attends
to business every day for eleven
months a year. When election time
comes round she forsakes it abso-
lutely.
Then she spends all her time in the
saloon and hotel at the corner of For
syth and Rivington streets, which she
and her husband bought in 1875, after
her husband failed in the wholesale
liquor business. Fsom their hotel
thirty-on votes registered and cast
luSl UdllOtS III ANONSulOCI
Every one of 'em voted the straight
Tammany ticket" says Mrs. Porges
proudly. 1T was the first time we
ever had a solid Tammany vote from
our house, but did have to work to
win one man over! I'll bet no other
election district captain of Tammany
can show such a result And me only
a woman, too!'
And how did this practical woman
politician get into the gains? She
will tell you that she has always been
in it, and can't remember the time
when she wasn't.
How She Got Leadership.
How did you get into the leader
ship game?" she was asked.
well, it was this way she re-
piled. I'VE were mighty green when
We went into the retail business. Those
were the days of many excise arrests.
Some one told us that Barney
ROurke, the republican BOSS, was the
man for US to tie to. We did tie to
him, and soon all was smooth sailing. |
We found it desirable to make our
selves useful to Barney. We did, and
the rest was easy. We just took charge |
of the election district. We psoduced |
the goods, all right.
I'VE would probably have been re- |
publicans today if it hadn't been for |
Charlie Murray, who was the leader |
of the eighth. He didn't keep mis- |
word with me about nominating my |
husband for alderman, and we went |
over to Martin Engel That's how
we came to be democrats
And how does Mrs. Porges do her
work? The old Tammany methods of |
yore have proved efficient for ner to |
accomplish results desired.
A ton of coal here and there, an
evicted family put back in rooms,
note indorsed bail for those arrested,