The Columbus journal., 1908-08-05


| communication with the ward lead
ers of both parties. and while they
were of course patriotic. they did not
allow patriotism to warp their com.
mercial judgment.
They contributed to the legitimate
expenses of the ward and municipal
! campaigns. generally had some sort
of representation In the official rosters
of the ward clubs. and displayed a
commendable activity in public af-
fairs from the simple reason that
they could not afford to be dead
! ones" Business men who were active
democrats. or active Republicans. as
the case might he. boldly hung the pic
lures of their party candidates on the
outer battlements-meanin the plate
glass windows of their establishments.
! But of course II a man was an "all-
round" politician. like the proprietor
Of thirst boudoir." he hung them
all up, Democrat. Republican, Inde-
pendent, Labor. Socialist, Socialist
Labor. and even. when waggishly in
clined. the portrait of the Prohibition
candidate $500
Now. your business man" who was
on good terms with his employees, was
political power to some extent. He
did not control, by virtue Of the Aus
tralian ballot, the votes of the men
who worked in his establishment; but
if he was a slrewd man, and treated
E:S men right. he could swing a good
many votes the way he wanted them.
What SO easy as to have quiet talk
with the men," showing them that the
prosperity of the business. the sue
cess Of the plant 1.-THE workmen's
bread and butter. dye see) depend
ed on the election of this or that set
of men? Was it done? Well. Well!
Certainly when a boss" was dis
liked he could not have swung a soil
tary vote with a hawser, but when
the men liked and respected him, they
could be and were Influenced by that
magic argument. nationally cele-
brated. locally vital. the full dinner
pail"
This argument could be used in any
old election. from alderman to presi-
dent. These big business men sell
dom personally held any interviews
with the small fry" politicians of the
ward. They had their representatives
to deal with the question. and when
fully identified with any particular
party. they were counted on to con-
tribute to the campaign fund. The
popular idea Of money spent In polit-
ical warfare is that 1t goes for whisky
and to bribe voters Comparatively
little goes for whisky to what 1t was
in the old days. and as for bribery,
what's the use of "bribing" a man to
vote. when he can take the money and
vote as he pleases. and NO one be the
wiser as to how he voted?
The bulk Of the money in campaign
expenses goes for thoroughly canvass
ing the wards and getting all the vot-
ing strength out: for sending out cir
culars and othe- campaign literature;
for hiring halls. and hack hire for ora.
tors; for brass bands and torch-light
professions: for carriage hire to make
thorough canvass of the ward by the
candidates: for the precinct captains
on election day: for printing bills, and
divers other expenses. The money
that "goes over the bar" Is what the
candidate himself puts up as a rule.
Now the business men contributed
| their checks to see the men win
who they thought would be friendly
to them in a pinch: they selected their
PARTY candidates when they could,
and am Of the opinion that the most
of the big men" wanted absolutely
| trustworthy AMI reliable candidates
who would not he too ferociously stub.
born about granting any little harm
less" privilege. They were bitterly
opposed to graft" OF whatever party
they happened to belong to. but they
had their Individual ideas OF what
that baleful term meant.
For instance. suppose some highly
reputable merchant wanted to ele.
vate the Sidewalk above his place OF
business to facilitate the handling OF
freight Suppose such an elevation
practically "hogged" that part Of the
Sidewalk. to the exclusion of the pass.
ing pedestrians who demurred a,
climbing up the elevated sidewalk
there to stumble over skids and
through piles CT boxes and barrels
Was that any part of the public's bust
ness? Pish. and also Ffe! Nothing Is
50 obnoxious SIS the average pedes
trian. He is always getting tangled
up In electric cars. or cabs, or skids
or wheels. and having his plebeian
anatomy defaced or broken BY gettins
in the way OF progress"
Then there vas another type o1