The Montgomery tribune., 1908-05-15

fashionable club, making wild guesses
with the rest of them as to how ma
tional politics looms up. At twelve
that night you may be addressing for
ty or fifty people in little hall back
of some saloon. You must be pre-
pared to meet all kinds of people at a
minutes notice, and you must be able
to understand them and adapt your
self to them instantly and easily, or
you will be lost in political society.
Suppose you happen to drop in at
downtown headquarters where they
are waiting for meeting to be called.
| There may be twenty to thirty men
| about, some sitting in chairs reading
or talking, some at a card-table play
| ing friendly game of cinch, others at
pool-table or billiard-table. Can
| you play cards? Now, of course, it is
not absolutely essential that you can;
but if you can make hand at one
card-table or pocket eight balls from
che break" or play fair game of bill
liards you are more welcome mem
Der of society in that strata of politi-
cal existence
And If it should happen that you
joined group at some "high-toned"
| political club, where some topics such
as literature, art, science, invention or
similar matters were being discussed
and could hold your own in conversl-
ton, you were making hand" there,
the same as at the more plebeian
game of cinch. Nothing that a man
has learned with his head or his hands
but what will come in handy in poll
| tics.
Political club meetings, in the case
Of the downtown organizations, took
place every Sunday in my time. They
were enlivened by the admission of
new members, the reading of reports
and making of motions, speeches, and
always something in the way Of a
vaudeville stunt by either a member
of the club or some outside talent
These downtown meetings were valu-
able in bringing the leaders of the
/ different wards together and affording
them an opportunity to exchange po-
litical news and to discuss the coming
spring or fall campaign. They were
always largely attended, and it was a
disgrace for any ward to be called
upon for information of any sort and
not have representative on hand. A
disgrace that l never knew to happen
but once. No matter what the weather
was the faithful" were on hand.
The president opened the meeting
and the utmost freedom of discussion
was allowed in any debate which
might arise. Sometimes a recess was
declared. and the men talked and
smoked until the meeting was called
to order again. 1t was amusing to see
how those of the gathering who were
office-holders were regarded. If their
position gave them no "distributlve"
power. they were looked on as merely
happy accidents" and not ranking at
all with those office-holders who had
Jobs to sort out. In neither of my
own positions did have the appoint.
ment of even SO much as day-laborer
at my disposal, so l was merely "a
lucky guy" In fact was lucky in
more ways than one, for not having
anything to give out was not both
cred by applicants.
These meetings always arranged
for the parades, the marching trips
and the grand balls" which were
given. Don't imagine It did not cost
anything to mlngle in political society,
polite and otherwise. You were able
to buy tickets to the balls. chances on
everything that could be rafiied for
the benefit OF some needy politician
badges and gloves. plug hats ~ march