The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-09-10

!" HERE had grown up In our city
an army OF men who followed
politics strictly as a means of
earning a livelihood They
either expected to make a
living by holding office of some kind
or another. or they figured on making
both ends meet by attaching them
selves to the train of some boss"
who would dole out crumbs to them in
some way. direct or indirect. Some
times they figured on getting business
Of some kind through their connection
with politics. But at any rate, there
they we're. with mo visible means Of
support excepting politics. They
might be in the directory as taxi.
dermists. astronomers, chemists, rat
catchers, lawyers. aeronauts, plumbers
helpers, grave.diggers, clerks, or what
you like, but as matter Of fact they
depended on politics for living.
Sometimes they were in one bust
ness. sometimes another, but you
could find them always at the ward
meetings, always at the primaries, al
ways at the conventions, caucuses
when they could get in) at the city
hail. at ward headquarters, at down
town headquarters. in the saloons
where politicians might occasionally
be found, at the funerals dances, pic
MICS, and all social gatherings, and.
indeed, wherever acquaintance might
be made or self.interest fostered They
were very busy individuals and sim
ply whlrlwinds Of energy around about
election time.
II they had held a paying lob" for
some time, and a change Of admins
tratlon had brought with It the disa
greeable necessity OF "reslgning,' they
were usually waiting" until the next
municipal election. AS these occurred
every two years, in my time, the wait
was over before the enforced hand
to.mouth" existence entirely broke
their spirits. Meantime, they skatet
about, working every avenue to keel
alive and hold their own in "the or
ganizatlon." Give them credit, you
with the three square meals day, fol
their superb nerve. II you tackled
one OF these captains of hope HI
was as cheerful as a humble bee oil
a thistle top. Everything was lovely
things never looked better the organ
ization" was in elegant shape, I'VE
were going to win next time, etc. How
l. Ia, ~ N
victory with various tremendously sue
gestive chunks OF wisdom, Guile,
from his evereffervescent bonnet.
How sanguine he was of glory and OF
fees I'm the future. Well, even II
was straight bunk" there was
CLEAN Of possibility in II.
And his airy, insouciant. difiden
by the way. Bill, let me have do
lar till tomorrow" when the glltterin
dope" had been exhausted-well,
you had il why not let him have II
The sands OF every lucky Office hole
er's career are strewn with the wreck
OF dollars that were cast away I
such siren invitations.
The evolution OF such a political
might be from the bench of brigh
young mechanic, ambitious TO shine !
the difficult calcium glare Of public
ty. He might get elected as a deli
gate to a city convention and get tn
political bug" lodged under his ha
He might read up on the election law
and get so he could raise "a point {
| NJ ri Y,nnntfnes He p1iOl
electioneer for some alderman, ant
after the victory get bran new tel
dollar bill, which seemed like none
of Christmas tree. He might 20
elected secretary or president of III
ward club. He might get to be a sol
OF political iackal to the boss" VIII
controlled his district. There were
great many ways in which he migl
distinguish himself in this way bI
usually at the expense of his trade.
Or he might be some young lawyC
with a gift for the CAB" who ha
attracted the attention of the leader
as having the nucleus of speaker
in him II he was making money
his profession, so much the better.
that event was "milked" for contrib
tons to the party and sent broadcai
at night to split the tobacco.envelope
empyrean of the halls where Il
voters gathered to hear about II
burning issues" These voters"
may remark in passing, were confine
to the garbage-wagon drivers, Il
sewer-pipe extension men, the cit
employees and others who had a re
interest in politics. and who cou
stand all sorts of oratory II the
could only smoke.
Such a victim as ! have describe
was often held close to work and di
bursement by promises. half-promis
or suggestions of some prominent 81
in the party nominations. Sometim
as the years rolled on and he new
realized his ambitions, even in Il
shape of a nomination, he drew out
sadder and a wiser man and let Il
political will-o'the-wisps alone.
But strange things happened in pi
itics sometimes. One young lawyC
whose legal qualifications we
meager to attenuation, had be,
nominated and elected to a certain
flee, and at the end OF his term cray
still higher honors official, So he g
a LAWYER of his acquaintance, a vent
able attorney OF marked ability,
circulate a petition urging his nor