Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-05-14

OF taking, some at card-taDle play
ing friendly game of cinch, others at
a pooltable or a billiard-table Can
you play cards? Now, of course, it is
not absolutely essential that you can;
but if you can make a hand at one
cardtable or pocket eight balls from
the break" or play a fair game of bill
lizards you are a more welcome mem
Der of society in that strata of politi-
cal existence.
And if it should happen that you
Joined a group at some hight oned"
political club, where some topics such
as literature, art, science, invention or
similar matters were being discussed,
and could hold your own in converse
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
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
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 ara
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
ofice-holders were regarded If their
position gave them no "distributive"
power, they were looked on 50 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 l have the appoint
ment of even so much as a 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 mingle in political society,
polite and otherwise. You were able
to buy tickets to the balls, chances on
| everything that could be raffied for
| the benefit of some needy politician,
badges and gloves, plug hats to march
in, together with other raiment, club
| dues, tickets to various dances and
| entertainments, and in fact, from
morning until night, day in and day
out, to "sift' your salary steadily into
the hopper"
| The grand balls" were of course
the most important functions given
by the party. They were attended by
everybody. including the mayor, and
he led the grand march. 1t was a
lively time, and diamonds were as
| plentiful as blackberries. Full-dress
suits were largely in evidence, and
the dancing kept up until morning.
At such a ball the extreme opposites
of political life met, once year, and
the occasion was one to be remem.
bered. Judges, with an eye to possible
or probable denomination, were not at
all too proud to attend, and occasion
ally some of the city's elite attended
just for the novelty of the thing. A
woman might be led out by an ex
governor of the state for one set, and
the next set
take a turn down the middle
With the man that shot Sandy MCGEE. "
1t was a truly cosmopolitan gather
ing, unique and picturesque and rare
ly was there any disturbance that
amounted to anything.