The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-02-15

sit in my corner" and send me into
the ring to exchange wallops with my
hated rival" My rival was a very
good fellow indeed. A clear-cut young
business man, with a penchant for
politics. The third man cut very lit
tie ice. He was a dark horse"
and a dark horse is usually soon cur
ried. My real opponent had
large following in the ward, and he
was much better versed in the rudi-
ments of the political game than
was. He had been around and seen
a number of the delegates, and IL
had not had the administration back
ing, | would have stood to lose easily.
When my tentative candidacy was
announced, a large bunch of touch
ers," "spielers," and "bull-con" work
ers clustered about me like flies
around an open molasses barrel. I
was gravely informed by numerous
parties Gall anxious for my success)
that it would be absolutely necessary
that / should drop around on Jim
NY DOupy lhio-alo-
That" Tim Whats-His-N Name" and
divers "infiuential' saloon keepers,
and spend a few dollars with each
of them. / 'jollied'' these worthless
along for few days. As to money,
like Simple Simon, Alas, / had not
any," but coterie of citizens had
voluntarily offered to advance ex-
penses up to a thousand dollars, il
necessary to finance my campaign.
l told them ! wouldn't take cent
until had the nomination, and would
keep a strict account of expenses and
return any surplus: that expenses
would mean legitimate outlay, and no
foolishness. These men trusted me,
and rightly. They would trust me
again in precisely the same way.
As was once succinctly remarked
anent the late James Bludso:
."And they all had faith in his cussed-
ness,
And knowed he would keep his WORD"
After / got tired of hearing the
"sand-paper" hot-air artists advise me
as to spending money at Jimmy's,
Bob and Tins places, spoke to them
about as follows, using the language
of slang, which they could readily
comprehend:
Look a-here, now, femme tell you;
if / get that nomination, I'll show you
as swift a campaign in this ward as
he Milo
See? But don't for holy minute
think that I'm going to blow money
on an open-and-shut proposition. with
maybe the ''double-cross" on conven
ton day. Show me the nomination
and I'll show you the canvass; I'm
not going to SOW coin around like
drunken sailor, two weeks before the
convention. You fellows must think
| Just struck town on a load of al
falfa. Get busy; smoke up; land the
nomination for me, and I'll do the
rest; but don't play me for sucker
at this or any other stage of the
game"
| had no further trouble with this
bunch. My own actual expenses be
fore the convention met were $40
After the convention was held
wrote a little skit about an incident
of the campaign, and drew down ter
dollars on it. Puzzle: Was l 'out,
financially? Convention day arrived
and / was told / was 1T" Bat had
seen too many fish hop out of land
ing-net, and too many wood-cocf
twist out of a double shot and ge'
away, to be certain of anything. Fiji
teen minutes before the voting begar
my leader" rushed in as white as {
sheet. THE jig's up" he whispered
hoarsely; they've bought four Of oul
delegates; the only thing you can d.
is to withdraw" 1t was too true
Just for a handful of silver they lef
me; just for fifty to stick in theil
coats"
l smiled placidly at him and re
piled: You must have just woke
from a sound sleep; there's going tt
be no withdrawal here; there's one
man will stick with me, and IL he'l
the only man, my name will be pre-
scented to this convention; you ma,
like to duck for the, rear entrances
when 'rough-house' starts in front
but not for me-" then walked to the
platform, shook hands warmly will
my chief opponent. and sat down
The delegates had been bought, al
right. but he knew nothing Of it. Hi
manager would not have dared hin
such tactics to him, for he was and II
"a dead square man."
Curious, how history repeats itself
years after, when was the mayor,
secretary, that very man ran for thu
aldermanic nomination, was assured
of the delegates, and the very lead
er" who was my sponsor, now out o
: the city hall, was active against him
Enough delegates were bought, q
minutes before the convention wa,