The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-09-16

politics strictly as a Ueans 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 10 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 az 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
ratchers. lawyers. aeronauts. plumbers
helpers, grave-diggers. clerks. or what
you like, but as matter OF fact they
depended en- politics for a living.
Sometimes they were In one busi-
ness, sometimes another. but you
eouId find them always at the ward
meetings. always at the primaries. al
ways at the conventions. caucuses
(when they could get inl at the city
hall, 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,
sndeed. wherever acquaintance might
be made or selfinterest fostered. They
we're very busy individuals. and sim
ply whirIwinds Of energy around about
election time
/; they had held a paying "iOb" Tor
some time, and change Of admins
tration had brought with 1t the disa.
Rreeable necessity OF "resIgning," 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-mouth7 existence entirely broke
their spirits Meantime, they skated
about, working every avenue to keep
alive aud hold their own in the or
ganization." Give them credit. you
with the three square meals a day. for
their superb nerve. II you tackled
one OF these captains Of hope" he
was as cheerful as a humble bee on
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
he would lay down the assurance Of
victory with various tremendously sug
gestive chunks Of wisdom, culled
from his ever-ehervescent bonnet
How sanguine he was OF glory and Of
fees Ia the future Well, even il it
was straight bunk there was
CLEAN Of possibility in it.
And his airy. insouciant, dimdent
by the way, Bill. let me have a dol
lar till tomorrow" when the glittering
dope" had been exhausted-well. if
you had it why not let him have it?
The sands Of every lucky office hold
ers career are strewn with Che wrecks
Of dollars that were cast &nay to
such siren invitations.
The evolution Of such a politician
might be from the bench Of a bright
young mechanic, ambitious to shine in
the difficult calcium glare Of publici-
ty. He might get elected as dele
gate to a city convention and get the
political bug" lodged under his hat
He might read up on the election laws
and get SO he could raise "a point Of
order" at a ward meeting. He might
elecuoneer for some alderman, and.
after the victory. get bran new ten
dollar bill, which seemed like money
of Christmas tree He might get
elected secretary or president of the
ward club He might get to be a sort
Of political iackal to the boss" who
controlled his district There we're a
great many ways in which he might
distinguish himself In this way. but
usually at the expense Of his trade.
Or he might be some young lawyer
with a gift for "the gab,' who had
attracted the attention Of the leaders
as having the nucleus Of a speaker
in him II he was making money in
his profession, so much the better. In
that event was MIXED for contribu-
tions TO the party and sent broadcast
at night to split the tobacco-enveloped
empyrean OF the halls where the
voters gathered to hear about the
burning issues These voters, j
may remark in passing. were confined
70 the garbage-wagon drivers. the
sewerpipe extGnsion men. the city
employees and others who had a real
interest in politics. and who could
stand all sorts Of oratory If they
could only smoke.
Such a victim as I have described
was often held close to work and dis
bursement by promises. half-promises
or suggestions Of some prominent gift
in the party nominations. Sometimes
as the years rolled on and he never
realized his ambitions, even in the
shape Of nomination, he drew out a
sadder and wiser man and let the
political Will-o'-the-Wisps alone.
But strange things happened IN pol
files sometimes. One young lawyer,
whose legal qualifications we're
meagsr to attenuation. had been
.-.of,frotad snd afsoIaa 40 a oarIafr Of