Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-08
Running Politics As a
Lucrative Profession.
No More Free Shines in New
York---Queer Bargains.
Realism in Juvenile Games Causes
Numerous Deaths.

New York. Feb. This city is now
| unu,. a--~r political housekeeping,
| such as has - taken place since the
! overthrow OF the Tweed ring more
| than a generation ago. 1t is a safe
| guess that nine out of ten men wear
| ing particularly worried expressions
are politicians. for the reforms which
have been instituted by the new adj
ADMINISTRATION are so radical and far
reaching that politics, formerly a
lucrative profession. now offers to the
old guard an extremely precariouS
livelihood at best. District and pre-
cinct leaders have suddenly discovered
tnat there is no plum tree to shake
and city employes are rapidly learn
ing that they are no longer the pos
SCISSORS of snecures. Indeed they are
now required to work from nine in the
morning until five in the afternoon
and to record their comings and goings
on time clockS-a state of affairs
which has caused a tremendous wall.
The police are on tenter hooks as a
| result of the summary discharge of
several members of the force for too
enthusiastic use of their clubs. In
deed one veteran who has grown gray
in the service during years of club
bling and rough but effective methods
of dragging prisoners to the station
| house. expressed himself of the pessi-
| mIstic opinion that if matters keep OH
as they are going at present a police
| gentleman when desiring 10 make an
arrest will be restricted to touching
| the suspect politely on the shoulder
| and inquiring if he can without in
| convenience accompany the officer to
| the nearest station house. Incidental
| ly this wholesale housekeeping is en-
ablng the public to pick up all sorts
| of bargains at remarkable prices. At
| a cleaning out sale of vehicles which
the new fire commissioner found in
the department stables brousham
which cost the city $500 sold for $50:
| an electric automobile runabout
| brought $50 and two sleighs $57. Only
S667 was realized ON goods which
though never needed had cost the city
over $4,000. Altogether pickngS are
becoming Very few and far between
and the professional politician is fac
ing about the leanest four years which
could well be imagined in this city.
Another Illustration of the poSsi
bility of working willing horse to
death has just brought woe TO thou
sands of persons here. The free shine
is no ,llore and hereafter all those
oersnrs whose shoes were made glossy
without charge will either have to
cough up the regular price or pun
cl ase q home shoe backing outfit and
make use OF elbow grease. For many
years il has been the practice Of
number of shoe stores in this city TO
nre sent to each purchaser of goods
shine pass that is, card Which
entitled the person exhibiting it to
free shine at the stand in the store.
Undoubtedly this greatly increased
the number of persons coming into the
store. but Gid not apparently increase
sales The purchaser of one pair of
shoes received a card good for prac-
tically perpetual shines, and in adj
dition to this a recent investigation
revealed the fact that the owners of
these cards We're in the habit of lend
ing them to relatives and friends. Ac-
cordingly the free shine is abolished.
In it's place the stores in which the
practice obtained will now charge five
cents for each shine. On the payment
of the nickel. however. the purchaser
will receive five-cent coupon which
can be turned in at face value in pur-
chasing shoes. In this way it is ex-
nectcd the graft feature will be elm
mated. Already these new certificates
ara quoted at four cents cash outside
the stores using them.
There is likely to be a marked de-
So, f,,t,, Of
who append to their names university
degrees. This is not due to any fall
ing off in the attendance at institu-
tons of learning, but to the arrest
here Of a man who had discovered
method of, obtaining degrees without
studying or passing examinations. In
a word. he sold them. For the sum
of sixty dollars he agreed to deliver a
diploma from a certain western uni
versit- comforting the right on the
purchaser to use the letters B. A. after
his name while for $50 degree OF
l.. l.. D. could be furnished. This in
Simultaneous educator has done
flourshing business here for some
monthc ana there seemed to be MOTH
ling except the lack of sixty collars
to prevent every citizen from becom
ing college graduate without delay
until the suspicious Of one of the new
est purchasers of a degree led to an
investigation AS a result 1t was dis
covered that the western university
vas a mythical institution, and as
result the inventor of scheme to
educate New York in twinkling viii
have to take degree in one Of the
city-s institutions where detention
rathe. than education is the end sought
after.
Rex, the king cobra at the Zoo, and
said to have been the largest snake
in captivity. as we'll as the deadliest.
is decd-murdered in a cowardly fash
ion as he slept. In his obituary there
- warning against over-eating all
the more timely in these days of soar
ing prices of food stuffs. In one sense
Rex Was not gourmand since ne was
accustomed to eat only ON Sundays.
Recently lie had refused food even
then, due 20 an abscess on his jaw in
the lanciig and dressing of which
Curator Ditmars had what he terms
the nqrrGVpSt IA IF IA 1ifo from