Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-15

Electioneering in Omaha being under in
vestIgation at this time by the senate ana
house Of the Nebraska legislature, the in
auisitors may be interested IN Election
eering in Ireland" as pictured by stephen
qwynn, one of the nationalist members OF
the British Parliament, in the Cornhill
magazine for February
First outlining the expensive process OF
campaigning in England, Mr.. Gwynn says;
The sum and substance Of it is that
we get far more fun for far less money.
There is, to begin with, none Of hiatt
ground batting $50 to say which goes so
far In England to PREJUDICE the issue.
There is very little of the printers bill;
few candidates issue even an election ad-
dress still fewer trouble the electors with
argumentative literature You rely for
persuasion upon native eloquence, sopple-
mented by professions, torches, r-barrels'
and. above all, by music. To run an Irish
election without a band is indeed an up
hill and depressing business-as found at
my first plunge into politics. 1t began
with an instantaneous extinguishing OF
all the towns electric light at the moment
when I Alighted on the platform, confi-
IDENTIFY anticipating an unopposed return.
mo experienced speaker would be upset
BY a LTlLl9 Oh THIS hlAAut bdN N-9 hcN %
perienced: my first address, delivered In
total darkness, suffered; and when found
that my room in the hotel was numbered
thirteen / grew more uneasy, II possible.
But the key of our opponents strategy
was the control Of the bands. One band
they possessed and utilized to the full,
drawing crowds after 1t irresistibly. An
other they paralyzed. 1t was always on
the point OF coming out, but one day In
struments were out Of gear; another day.
when musicians and all were established
In a wagEonette, something happened to
the linch-pin We fell back on an inn
portation from a neighboring town, but in
rash moment this band was left stand
ing unsupported in a street some distance
from our crowd. A swOop was made by
strong party Of the enemy, and in two
minutes all instruments were captured and
borne off. So began the fiercest street
riot that 1 have ever witnessed; so fierce
that providentally 1t enabled us to dis
pense for the remainder Of the contest
with the moral effect of music. One sec
ton of my supporters, small farmers out
side the town, thought It wise to come to
the poll In a regiment, marching In
column, each man carrying, not black
thorn. which In the west is considered eX-
cessive, but a small ash-plant, generally
with knotted butt"
Prototypes OF the "Jims" and the
| "Jacks'' seem "a. flourish in Ireland, for
Mr. Gwynn says:
Irish elections divide themselves into
two classes-the regular and the irregular.
OF the irregular there are many sub
species Galway is one; II invariably de-
flies classification. Another is a constitu-
ency in the southwest, where the vote is
normally taken between two dominant
olans-not without good deal Of faction
fighting"
What a chance there for a John o'Brien
Yeiser, after the ruction!
Nothing like this could happen. even in
Omaha:
1t was in the snowy end OF January
and l had Travelled from early morning
TIL IL at night. As the train drew up on
the platform. 1 perceived a small crowd
some twenty or thirty who, Il was easy
to know. were not there for my welcome
Presently one came up to me and asked
II was going 70 work for Mr.. -, nam
ing our candidate. told him my name
and there was a consultation. Then tins
crowd gathered about me. and the two
leaders explained that for me personally
they had the deepest respect; that they
were sure had been misled as TO the lOca
situation. but that the streets OF B.
would be run with blood II 1 came int
them, and that there was another traiI
Just starting for Dublin. by which / mus
return. They added. meaningly, II It WA
some Others that was in IL they wouldn'
be 50 lucky as to get the chance.
$50 We stood and parleyed. ] asserting
my unAlterabie determination TO sleep ii