Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-05
CHAPTER XIII (Continued)

different places over the city, and each
time concluded with
And now. voters of Philadelphia,
the compaign is over. II has been
fought hard. 1t has been necessary to
do and to say some relentless things.
II any man has been hurt personally
by the words my tongue has spoken, I
am sory-sorry that ii had to be nee
essary to hurt an individual in order
TO serve what I might call the larger
selfishness. at least the larger self-in-
terest of this community. But the
larger self-interest is the thing which
have had in mind--the one legitimate
goal. To reach 1t ! am not conscious
OF having spared myself anything. but
whether | do reach ii or not rests with
you.
Tomorrow we are going to witness
the miracle of democracy, the sight of
men coming out from the workshop
and store. writing their individual wills
upon pieces of paper and thus dictat-
ing the government of their city. We
become accustomed to this sight and
we see 1t debased often enough, but,
after all, it is sublime spectacle: it
marks the most forward step in gov
ernment the world has yet attained
Before that sublime spectacle all
thoughts of personal issues fade away
Indeed, the dearest issues seem small.
inconsequential unimportant before
the fact that the citizens have had
their way and wrought their will
"In the election now at hand I long
for victory. but l shall not be crushed
by defeat. have but one hope for to-
morrow that I cannot give up--it is
that the voters may have their way;
that, untrammeled by bosses or bribes
or bludgeons. they may record the r
just. sober conviction OF their own
hearts. and to that verdict whatever u
be. whatever II mean to the fortunes
of Jeremiah Thomas Archer, I in ad-
vance humbly bow.
The campaign has brought me near
to thousands, to tens of thousands
of men and women | had never met
before. and would never have known
had my life gone the way that was
planned for it. value those new
acquantanceships beyond the power
Of words to describe. The more inti-
mately l see the lives of working men
and women, the more admirable those
lives become in my eyes. Though
defeated tomorrow. | shall be glad I
life itself were torn out by the roots
than that these choice experiences
were torn out of my mind and heart.
! hope for victory. but | do not fear
defeat. Good night, my friends. good
night"
Election day itself was a day of tur-
moil. The machine fought as If in its
last intrenchment all the weight of su.
perior organization. all the power of
greater experience in the practical mat
ltl VI stltIlS Oul lHt vote anu count
ing it, all the subterfuges of unscrupu.
lous men. all the devices of accomplished
tricksters, all the insolence that came
of possessing the election boards, al
the effrontery and brutality that re
suited from having control of police and
mag strates We're employed But the
Real Republican workers stood up stoutl,
for their right, and so great was the
popular feeling which its young lead
er's warnings had aroused that the ma
chine dared not go the length of former
days in the employment of violence.
At o'clock OF election DAY Jerry
issued his thanks and congratulation.
to the workers of the Real Republican
| Organization for Their faithful and eff
fective effort in getting out the votes
THE next thing is to get them counted,
he reminded. "E.lections have been wor
and stolen in Philadelphia. Let ever,
| man whose duty 1t is to enter upon tn
| long vigil of counting the ballots in hi
division remember that a grave respon
sibilty rests upon him to see that thi
election, which | believe we have won
| is not stolen from us before morning
| The same courage and fidelity whicl
were needed during the day must b.
exercised in double measure tonight"
The interval between the closing of tn
! polls and the time when the count of tn
! first precinct was complete was the mos
anxious hour, for Jerry that he had eve
| known. Unable to sit still, he tore him
self away from headquarters and wen
down to walk about. but there was n,
such thing as a calming stroll. for oi
every hand people pointed him out o
crowded around to speak to him, t.
wish him success or to inquire what th
portents were Secretng himself in
telephone booth he called up Ruth ant
invited her to go for a ride, gainn,
! further privacy by hiring taxical
for his own automobile. Jerry was soo'
on the great boulevard with Ruth by hi
side
1t was like stepping into heaven TO
a moment. The short November da.
was drawing to its close. The SHARP
cool breath of night filled his lungs an,
washed his blood clear of the fever o
political strife. With Ruth so near hin
everything else moved a great way OF,
The city. the campaign. nothing mat
tered now but love and Ruth. Her ham
had stolen into his, his arm was aroun
her waist her head was on his shoul
der and there was little conversation
Each had SO many. many things to thin
about that speech was rather unneces
sary. Life was flowing on--their live
were flowing on-the future, driftin
down upon them fast. was big with tn
promise of the unfolding of the myster
of love. That was enough to keep then
busy, and it did.
They did chatter though after n while
and somewhere about 1880, rested an
tremendously refreshed. Jerry delivere
| Ruth at non,. Tor hef dinner ana prom
ised faithfully that he would himsel
take a bite at the club before going t
headquarters for the first of the returns
AS he dismissed the cab on Broad street
however, his eye caught the flicker o
light on a stereopticon sheet stretche
above the low buildings across the way
A moving picture was dancing on tn
screen. but just then gave way to
slide which said:
First returns, forty-eighth division
| Thirt u -f0nrth Ward Archer 17p For
rell. Al.
Jerry's heart leaped This was hi
home division. He had made it his car
to know every voter in it personally;
had given him a tremendous majority
but, as the figures still stood before hi
eyes, and a faint cheer rose from tn
gathering crowd. his spirits sobereC
ITO think" he reflected that forty-tw
men in that division voted for Farrell
| Who are they? Who could they be?''
u L. L. l. - II