The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 40, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 1, 1908 Page: 3 of 8
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BY ERNEST M?6AFFEY
¥
5?
There were a number of women re-
formers, too, durlna my political years
and they were Invariably enlisted on
some moral question, us I hey looked
at It, tobacco, whisky, child labor, the
bettering of conditions for women, the
Bavlng of girls. etc. They were very
much in earnest., faithful and enthusi
astlc to their ideals. Occasionally they
succeeded, and at loast, they never
seemed discouraged, it is to the credit
of politicians in general, t hat they wera
listened to with perfect respect, even
when it was apparent that conditions
made it an absolute waste of time to
discuss the questions. Sometime?, an
ordinance barred their way; at othei
times a stale law, or possibly the con
stitution of the I'nlted States Itself
was a stumbling-block, but they wen
heard with patience
Reform politics during my day con
cerned Itself most particularly in re
habilitating 1he personnel of the citj
council. In thW It. met with subslaa-
ial success, an I It was the one ex«r.
'"ft: ,
A PRE-ELECTION
RE FOAMED
ward?
lions obtaining
asked, inquirin
'Oh. yes, was my answei
"Well, we want to put up a candi-
date for alderman thero and see if we
can't arouse the better element there,
We want to go in and fight the saloons
to a finish," was his next remark.
.
wm
THE WEEK'S EPITOME
A RESUME OF THE MOST IMPOR-
TANT NEWS AT HOME AND
ABROAD.
NEWS FROM EVERYWHERE
A Carefully Digested and Condensed
Compilation of Current News
Domestic and Foreign.
Robbers entered the store of J. C.
Compton of Armour, S. D., Saturday
light and secured $;i5,000.
Leslie Carter, at one time capitalist
ind president of the South Side Ele-
vated Railroad Company of Chicago,
died in that city Friday.
President Roosevelt's final vacation
during his term of office, came to a
There are In New York
million Je'ws—which makes It
the largest Jewish community
world.
in a desperate battle, Sunday, In
Ozarks, near Prestoria, Mo., bet1
officers and mountaineers, four
were killed and several seriously-
Jured.
Joe James, the negro convicted;
murdering Cler.v A. Ballard in Sprl
field. 111., was sentenced Saturday
ernoon by Judge Creighton to
on October 2u.
Ed Murphy of Sherman aged 32,
was killed by a train in Fort Wort;
early Saturday and his body was
found along the Texas and Pacific,
ground to pieces.
The building records of Dallas show
that during the last eight years five
dwelling houses have been completed
within the corporate limits of the city
for every working day.
Toy, the 4-year-old daughter of Mr. I
close Tuesday when he, with his fam- j and Mrs.. J. U. Shirley of Fort Worth
ily, left Oyster Bay for Washington. I died late Thursday night at the fam- |
F, D. Robinson of Cleveland, own-1 ily home as the result of swallowing
er of the St. Louis National baseball a button some weeks ago.
team, street car promo er and capl- A 8trePt car wa8 demolished and it*|
talist. died suddenly at his Lome Fr; c).ew injured Sunday when a religiousl
da)'- parade of 1100 persons led by Bishor
The cholera statistics mud" public | pa„i Rhode became a maddened mot |
Thursday show an encouraging de-
crease in new case- in St. Petersburg
The deaths, however, were more nu-
merous than Wednesday.
John Murray Dowie, father of John
Alexander Dowie, founder of Zion
Oity, died Tuesday at the home of his
/TELL
En, H
WATCH HIE-
EE'J NO
REFORMER
REFORMER in politics is
sometimes a dyspeptic, but
not always. Me is also
sometimes actuated by mo-
tives entirely impersonal
and unselfish. But not al-
ways. And reform politics may be
classed as of two kinds the counter-
feit variety and the genuine.
Independent, or reform movements
in political campaigns, are intended to
be the breaking away of members of
the old parties and a consolidation of
these "bolters' for the purpose of
electing a ticket which is supposed to
be better than either of the old-line
parly tickets. Sometimes an inde-
pendent movement means this. Some-
times it means that a Democrat or a
Republican who has failed of the regu-
lar party nomination has been per-
suaded to make the race on the
ground that he has been deprived of
the nomination by unfair means. But
the basic element of independent
movements is always a claim toward
u bettering of conditions, and there-
fore arguing a reform, politically.
Then there is usually the Prohibi-
tion movement to be reckoned with,
and this is strictly founded on reform
principles. Or there may be an edu-
cational feature in the campaign
which will prove to carry the balance
of power as to votes, and which may
be adopted in the platform of either
of the parties, with a view to secure
votes for the whole ticket. Politics
is largely a game of expedients, and
as the only things that count, in the
last analysis, ar.; the votes, it follows,
therefore, as the night the day, that
votes are the prime necessities, and
any expedient to catch votes is consid-
ered justifiable.
Other phases of reform politics may
enter particularly into national cam-
paigns, and may influence local condi-
tions enough to swing victory to a
side which may lie weaker on paper
than its antagonist.
In every largo city and noticeably
in my own city. I found two well de-
fined types of the political reformers,
with a smattering also of what were
known as "cranks," "dreamers" and
'Visionaries." One of the two types
.eferred to wan the hard-headed citi-
zen who, regardless of ridicule and dis-
couragement. tifadlly set himself to
work to better the class of official
selection. Without caring anything
for party affiliations, he associated
with organizations which "went
after" weak or unfit candidates, and
supported and encouraged good candi-
dates for all offices, whether state,
county or municipal.
This class ef men accomplished,
with the aid of decent politicians, a
great deal of good. In the beginning,
like all men actuated by really high
motives, they were derided and lam-
pooned, and their lot, like the police-
man's, was not a happy one. But as
time went on 'hey became a force
which had to be reckoned with, even
by the most ha'dened of the "bosses,"
excepting in what may be classed as
strictly "saloon wards."
In the saloon wards, where the al-
dermen for instance, were saloonkeep-
ers, or where the saloon Influence pre-
dominated overwhelmingly, the "boss-
es" did not mind reform politics any
more than a rhinoceros would mind
the bite of a mosquito. I never could
understand, knowing the absolute
hopelessness of it, why file reformers
would sometimes try to "break into"
such a ward in an aldermanic cam-
paign. I remember very well the oc-
casion of a gentleman calling on me
and endeavoring to enlist my services
as & speaker In a campaign of this
sort.
"You know the disgraceful condl-
WANTED DOG<5 C/U/CET W/TH A SOFT CEATAJH ROPE
"REFORMED"
"Whose finish?" said I.
"Oh, we will probably be beaten,"
he admitted, "but we want to give
them a campaign of education and en-
lightenment. What that ward needs,
what every ward needs, is a chance to
have its higher nature aroused. What
they want, I'm convinced, is more op-
portunity to see the light."
"My friend," was my reply, "I've
traveled some in that ward. What
they want there is not more light, but
more beer."
Yet, despite sometimes misdirected
energy, these men and their associa-
tions did much in making political
conditions better. For that they de-
serve substantial credit. So long as
they were absolutely non-partisan they
wielded considerable influence, and
properly, but on occasion they allowed
prejudice to bias them and did injus-
tice to good men.
The other type of well-known re-
former was the one who continually
headed "reform" movements. He
might he a candidate for alderman, or
the legislature, or congress. But wher-
ever there was a "kick" corning, arm
a meeting advertised to protest, or or-
ganize, this class would he on hand
early and get the chairmanship of the
meeting, usually coming out in a
"ringing" speech of denunciation
against the infamy which the citizens
had met to combat. This put the re-
former "next" it it was a proposition
to nominate an opposition candidate,
and he often gnc away with the nomi-
nation. Or, if he was a professional
man, a lawyer, a doctor, or a real es-
tate man, even, it was a pretty fair ad-
vertisement, wasn't it? Not so "poor"
fo have your picture in the paper next
day, with a Ions account of you, your
business and your speech, etc. Some-
thing that would have cost you coin
to have in the papers, and you got it
for nothing. And then the reporters
out to interview you and quite a rack-
et started about you.
And In every large city I suppose
there are only a few bright promoters
like that standing around waiting to
sell a gold brie!; or two.
Some of these "reformers" were
pretty fierce when they happened to
land in an office. A few of them were
swept Into the city council astride the
to)) of a wave of "popular indignation"
and they were the hungry boys, some
of them. They were simply on the
qui vive to be "approached." And
when they were tempted they fell
swiftly and without a sound. Their
motto was that of the Hon. Webster
Flanagan, with a different Interpreta-
tion. "What are we here for?" was
their slogan, and they went after fran-
chise "divvies" or any otlu'r "divvies"
like a terrier after a rat.
Real reforms were not so elaborate-
ly advertised us the sham ones; the
louder the "holler" about the reform,
the less genuine reform was in sight.
And then there were the "fad" reform-
ers/ going about seeking what they
might devour. In the shape of having
unmuzzled dogs caught with a soft
curtain rope instead of a wire noose,
cab-horses provided with seats while
waiting for a fare, the distribution of
copies, of Browning's poems to cross-
ing policemen, or some such similar
projects.
There are sometimes uneasy people
in every community who want to run
the rest, of their neighbors; the bigger
the community the greater they are
liable to be in number. And in a city
of two millions of inhabitants they are
sure to be found. They haunt the gal-
lery in the council chamber of the
city, they infest the mayor's office,
t'-ey surge in with the crowds having
hearings in the public offices in the
city halls, and whenever they have no
connection whatever.
Substantial reforms are of slow
growth. It took over 20 years' steady
work to drive the infamous justice of
the peace system out of Cook county.
Some notable reformers went along
very well for a time until they got so
prominent that they were offered a
high-salaried political position. And
then they dropped practically from
sight as reformers and reappeared as
pay roll artists. This caused at times
a revulsion of feeling among the re-
formers at heart, but they did not 1°'
a little thing like that entirely discour-
age them.
I got so (hat I could usually "spot"
a reformer as far as I could see him.
The majority of reformers are very
busy walkers and talkers. They are
not confined to one nationality, al-
though I should judge that the bulk
of them are Americans. They all have
"missions." If you agree with them,
and do everything they ask. you are
"a patriot." If you disagree with some
of them in any way, sliapo or manner,
you are either a scoundrel or without
mental balance. But to be "a patriot"
in the eyes of those who were fanati-
cal you must accede to their demands.
"Patriots," said Sir Robert Peel,
"they spring up like mushrooms in
the night; I can make GO patriots in a
single hour; 1 have only to refuse
Bome unreasonable or absurd request,
when up starts a patriot."
Moil to perennial reform which was
genuine. Not that the reformers did
not occasionally have "an ax to grind,''
but that, in the main, they aided tha
(best candidates. But at limes they
I saddled themselves with some bogus
reformer and jammed him through
at the polls, felicitating themselves
that they had "put another over thu
political plate" when they had ia
reality only added a "cheap grafter'*
to the city's pay roll.
When this happened it made tho
regulation, gilt-edged grafters in the
council indignant. Not that the "re-
former" should turn out to be "look,
ing for something." but that he so
often took anything he could get. This
made trade bad, for it scaled prices
and.such a recruit to the ranks of cor-
ruption causeu a "bear" market, in
votes.
A cheap scoundrel earned just as
much contempt in the council as an
overcoat thief earns.from a railroad
manipulator of stocks. 1 recollect the
arraignment that one of the "regu-
lars" gave one of these easily pur-
chased "reformers."
Said the "regular," puffing slowly at
a big black cigar, the little finger of
his left hand adorned with a four hun-
dred dollar "shiner." and his shirt-
front sporting its mate, presented by
his admiring "constits:"
"1 reckon I size that guy up right,
at the start. I tell em 1 seen what
kind of a lobster he is, the first flop
of the box. I tell 'em, you watch him;
he's no reformer, and he's no thor-
oughbred. He blows up in the stretch
the first time they're off at the gut.
An', savl Did he? Well, lie's elected
all right, and he goes over an' hook''
up with the geezeer in the next ward
that went in the same time he goes in.
Them two frames up and goes out for
the stuff. Do they get it? Yes. they
get it, and how much? Say, on the
level now, on the square, they split
three hundred between em for a little
filing they pull off, A hundred and
fifty apiece, see"'
He paused and took a fresh puff at
his cigar, and resumed: "Why, if any
cheap stiff 'd come to me and try to
insult me with less than $r>00 I'd throw
the skate out of my office." And the
end of his cigar glowed with righteous
indignation. .
(Copyright, !>r Joseph U. Bowl"!")
■lam
Dowb
of
son's widow, Mrs
White Lake, Mich.
Gov. Hoke Smith of Georgia has
signed the convict lease bill, which
hereafter prohibits the leasing of fel
ons except by the consent of the Gov-
ernor or the Prison Commissioner.
Jett Hooten of Denver, 28 years of
age, Friday night fell from a third-
story window in the rear of the El-
dorado lodging house at Denver to the
alley 60 feet below and (l ed six hours
later.
Four hundred cotton mills in Lan-
cashire, Eng., are idle, as a result of
a dispute over wages between opera-
tors and employers, which means that
more than 140.000 operators are out
of work.
Justice Gerard in the Supreme Court
of New York Thursday signed the final
decree of absolute divorce in favor of
Elsie French Vanderbilt from Alfred
GWynne Vanderbilt on the recommen-
dation of Reteree David McClure.
W. .1 McGee of the Geological Sur-
vey, who has returned to Washington
after a visit to the Adriondacks. states
that a conservative estimate of the
damage being done in that section by
! the forest fires is $1,000,000 a day.
Frank, popularly known as "Bud"
Moore, lies dead at his home on Miller
Creek, near Johnson City, having been
shot through the heart with a Win-
chester rifle hall. The shooting occur-
red about a mile from .Moore's ranch
Th ursday.
James Nunnelly of Brooksmith i- in
a critical condition from injuries re-
ceived when thrown from a horse
Tuesday. His should": blade. wrist
and collar bone wet" broken and he
sustained other Injuries The horse
was killed.
.1. W. Hurt, one of the first settlers
of Dublin, killed himself Tuesday by
taking carbolic acid. He was known
to be in the best of health and spirits
for the past few months. He was 56
years old and had been a resident of
what was known as Old Dublin for
over thirty years.
Justice Mills of New York Saturday
denied the application of Harry Thaw
for a trial by jut ', to d' < rmin< wheth-
er or not Thaw is sane, but promised
to give Thaw a hearing before him-
; self, Justice Mills.
Eight Katy engines have been re-
! ceived at Denison after having been
1 rebuilt in the shops at Parsons, Kan.
! Four of them will go into service on
the North Texas division, two will go
into service out of Smlthville, one
i goes into service on the Choctaw di-
vision and one goes to Dallas.
The controller of the currency at
Washington Friday issued a rail on
National banks for a statement of
their condition at the close of busi-
ness on September 2"
Albert O. Brown, Edward Buchanan,
W. Rhea Whitman and Lewis Young
| comprising the failed firm of A. O.
in Chicago Heights in Chicago.
John Heiner, aged 70 years, a mov-1
ing picture exhibitor, who had been
traveling by wagon, was found dead
j in his wagon Saturday at San An-
I tonio. He cam from Castroville.
At Little liock. Ark., W. L. Greer
is in jaii charged with killing J. W.
Reneau, Thursday, with a paper knife.
In a difficulty the former stabbed the
latter ten times, killing him instantly.
News has been received of an earth-
quake off the port of Aculcapo, Mex.,
and it is said ships that were caught
in that territory were tossed about
like chips and several lives were lost.
Before a crown numbering thousands
t'apt. Baldwin's dirigible baloon made
a successful flight Saturday afternoon,
covering six nii-es and executing sev-
eral maneuvers under perfect control .
of -the pilot.
Rain began falling at Clearwater
and at Loir Lawewater, N Y.. at It
o'clock Monday morning and It is re-
ported that indications are for a suf-
ficient downpour to stop the forest
fire ravages.
Negotiations are under way looking
to the regular navigation of the Trin- ,
ity river from Dallas to Galveston,
and it is the intention of those in- ,
terosted to have boats in operation
before the first o£ the year.
In a few days the plans for the I
uunching of the North Dakota, the
I nited States twenty-thousand ton]
2 , battleship, will be made
public and the invitations to the event
which is to be held at Fore River,
Mass., within about four weeks, will]
be sent out. '-•SI
Monday witnessed one of the most
notable gatherings ever assembled in
the national capital, when medical
scientists representing every civilized |
nation united with their brothers
in America in Washington in an ef- ;
fort to solve 'he problem of how best;
to cope with tuberculosis. [
On May S as was reported at the
time, a mob of citizens took John
Williams.' a negro'from the possession
of the Sheriff of Morris county at
Naples and hanged him The granl
jury foi this county at the present j
term have returned ten indictments
against thosi alleged to have been ia
the mob
F;re early Monday morning destroy^
ed the American Rice Milling Com-
panys' plan' at Crowley. La., one of
the largest mills in the city, entailing
a loss of $80,000,
Holland has addr ssed a circular in-
• ruction, through Its diplomatic rep->
iesentatives abroad, presenting lo all
the nations that were represented at
the second peace conference, an in-; j
vination and proposal to hold a diplo« i ;
matic conference to meet at Tha j<s
Hague at a Jute to be agreed upon 0$
j later.
Beginning Friday morning at 9 r*
| o'ciock the Texas State Association of r
, Spiritualists will hold it eleventh an-
; nual convention in Dallas.
The mayor of Denison has ordered Ll
j that the phonographs at the five-cent i
; shows be discontinued. They made so P
much noise at the door entrances that '; ef-
1
the
Brown & Company (stock brokers of I a number of lodges In session could not. K I
New York. were arrested on charges transact business
of grand larccnj as they were leaving I Orders have been issued at the f
the Federal court room Friday where large iron anil steel plants of the!
they were being examined before a j country to prepare fo resumption by
United States commissioner. ' October 1
The United States Post office De j Three Dallas druggists have been iu-
partment Monday inaugurated Its first i dieted by the grand jun for Illegally
ocean mall route by steamer out of 1 selling cocaine
Galveston. The steamer Livingston Fire at o'clock Wednesday morn-
sallod for Fronlcra with bags collect ing destroyed the historic Hancock,
ed at points centering in Texas anil mansion in Hyde Park, a suburb of
Arkansas. The service will be regular Austin. Property los. es are estimated
Not Altogether Painless.
Patience—Is that dentist's methods
painless?
Patrice—Not all of them. He has a
phonograph In his office!—Yonkeri
Statesman.
twice a month.
Because they had to go to school
with negro children sixty white pupils
of the seventh and eighth grades of
the Lincoln school in Topeka, Kan.,
walked out on strike Thursday after-
noon.
at about $15,000,
Fully five thousand delegates and
visitors are hi Denver to attend the
eighty-fourth annual session of tbe
sovereign grand lodge, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, which begfcft
Its deliberations Monday.
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Houx, N. P. The Mexia Weekly Herald (Mexia, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 40, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 1, 1908, newspaper, October 1, 1908; Mexia, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth290185/m1/3/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gibbs Memorial Library.