BUSINESS) ; VERSUS ' POLITICS 1 1 Hcnv "Coups"Are Effected and the People Wonder Why. By ERNEST McGAFTEY "LlweOnrs" Keep ( IN knocking about Tab on Available in politics, speak- Politicians— Un- Ing, electioneering. d ' r ' roun^°" t ' Betivecn City Hdll canvassing, and oc- , nJlnnerCirclesof Casionally casting Commercial Life. about for suitable V J | candidates, togeth er with the more active of the ward politicians, I often met with the "business" men of the ward. Men in all sorts of lines, hardware and "soft ware," real estate men, gro cers, butchers, bakers, plumbers, and other pursuits; coal dealers, printers, Jewelers, restaurant men, tailors —-it was wonderful what a variety there was in the way of business enter prises. Now, no man can carry on any busi ness whatsoever in a ward without finding that politics is going to cut ■ome kind of a figure in his chosen line. It may be directly, or it may be indirectly, but it is sure to affect him in some way. A good many business men simply shrug their shoulders and charge politics to "profit and loss." The condition of a street or district was a matter of politics; the paving and sidewalk surroundings, whether good or bad, meant politics; the health of the ward depended on it; the light ing of the streets at night and the sprinkling of them in summer and the removal of the Bnow in winter was "politics;" the schools, parks, alleys, boulevards —why, the very air one breathed and the water he drank was a matter of politics. And yet the majority of the busi ness men dabbled only in politics as It might happen to affect their particu lar line of work A paving contract or or a sidewalk builder was sure to be active; a grocer or a butcher, passive. Every saloon keeper was an active partisan of both sides, as could be readily inferred from the pictures of all candidates hung conspicuously in his windows, together with a rep resentation of the flag of our country bringing up the rear. Some business men who have large Interests, manufacturers doing a wholesale business, for instance, usu- Ally had some one in their company or corporation, who kept unassuming, but close, "tab" on political doings. These concerns sometimes wanted to "Grab off'' some out-of-the-way little chunk of ground for a stub switch end, to run in cars to their factories; or maybe they wanted to scare away some costly smoke-consuming device; or choke off a paving scheme; or save money in some other way. They very Ehrewdly, therefore, kept in close communication with the ward lead ers of both parties, and while they were of course patriotic, they did not allow patriotism to warp their com mercial judgment. They contributed to the legitimate expenses of the ward and municipal campaigns, generally had some sort WAY; 1 n n Nothing Is So Obnoxious as the Aver age Pedestrian. of representation in the official rosters of the ward clubs, and displayed a commendable activity in public af fairs from the simple reason that they could not afford to be "dead ones." Business men who were active democrats, or active Republicans, as the case might be, boldly hung the pic tures of their party candidates on the outer battlements —meaning the plate glass windows of their establishments. But of course if a man was an "all round" politician, like the proprietor of a "thirst boudoir," he hung them all up, Democrat, Republican, Inde pendent, Labor, Socialist, Socialist- Labor, and even, when waggishly in clined, the portrait of the Prohibition candidate. Now, your "business man" who was on good terms with his employes, was a political power to some extent. He did not control, by virtue of the Aus tralian ballot, the votes of the men who worked in his establishment; but If he was a snrewd man, and treated his men right, he could a good many votes the way he wanted them. iWbat BO easy as to have a quiet "talk with the men," showing them that the prosperity of the business, the suc cess of the (the workmen's bread and butter, d'ye see) depend ed on the election of this or that set of men? Was it done? Well, Well! Certainly when a "boss" was dis liked he could not have swung a soli tary vote with a hawser, but when the men liked and respected him, they could be and were influenced by that magic argument, nationally cele brated, locally vital, the "full dinner pail." This argument could be used in any old election, from alderman to presi dent. These big business men sel dom personally held any Interviews with the "small fry" politicians of the ward. They had their representatives to deal with the question, and when fully identified with any particular party, they were counted onto con tribute to the campaign fund. The popular idea of money spent in polit ical warfare is that it goes for whisky and to bribe voters. Comparatively little goes for whisky to what it was in the old days, and as for bribery, VOTE ROI*LF Every Saloon Keeper Was an Active Partisan of Both Sides. what's the use of "bribing" a man to vote, when he can take the money and vote as he pleases, and no one be the wiser as to hov; he voted? The bulk of the money in campaign expenses goes for thoroughly canvass ing the wards and getting all the vot ing strength out; for sending out cir culars and other campaign literature; for hiring halls, anc| hack hire for ora tors; for brass bands and torch-light processions; for carriage hire to make a thorough canvass of the ward by the candidates; for the precinct captains on election day: for printing bills, and divers other expenses. The money that "goes ovei the bar" is what the candidate himself puts up as a rule. Now the business men contributed their checks to see the men win who they thought would be friendly to them in a pinch; they selected their party candidates when they could, and I am of the opinion that the most of the "big men" wanted absolutely trustworthy and reliable candidates who would not he too ferociously stub born about granting any. little "harm less" privilege. They were bitterly opposed to "graft," of whatever party they happened to belong to, but they had their Individual ideas of what that baleful term meant. For instance, suppose some highly repubtable merchant wanted to ele vate the sidewalk above his place of business to facilitate the handling of freight. Suppose such an elevation practically "hojrged" that part of the sidewalk, to the exclusion of the pass ing pedestrians who demurred at climbing up the elevated sidewalk, there to stumble over skids and through piles of boxes and barrels. Was that any part of the public's busi ness? Pish, and also Pie! Nothing is so obnoxious as the average pedes trian. He is always getting tangled up in electric cars, or cabs, or skids, or wheels, and having his plebeian anatomy defaced or broken by getting in the way of "progress." Then there was another type of business man. This was the type that had no particular ax to "grind." They were "party men," who gen erally held their conferences with the "down town" leaders, and who played "politics" in a genteel way. They never contributed unless they knew where the money was going to, and they did not use politics as a means to an end. Sometimes they were chosen as aldernianic, or other candi dates, and when elected made good officials. They were often selected for posi tions of non-salariod prominence, and they represented what might be termed the passive respectability of the party. The "active" respectabil ity of the parties was divided among the professional men, "big" mer chants, small tradesmen and ward pol iticians, in proportions which varied according to localities. Sometimes one of these men would turn "re former" and often ho made a very per sistent and active man behiud the gun of reform. Reform, bad as it some times is, must be credited with having accomplished much, both in local and national politics. About the only way the average business man could be reached with political argument, was either by mail, or by a personal call. You never saw a "bunch" in your life so immune from campaign oratory. Many of them took their politics from their papers, and voted straight the ticket which their editor had selected for them. They might be induceg tjt read C&tt* CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1908. palgn circulars If they reached the house on Saturday 80 as to be on hand for Sunday, but they "side-stepped" the meetings, unless some bright par ticular star of verbiage had been an nounced to speak. Nationality cut always a figure, sometimes more, sometimes less. In their predilections, but personal interest was the key stone of the arch of their political gateway. Occasionally a proposal to do something which might Interfere with their ideas of right or wrong, or entail considerable pecuniary eac fice upon them, would result in "mass meetings," which were largely attend ed, and at which much pyrotechnical oratory was indulged In. At these mass meetings they generally had the aldermen In th* ward attend; and when the alderman got up to speak, he knew what was expected of him, and usually "went with the current." If he didn't, he would "go up the spout" the next time he ran. The business men In the different wards had a great deal more power than they divined, but as "business" was their first thought, they left pol itics to the politicians; and thereby hung their scalps. But once aroused, and maddened by the sound of human oratory, and they would sometimes de velop into a solid voting force that would sweep the politicians ofT their feet. But as a rule they were apa thetic about everything but the fetish of "business." Those who were business men and politicians combined, who had a pay ing business and a paying combination with official life, were not an unusual sight; and these were surely the subtlest in the game. If their candi date "lost out," and they were gently separated from the "trough," they simply smiled and went on doing busi ness "at the old stand." If their can didate won, and they were retained In office, they won out at "the store," and also at the "city hall," thus both "eating their cake and having It," and outdoing in completeness the southern process of catching the 'possum "a-comin' or a-gwlne." ERNEST M'GAFFET. (Copyright, 1908, by Joseph B. Bowles.) WOULD GET P D OF CAMEL. Pleasant Pros,. t for Purchaser of Man-Killing Beast. There had come with us from Heb ron a Turkish soldier riding a young camel, whose virtues he boasted —and. Indeed, exhibited; the clean limbs, the stride, and the docility of the beast. It Beemed a worthy camel; a camel of excellent humor and of dis tinguished promise; and it was much coveted by the way. At night, as the custom is, the man was used to sleep ing close to his beast, the winds being chill; but now, at Rafleh, while the mules were unloading and the cook was coaxing his fire, ho tethered the camel, flung his saddl' the sand and went off to the mud barracks to hobnob with the Egyptian frontier guard. I was presently alarmed by the cook's outcry and a rising excitement in camp; the docile camel was vicious ly trampling his master's saddle, stu pidly believing that he was engaged in his master's murder—a savage and dreadful attack, a rearing and heavy plunge. "What!" ejaculated the Turk, when he was informed of this."Have I cherished a man killer?" The camel was heartily beaten and reduced to his knees, whereupon his doubled fore leg was tied so that he could rise but with difficulty, and we withdrew to observe hij behavior, for his master was not yet convinced. Rise ho did, a persistent, silent effort, and cautiously approached the saddle, which he attacked as savagely as be fore, but now with one hoof. "I have had a narrow escape," said the Turk; "my camel would have killed me to-night. By God and Mo hammed the Prophet of God!" he swore, "I will put the beast in the bazar at Beersheba." I inquired concerning the future own er's prospect of long life. "He is in God's hands," was the an swer.—Norman Duncan, in Harper's. The Figures Settled It. Two men got into an argument dur ing lunchtime in the Astor house ro tunda at New York the other day. One was from the east, one from the west. Each had many things to say of the infinite inferiority of the rest of the country. Finally the man from the east challenged: "Come out here an' get licked, you big stiff," he begged. "You can't lick me," said the other, decidedly. "Cer'nly 1 c'n lick you!" shouted the man from the east. "Lookee here." He went to a weighing machine near at hand and solemnly climbed up on it. He peered at the dial for a moment. "There!" he eaid in tri umph. "Two hunner' and forty-eight pounds. Cer'nly I c'n lick you." The westerner walked over to the scales and focused one eye on the needlo. "Guess that's rl'," ho com mented. "Gissa drink, bartender." Who can say, after that, there is need for an International Peace so ciety. Automobile Industry Large. Statistics compiled by the tion of Licensed Automobile Manu facturers show that the total value of American-made automobiles for 1907 was $105,669,572. This represents 52,- 302 cars manufactured during the year. Of these, all but 5,000 were gas oline vehicles, the smaller number be ing divided between steam and elec tric machines. United States Has Preference, Out of 557,737 persons who left the United Kingdom in 1907, 338,612 weal to the United States and 203,362 tl British possession*.. —•■> SAVED AT THE CRISIS. Delay Meant Death from Kidney Troubles. Mrs. Herman Smith, 901 Broad Street, Athens, Ga., says: "Kidney t disease started with slight Irregularity and weakness and developed into dan gerous dropsy. I Le carve weak and lan guid, and could do no housework. My back ached terribly. I had bearing down pains and my limbs bloated to twice their normal size. Doctors did not help, and I was fast drifting into the hopeless stages. I used Doan's Kidney Pills at the criti cal moment and they really saved my life." Sold by all dealers. 50 cents a box. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y. PROOF. ') WR She—How do you know he's a book keeper? He—Well, I loaned him a book about five years ago and he never re turned it. OLE MIS' MOON WITH THEM. No Chance of the Visitors Being Homesick in the City. Mme. Fairfax was wont to stand on the porch of her old Virginia home ind rejoice on moonlight nights in the beauty, says the Youth's Companion. 'There's my moon," she would say, is it rose from behind the eastern lills. "Look, Dahlia, see how beauti ■ul it is," and her tiny colored maid, who was ever at hand with shawl or 'an for her beloved mistress, would answer, enthusiastically: "Your moon :ertainly do look pow'ful handsome :o-night." When Mme. Fairfax journeyed to the city to visit her son, Dahlia, look ing ont of the window with wondering jyes on the first evening of her life »way from home, exclaimed, in a voice 3f mingled astonishment and relief: 'Well, 1 declar' to goodness, if ole Mis' Moon ain't done come along to Washington wif me an ole mis'! We 3an't be homesick nohow, wif ole Mia' Moon shining on us." Training of Royal Children. Most of the royal children of Eu rope are brought up much more simply than American children of tba wealthier classes because they ha*e none of the party engagements and school affiliations that take up so much of the time of American chil dren. The Russian children are brought up according to the English customs, living much of the time in the open air, aud are said to be a strong, jolly lot of youngsters, the small boy who is the crown prince imperial being an especially pre cocious youngster. The Sort of Thing He Liked. In an early day in Stone county, Missouri, a farmer's boy rushed into the office of Dr. T. J. McCord of Ga lena and urged the doctor to come quickly to see his father, who seemed to be dying. Said the doctor. "What ails him, and what has he eaten?" The boy said: "Oh, nothing much but 14 roastin' ears for supper." "Well," said the doctor, "just go back and throw him a couple of bundles of oats and tell him 1 will be up there in about 30 minuteß." From Judge's Library. WONDERED WHY Found the Answer Was "Coffee." Many pale, sickly persons wonder for years why they have to suffer so, and eventually discover that the drug —caffeine —in coffee Is the main cause of the trouble. "I was always very fond of coffee and drank it every day. I never had much flesh and often wondered why I was always so pale, thin and weak. "About five years ago my health completely broke down and I was con fined to my bed. My stomach was in such condition that 1 could hardly take sufficient nourishment to sustain life. "During this time I was drinking coffee, didn't think I could do with out it. "After awhile I came to the con clusion that coffee was hurting me, and decided to give It up and try Postum. I didn't like the taste of it at first, but when it was made right —boiled until dark and rich—l soon became very fond of It. "In one week I began to feel better. I could eat more and sleep better. My sick headaches were less frequent, and within five months I looked and felt like a new being, headache spells en tirely gone. "My health continued to Improve and today I am well and strong, weigh 148 lbs. I attribute my present health to the life-giving qualities of Postum." "There's a Reason." Name given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. Read, "The Road to Well ville," In pkgs. Ever read the above letter? A new one appears from time to time. They are genuine, true 4 and full of human Interest. WAS TOO MUCH FOK PAPA. Childish Questions Were Becoming Entirely Too Personal. There is a member of the faculty of George Washington university, who, to use the words of a colleague, "is as rotund physically as he is profound metaphysically," says thi Philadel phia Ledger. One day the professor chanced to come upon his children, of which he has a number, all of whom were, to his astonishment, engaged in an earn est discussion of the meaning of the word "absolute." "Dad," queried one of the young iters, "can a man be absolutely good?" "No." "Dad," putin another youngster, "can a man be absolutely bad?" "No." "Papa," ventured the third child, a girl, "can a man be absolutely fat?" Whereupon the father fled !*• continently. IT SEEMED INCURABLE Body Raw with Eczema—Discha rg«d from Hospitals as Hopeless—Cutl cura Remedies Cured Him. "From the age of three months until fifteen years old, my son Owen's life was made intolerable by eczema in its worst form. In spite of treatments the disease gradually spread until nearly every part of hi 3 body was quite raw. He used to tear himself dreadfully in his sleep and the agony he went through is quite beyond words. The regimental doctor pronounced the case hopeless. We had him In hospitals four times and he was pronounced one of the worst cases ever admitted. From each he was discharged as in curable. We kept trying remedy after remedy, but had gotten almost past hoping for a cure. Six months ago we purchased a set of Cuticura Remedies. The result was truly mar velous and to-day he is perfectly cured. Mrs. Lily Hedge, Camblewell Green, England, Jan. 12, 1907." Socialistic. The Patient —Doc, I can't bay you no money while I ain't gone none, a'ready. Vill you dake it oud in drade? The Dentist—Well, I might consider that. What's your business? The Patient—l lead a leedle Choi man band. Ve'll come aroundt und serenade you effry nigbd for a mont', yet! Biblical. 3peaking of cherry pies we are re minded of that Biblical saying, which goes something like this:"lt is hard 'o bite against the stones." This woman says she was saved from an operation by Lydia E. Pinkham'sVegetable Compound. Lena V. Henry, of Xorristown, Ga., writes to Mrs. Pinkhain: " I suffered untold misery from fe male troubles. My doctor said an opera tion was the only chance I had, and I dreaded it almost as much as death. " One day I read how other women had been cured by Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, and I decided to try it. Before I had taken the first bottle I was better, and now I am en tirely cured. " Evei'y woman suffering with any female trouble should take Lvdia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound." FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN. For thirty years Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound, made from roots and herbs, has been the standard remedy for female ills, and has positively cured thousands of women who have been troubled with displacements, inflammation, ulcera tion, fibroid tumors, irregularities, periodic pains, backache, that bear ing-down feeling, flatulency, indiges tion, dizziness or nervous prostration. Why don't you try it ? Mrs. Pinkham invites all sick women to write her for advice. She has guided thousands to health. Address, Lynn, Mass. SICK HEADACHE _ _• _ Positively cured by P ARTFRS these Little Pills. I Lllw They also relieve Dl«- p tress from Dyspepsia, In digestion and Too Hearty ' D Eating. A perfect rem "A" edy for Dizziness, N»u> ,9, sea, Drowsiness, Bad Taste in the Mouth, Coat ed Tongue, Fain In the ___J ___J Bide, TORPID LIVER. They regulate the Bowels. Purely Vegetable. SMALL PILL. SMALL DOSE. SMALL PRICE. nADTCD'd Genuine Must Bear IJAHILKO Fac-Simile Signature ¥ PILLS. MKM REFUSE SUBSTITUTES. TCTTCD or any of the Irritating C_ I I ur\ skin diseases as well as old or scrofulous sores quickly, surely and permanently cured by the greatest of all remedies, lloyd's Ointment. Your druggist or 50 cents by mail. 1JOY1) OINTMENT CU.MI'AN Y, Kittunning, i'a. One of"the Essentials of the happy homes of to-day is a vail fund of information as to the best methods of promoting health and happiness and right living and knowledge of the world's best products. Products of actual excellence and reasonable claims truthfully presented and which have attained to world-wida acceptance through the approval of tha Well-informed of the World; not of indi viduals only, but of the many who have tHe happy faculty of selecting and obtain ing the best the world affords. One of the products of that class, ol known component parts, an Ethical remedy, approved by physicians and com mended by the Weil-Informed of tha World as a valuable and wholesome family laxative is the well-known Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Spnna. To get its beneficial effects always buy the genuine, manu factured by the California I'ig Syrup Co., only, and for sale by all leading druggists. Good Intentions. "What makes people insist on swim ming beyond the breakers?" "I suppose they are philanthropists in their way and want, to help along the distribution of hero medals." Mr*. Wlmlow's Soothlnc Hyrnp. For children tcrthlnic, soften* tlio (furus, riMluce* ft* (lamination, aliaya pain, curcu wind collo. 'On a bottle. A coat of arms doesn't always hida the family skeleton. If Your Feet Aclie or Burn get ii 25c package <>f Allen's Foot-Base. It gives quick relief. Two million packages sold yearly. Be careful not to stumble over your own bluff. FOR SUN Ww&A BLEMISHES As well as for the preserva tion and purification of the skin no oth£r skin soap so pure, so sweet, so speedily effective as Cuticura. For eczemas, rashes, inflamma tions, chafings, sunburn,' wind irritations, bites and stings of insects, lameness and soreness incidental to outdoor sports, for the care of the hair and scalp, for sanative, antiseptic cleans ing, as well as for all the purposes of the toilet, bath and nursery, Cuticura Soap and Cuticura are unrivaled. Guaranteed absolutely pure, and may be used from the hour of birth. Sold throughout the world. Depots: London, 27. Charterhouse Sq.; Paris, ft. Hue do la Palx: Austra lia. R. Towns & Co., Sydney; India. B. K. Paul. Calcutta; China, Hong Kong Drug Co.; Japan. Muruya, Ltd., Toklo; Russia, Ferrtln, Moscow! So. Africa. Lennon, Ltd., Cape Town, etc.; U.S.A. Potter Drue Chem. Corp., Sole Props., RoatoaL ay-Poet Free. Cuticura booklet on tu» akin. , - % HAIR BALSAML WS&sJK Clean«<-» and beautifies tho nair, H Promotes a luxuriant growth. Never Falls to Reetoro Gray -gW Hair to its Youthful Color. WIDOWS' und " r NEW LAW obtained PENSIONS Washington, D. O. K £K'l Thompson's Eye Water A. N. K.—C (H9O8 —32) 2242. 7
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers