ALL BY MYSELF

The New York newspapers that opposed Tammany are now accounting for its recent victory on the ground that amateurs, in politics as well as sports, can not survive a clash with professionals. This seems a rather unconvincing explanation of the failure of the Coalition party. It does not necessarily require a strong political organization and the backing of wealthy newspaper owners to hoodwink a city into choosing the wrong candidate. According to the "New York Tribune", Youngstown, Ohio, elected mayor one George Oles, a man who was backed by no party and whose reputation was due entirely to his own advertising. He has been a resident of Youngstown for only three months, having arrived there with a barrel of potatoes an his total assets, yet in that time he has built up the largest food business in the city. He discussed polities in his advertisements of cheaper onlong. If this sounds more like a musical comedy plot than an actual occurrence, his campaign methods will seem like pure farce. No one but his wife aided him in his campaign, his advertisements as a vegetable dealer were the only means by which he acquainted the citizens of his existence: a few days before the election he began holding meetings to which only women were admitted; and finally conducted several public gatherings, in which he imitated the mannerisms of Billy Sunday, waving his arms and shouting. "Here I am: vote for Olea!" But most remarkable of all is the platform he promised his constituents he would support if he sticks to it, Youngstown will do away with street cars altogether; its police will jail every citizen who does not pay his taxes immediately; and will permit, or, rather, "officially protect" the practice of "spooning" in the city parks.

All of which goes to show that amateur success in politics is not beyond the realms of possibility. Were it not for the fact that cities a hundred times the size of Youngstown permit politicians to "pull off" the most incredible hoaxes on the people, the case of Mr. Oles could be passed over as a joke. But remembering this fact, his election is an additional indication that the average intelligence in this country is such that a clever salesman can get away with almost anything.