Yale University Law School - Yale Law Reporter Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

Page 102 text:

96 Tllli 'YAI,li Sl'lINGl,li. pendent Republicans. Twenty-live of us are out and out Democrats, and there is one Mugwump. One bold fellow says he owes allegiance to no party. The rest are too young to know what they are politically. Thirty-one men believe in protection in different degrees, while only ten men believe in absolute free trade. Five men think that a mean should be struck between the two, and several others believe in a tariff for revenue only. Several men favor free trade on principle, but think that the arti- licial condition to which the country has been brought by long continued protection, renders the further maintenance of the same imperative under the cir- cumstances. Two men say they believe in both in reason, although it is hard to understand how this happy compromise is possible. Twenty men believe that the ten per cent. tax on the issues of State banks is a wise provision, but ten others favor a repeal of the law imposing it. One man says he will never believe that the tax is improper while he can remember '49, and another scents immediate danger in repeal. In the future an appeal may become expe- dient, one thinks, and another thinks that a proper substitute for this law can be found in one requiring State bonds as securities for issues. Quite a number have formed no opinion on the subject. The Campaign Clubs drew about twentv men from our class, fourteen of these were in the Phelps' Bri- gade and six in the Cleveland Guards. Free liquor and lunches were held out as inducements to parade and although these usually proved mythical, five or six times each faction marched about the town I

Page 101 text:

' . ...I POLITICAL. Since the overwhelming victory of Cleveland our class has been very quiet on the subject of politics. The Republicans are still sore, the Democrats are generous. The ring in the Kent Club managed to survive, but one who had known us in the fall of 1892 would hardly recognize us now as the same class. Twelve of our number were so foolish as to vote for Harrison then, and two of these even con- fess that they had been guilty of the same folly in 1888. Eight wise men voted for Cleveland when he was last before the people for election. Major Cal- lahan has voted the straight Democratic ticket since 1872, and Conlon has never scratched but one Dem- crat, and then he bolted with his party. Two men have voted for the last three years, but most of the voters in the class have only exercised this right since the last Presidential election. Governor Morris and Governor Russell each owe our class graditude for one vote, and even the present Governor of Vermont received a vote from one member of the class. One man took advantage of the opportunity to vote for Averill for Registrar. All the voting of another has been for himself, and a third has voted an incalculable number of times to adjourn the Kent Club. Thirty- Hve men have voted at elections occurring at some time or place. Twenty-eight men are thoroughbred Republicans, one is inclined in that direction and two are Inde-

Page 103 text:

'I'lIl'1 YAI.l'l SIHNGLI-I. 97 beneath the glare of the red light which was so lav- ishly supplied. Captain Lawlor and Lieutenant Donovan were in their elements--the rest of the company consisted of Ward and Reynolds, besides the ofhcers and a few Seniors. We marched through all native kinds of mud and many doubtful districts of the town, where our numbers and splendor were our only protection. Sometimes jeers and boots were our portion, at others we found the crowd gen- tlemanly and sympathetic. Very few interesting events are recorded. The election of Cleveland twhich was no doubt assured by the paradesl was most satisfactory to one, while Wayne McVcagh's oration pleased another most. Some men cannot remember minutely just what did occur. One gives this following vivid description of a parade towards its close: Stormy night, deep mud, borrowed suit, long march, vociferous lungs, weary, but patriotic. Another sums up his experience thus: llat burned, feet wet-saw a light. Several men got into trouble on account of handling Roman candles carelessly. One man says he nearly blew a fellow's head off, but left before anything interesting ensued. As we look back, we can hardly understand why we should incur such risks for the little good and pleasure such campaigning affords. Eight men, Conlon, Cromer, Averill, Callahan, Hedden, Freeman, R. P., Dowd and Barker have held public ofhce. Registrar, Justic of the Peace, Councilman, Ofhcial Stenographer, Court Clerk, etc., have been their titles. Hawkes says indignantly that