The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-12-03
Gle 1illon Grib,,rt.
THE STORY OF A mine.
Bv BRET HARTE.
copyrighted, 1886, by I1o, 5hton, Mif'in Co., and
published by arrangement with thcm.!

Copyrighted, 1885, by Ho;: 5hton Mif1'in & Co., and
published by arrangement with thcH.!
Hard by sat another secretary, whose estab.
ished functions seemed to be the nlisrepre-
eentation OF the nation abroad by tho least
characteristic Of its classes, the politicians
and only then when they had been defeated
as politicians, and when their constituents had
declared them no longer worthy to be even
their representatives. The national absurdity
was only equaled by another, wherein an ex-
politician was for four years expected to up
hold the honor Of flag of great nation
over ON ocean he had never tempted, with
discipline the rudiments of which he could
scarcely acquire before he was removed, or
his term of office expired, receiving his orders
from q superior officer as ignorant Of his
special duties as himself, and subjected to the
revision of congress cognizant of him only
as politician. At the further end OF the
avenue was another department SO vast in its
extent and SO varied in its functions that few
of the really great practical workers Of the
land would have accepted its responsibility
perfect constitution in the world handed over
to men who were obliged to make it step
ping stone to future preferment. There was
another department, more suggestive Of its
financial functions from the occasional ex-
travagances or economies exhibited in its pay
rolls-successive congresses having taken other
matters out of its hands-presided over by an
official who bore the title and responsibility
of the custodian and disburser of the nations
purse, and received salary that a bank
president would have shifted at For it was
part of this constitutional inconsistency and
administrative absurdity that in the matter
of honor, justice, fidelity to trust and even
business integrity, the official was always ex-
pccted to be the superior of the government
he represented Yet the browning inconsist-
ency was that, from time to time, it was sub
mitted to the sovereign people to declare II
these various inconsistencies were not really
the perfect expression of the most perfect
government the world had known. And it
representative, orator and unfettered poetry
were that it was!
Even the public press lent itself to the great
inconsistency. It was as clear as crystal to
the journal on one side of the avenue that the
country was going to the dogs unless tho
spirit of the fathers once more terminated
the public; it was equally clear to the journal
on the other side of the avenue that only a
rigid adherence to the letter of the fathers
would save the nation from decline. It was
obvious to the first named journal that the
"letter' meant government patronage to the
other journal; it was potent to that journal
that the "shekels' of Senator x really ami
mated the spirit of the fathers. Yet all
agreed that it was great and good and per-
feet govern,nent-subject only to the preda-
tory inculsions of hytlra-headed monster
known Is a "ring." The rings origin was
wrapped in secrecy, its fecundity was alarm
natural, its digestion was perfect and easy.
It circ,llnvolved all affairs in an atmosphere
of r,---atcry; it clouded all things with the
dust end ashes of distrust. All disappoint-
lnent OF place, of avarice, of incompetency or
ambition, was clearly attributable to it. It
even pcrmeatcd private and social life; there
were rings in our kitchen and household SER
vice; in our public schools, that kept the
active intelligences Of our children passive;
there We're rings Of engaging, handsome, dis
solute young fellows, who kept lis moral
but unengaging seniors from the favors
of tho fair; there were subtle, co,,spirng
rings among our creditors which sent us into
bankruptcy and restricted our credit. In
fact it would not be hazardous to say that all
that was celanlitous in public and private ex-
perience was clearly traceablc to that COM
bination of power in a minority over weak
ness in ma or;ty-known as Il ring.
HAPPY there was body of dorligods, as
yet uninvokcd, who should speedily settle all
that. When Smith, of Minnesota, Robinson,
of Vermont, and Jones, of Georgia, returned
to congress from these rural scclusions Sc
potent with Information and SO freed from
local projudices, it was understood, vaguely
that great things would be done. This was
always understood There never was time
in the history of American politics when, tc
luded to, ''the present session OF congress" die
not ibid fair to lie the most molnentous il
our history" and did not, rs far as facts go
leave a vast amount Of unfinished importan,
business lying hopelessly upon its desk, hav
ing "bolted" the rest us rashly and with a!
the American traveller has for his railway
refreshment.
In this capital, on this languid midsummer
day, in an upper room of one of its sccont
ratio hOta1s tho Hon. Pratt C. C1ash.yi1cr s0