The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-03
A POLITICAL SUICIDE


nj the little prairie station. portly grey
haired man shook hands with several cih-
gems. who bowed obsequously, then entered
the chair car" At the front of the long
train. watching 1t all was Martin of the
Third ward-slender, keen-eyed, and de-
termined. As the train started he swung
on the steps of the smoker and went inside,
When they were well away from the
town and were speeding between high
walls Of corn and glistening seas of wheat.
Martin sauntered through the train, until
he came to the chair car. The por,ly.
grey-haired man sat in the rear seat. look
ing thoughtfully out Of the window. Mar
tin leaned over.
Come back to the diner with me, Blair.
The ether was startled
You en- board? / thought / left all Of
you fellows behind" with a forced smile.
NO; want to have talk with you Dy
myself"
The twain made their way to the rear OF
the train and sat at small table laden
with china and silver.
Get a good dinner urged Martin, as
the waiter approached.
So there were soups. roasts. and deserts
but little conversation until the last
course The train halted again. Martin
ton platform recognized him, and he was
unconsciously little proud that he was
seen at table in the dining-car with the
Congressman Of the district-two luxuries
OF moment to the prairie population.
WELL" began Martin. as the putting en-
CINE resumed its flight from mountain to
sea, how did you find things?"
Pretty bad. Martin. The fight is the
worst one in the district
And you can't afford fights" with Just
the suspicion of a sheer.
mo; / can't; and that is what worries
me. I've just got to have another term,
Martin
al thought so-welI. fix things so that
McLaren can win and you'll get Mattel
county in the convention"
MAY be; but honestly and frankly,
Martin-Tm talking to you as friend
now-how can turn down the old man %
That's your lookout. We made our
fight on you for the nomination two years
ago and got licked. Your friends laughed
at US and threw rocks at us. but that was
all right. You know all that. and there's
no need Of beating around the bush be-
tween u.s." He glanced uneasily over his
shoulder to make sure that no one was
listening. I'VE have been fixing up our
fences and Mateel county is going against
you sure this time-unless We get to-
gether. Our side of the party is going to
be recognized this time. We're only COM
mon prairie folks and may be don't look
so nice as some you've been rubbing up
against in Washington. but you've got to
have our county's vote in the convention
to nominate you-what do you say"
Martin had rehearsed this speech to
himself several times, and delivered it
with a feverish earnestness that was not
lost on his listener.
The Congressman was looking out Of the
window, but he did not see the fields OF
grain nor the waving corn. He saw in the
cumulus clouds near the horizon the SWELL
ing dome Of the Capitol at Washington
and his seat on the left side of the Rep
resentative chamber. He saw bank book
with 20. D." in red ink at frequent in
tervals and some notes signed by friends
and used in his campaign expenses. At
last he spoke:
I'm think about it. Martin. / want to
do what's the best thing for the party
and for the town, of course. You know
Landors making strong fight for the
place-and suppose he needs it."
SO do lots OF people need 1t. but this
Amt charity proposition. You have got
to look out for your own fight and the
party's. Now, McLaren has been commit
teeman from the First ward for four
years.
Hasn't Landor been a good member Of
the party"
Yes. 1 suppose so-but. you see. he is
kind of a back number. not one of the boys.
You know what l mean. He used to Go
things, but don't get to the front now"
Well. he certainly has lots of friends.
used to know him we'll. and he is a very
good man. but I'll see about it and Will re-
member what you've said
Blair had been trying for months to de-
eide whom to recommend for appointment
for postmaster at AFFORD. The district was
pivotal and had been carried by the opposi-
tion three times in the past decade. His
party in the county of Mateel. of which Ak
ford was the county seat. was divided into
factions. One was loyal to him, and the
other. of which Martin (who was ambitious
for honors later on) was the leader, had
fought AIS nomination in both OF his former
contests Now the bitterness endangered
threatened TO lose him the delegation from
Mateei-and that might mean loss of the
nomination. He had Just been to the town,
but accomplished little.
TO think" he unused when Martin had
left him, and he was riding hoiae alone
that men elected TO make the laws for the
nation should be compelled to give their
time to setting the quarrels over a fifteen
hundred-dollar postofficei" But then came
the recollection of his own anxiety to win
and he was as far from a decision as ever
II.
When Martin reached home. the sheriff
and the editor Of the party paper, his p5lit-
ical cronies. met him.
Well, get any good news?' asked the
sheriff when they were away from the
crowd.
Not much; but say, fellows, believe
its all right. He talked to me mightyn ce
end
be careful. He is worried little about
Landor. guess. but is about ready TO give |
up"
The county convention Is called for a |
week from Saturday" remarked the editor, |
"Blair'H have TO come back.
Thatli settle the postofice. them"
Yes. the man who heads the delegation
will be boss. Can We make it,"
Course We can-but it'll take lot O,
hustiing, LOT Landor's no SLOUGH. / want to
tell YOU
The next two weeks were lively ones I'M
true prairie style the leaders canyasscs I
every township and almost every man In
the county. Not all the voters UNDERSTOOD
the Significance of the convention-but the
managers did. They knew that the selec-
ton Of a Congressman from twenty ooun-
ties might depend on the company OF eel
egates who were to gather in the shabby
courtroom Lander drove night and day.
wrote letters. and organized his frin ds. |
Martin and his party exercised their pull"
and fixed their fences" but were gene
rally reticent. There was a general feel
ing however. that they knew what they
were doing.
Blair arrived the night before the con-
vention. and had rooms at the Avenue
House. wheie all were made at home. Cor
respondents for the city papers were in the
hotel lobby, and whispering "fixers.- with