The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-01-21
THE GETTING OF A VOTE.

John Gitkinz had spent two terms ir the United States Senate and was anx.
 ious to go back for another six years
 Unfortunately his prospects did not ap. pear to be the brightest. The Legisla ure of the far western state which
 would meet to choose his successor
 within two months was evenly diVid-
 ed. Exactly half its members on joint ] ballot belonged to the political organ
 ization of which Senator Gitkinz was l ono of the heads. For purposes of
 identification 1t may be called the Blue
 party. The Red party, which was bit
 terly opposed to Senator Gitkinz, had
 an equal number of votes in the Legis-
 lature, lacking only one. The odd man
 was State Senator Marr, elected as an
 independent from one of the interior
 counties of the state If Marr voted for
 Senator Gitleinz his election was as- sufed. If, as was expected, he voted for the caucus nominee of the Red par ty, it would be necessary to detach some opposition member from his par ty allegiance. That was the problem which Senator Gitl1in2 was facing. Three men sat in a little room open- into the library of Senator Gitkinz's
 house in the Town of Carton. They
 were smoking and looking into the fire.
 Gitkinz himself was a large man of
 fifty-flve, dressed so we'll that his
 clothes were not at all noticeable His
 heavy figure was topped by large and
 well shaped head. His iron gray hair
 was worn long and his face smooth
 shaVen. With his deep set black eyes and eagle beak he looked not unlike the
 pictures of Daniel Webster Early in
 his political career the resemblance had
 been marked and he had ever since
 cultivated it. Even great men, it may be remarked, have their little vanities.
 The man standing next to the table
 was Gregory Uppman, for more than
 fifteen years the private secretary of
 Senator Gitknz. He was rather small, with a smooth manner, an educated hand grasp and a thorough acquaint- ance with practical politics
 The third man in the room was Charles Swerin tall, thin, and gaunt, with faded blue eyes looking out through big bowed gold glasses. He looked the part of a student-a chess player, perhaps, or philosopher, used to concentrating his mind for a long time on an abstruse problem. Swerin's name never got into the papers. He had no apparent business. Yet he lived we'll and was always well supplied with money. To the few he was known as ''the brains of Senator Gitkinz."
 The three were completing their plan of action for the campaign so close at hand.
 I've gone over all of them,'' said Swerin, and I think we had better con- on old Senator Marr It will seeem more natural if he fiops than if one of the regular Reds comes over to US. Let's see what you've got on Marr, Gregg?"
 The private secretary got up, unlock ed and opened the doors Of tall cab inet. It was filled with little pigeon holes, each of them numbered. in a drawer below was list of the members of the State Legislature, the number each name being the same as that on one of the pigeonholes above. He ran his finger down the list to the name of Marr, noted the number op- posite it, and then pulled from the cab inet the little tin box which bore the same number. The box was half filled with papers and clippings.
 Mar was born in New York State" began Uppman. His father was a farmer. The old man died while Marr vas in the district school, and he has had to support the family ever since. He was admitted to the bar when he vas forty years old He is attorney for he street car company which owns the [ inc in Hartil, his home town. This is he first time he fas ever held office. Is rated at from $5000 to $10000. Per < 'onally he is said to be prohibitionist, ' hough when he was in Chicago last winter he took a little fun with the [ )oys He has an exemplary reputation < n Hartil. Dorson does not think him , man of strong character"
 q think I know how to manage old nan Marr," said swerin, after a mo- nents pause. Does he know you, iregg?"
 No; I never saw him in my life"
 well, l want you to find out all about that street railway line which e represents as attorney Get it's cap- tai, its condition and the names of it's hief owners, and try to find out whether 1t can be bought a a reasona- Ie price,
 Within a week State Senator Marr eceived a letter from a Chicago lawyer skiing if the Hartil street car line, for which he was attorney, was on the 1arket. If 1t could be bought at reas- nable figure, the lawyer wrote, he night be able to find purchaser for It.
 It happened that the Hartil street car onpany had never been a profitable investment. It's owners were local apitallsts, who had been chiefly moved } build the line by town pride The est it had ever done was to pay ex- enses. It's owners, as Marr knew, ould be delighted to get the property if their hands, provided only that it light ebmaintained and kept running
 lie held conference with the men ho owned most of it's stock before a answered the letter from Chicago. hen he wrote that, while the company as rot anxious to sell out, it might 'nsder an offer of $75000. The Chicago an came back with proposition to ay $50000. There followed further tgotia,ions by correspondence. Finally [arr was asked to make a trip to ticago to talk the matter over. Before 3 left an upset price of $55, ,000 was Xed for the property. ''We'll let it go at $55.000,' the presi- s mt of the company said to Marr as t le latter stepped on the train l