Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-22

Itself upon the year-gone triumph of
agrarianism in the state. In the up
heaval, the capital city had particle
pated to the extent Of electing ma
jority Of the aldermen on the Bucks
party ticket; and before long it de-
veloped that a majority of this al
derman1c majority could be counted
among the spoilsmen-was in fact
creature for the larger ring.
" Late in the summer an ordinance
was proposed by the terms Of which
single corporation was to be given
franchise granting a complete mo-
nopoly Of the streets for gas and water
mains and transit rights Of way.
Thereupon bitter struggle ensued.
Party lines were obliterated, and men
who stunned the primaries and other
wise shirked their political duties
raised the cry Of corruption, and
civic league was formed to fight the
ring. ~.
In this struggle, as giving him the
chance to front the enemy in fair
field, David Kent flung himself with
all the ardor of born fighter. Mass
meetings were held. with Kent AZ
spokesman for the league. and the
outcome was a decency triumph which
brought Kent's name into grateful
public prominence. Hildreth played
an able second, and by the time the
obnoxious ordinance had been safely
tabled, Kent had a semi-political fol-
lowing which was all his own. Men
who had hitherto known him only as
corporation lawyer began to prophe-
sy large things of this fiery young ad-
vocate, whose arguments were sound
and convincing as his invectiye was
keen and merciless.
Figuratively speaking, Portia stood
In the wings and applauded. Also,
she saw that her protege had reached
the point where he needed grooming
for whatever race lay before him.
Hence her urgings, which made tri-
umvirate out of the council OF. two,
with Brookes Ormsby as the third
member.
On the porch Of the Brentwood
apartment house was David Kent.
With the striking of the city hall clock
at nine Mrs. Brentwood had COM
planned Of the glare of the electric
crossing-lamp and had gone in, leav-
ing the caller with Penelope in tho
hammock on one side of him and
Elinor in basket chair on the other.
Their talk had been of the late num-
c1pal struggle, and Of Kent's part in
it: and, like Miss Van Brock, Penelope
was applausive. But Elinor's congrat-
ulations were tempered with depreca-
ton. zr.sGs-. s.@s
Il am glad you won for the league,
Of course: everybody must be glad of
that" she said. But I hope the Ar
gus didn't report your speeches cor
rectly. II 1t did, you have made a
host Of bitter enemies ..s .=z 81. +
" What does mana real man
care for that?" This from the depths
Of the hammock. -. y " II 3 LYNN b.
II, at least. can afford to be care
less" said Kent. II am not running
for Office, and have nothing else to
lose, politically or otherwise Il
Can any man say that truthfully?''
Elinor queried. 5 /. ., q . . . Isl
90 think can. have given no hos
tages to fortune . X. =.. s:'=s .s.
But / think you owe It to yourself
to be more careful IN your public ut
terances. " she insisted. II these
men on the other side are only hall
as unprincipled as your sccusations
make them out to be, they would not
stop short Of personal violence. =
= am not hunting clemency Or per-
sonal immunity Just nov, I" laughed
Kent. 3 On the contrary, I am only
anxious 10 make the score @ heavy
- possible And g far from keeptna