Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-09
v.
A Good Man and His Woes.

terrupted weeks, In which to Impress myself
upon him; besides, there was Ed. who re-
lated in tedious but effective detail, on the
slightest provocation, the achievements that
had made him my devoted admirer. So.
when 1 went to visit Roebuck, in June, at
his house near Chicago. he was ready to
listen to me in the proper spirit.
1 soon drew him on to tell of his troubles
with Dunkirk-how the senator was gouging
him and every big corporation doing bust
ness in the state. ''Tve been loyal to the
party for forty years. said he bitterly.
yet, If had been on the other side it could
not cost me more to do business. 1 have to
pay enough here. heaven knows. But it
costs me more in your state-with your man
Dunkirk" His white face grew pink with
anger It's monstrous! Yet yoG should
have heard him address my Sunday school
scholars at the last annual outing / gave
them. What an evidence of the power Of
religion it is that such wretches as he pay
the tribute of hypocrisy to it,"
His business and his religion were Roe
bucks two absorbing passions-reiiglon
rapidly predominating as he drew further
away from sixty.
why do you endure this Matchmaking,
Mr.. Roebuck?' l asked He is growing
steadily worse"
He is certainly more rapacious than he
was ten years ago. Roebuck admitted.
Our virtues or our vices, whichever We
give the stronger hold on u.s. become more
marked as we approach judgment. When
we finally go. we are prepared for the place
that has been prepared for us
But why do you put up with his impu-
dence?'
What can we do? He has political power
and is our only protection against the peo-
pie. They have been infiamed with absurd
notions about their rights. They are filed
with envy and suspicion of the rich. They
have passed laws to hamper us in develop
ing the country, and want to pass more
and worse laws. So We must either go out
of business and let the talents God has
given US lie idle in napkin, or pay the
Dunkirks to prevent the people from hav-
ing their ignorant wicked way, and de-
Stroying us and themselves. For how
would they get work if didn't provide
it for them?"
"A miserable makeshift system" said l.
marking back to Dunkirk and his black
mailing, for | was not just then in the
mood to amuse myself with the contor-
@ions of Roebuck's flexible and fantastic
moral sense"
I've been troubled in conscience a great
deal, Harvey, a great deal, about the NOR
to do hope-indeed 1 feel-that we are
justified in protecting our property in the
only way open to u.s. The devil must be
fought with fire, you know"
How much did Dunkirk rob you of last
year," l asked.
Nearly 100000" he said, and his ex
preston suggested that each dollar had
oeen separated from him with as great
punched from his body. There was Dom
nick, besides, and lot Of Infamous strike
pills to be quieted. 1t cost 100000
IN your state alone. And we didn't ask a
slFsie DIT OF new legislation. All the money
was paid just to escape persecution under
those alleged laws! Yet they call this a
free country! When 1 think of the martyr
dom--yes, the mental and moral martyr
W ha do q.
try! what are the few millions a man
may amass In compensation for what he
mas to endure? Why, Sayler, I've not the
slightest doubt you could find WeIl-mean-
ing. yes really honest, God-fearfng peopIe
who would tell you I am a scoundrelI |
nave read sermons delivered from puIplts
against me! Sermons from pulpitsr'
L have thought out a plan" said L after
a moments silent and shocked contempIa-
ton of this deplorable state of affairs, "a
plan 10 end Dunkirk and cheaper the cost
Of political business"
AT cheaper the cost" his big ears twitch-
ed as If they had been tickled
you can't expect to get what you need
for nothing" 1 continued, ''in the present
state of public opinion. But I'm sure /
could reduce expenses by haIf-at least
half.
I had his undivided attention.
1t ls patiently absurd" l went on, that
you who finance politics and keep in funds
these fellows of both machines should let
them treat you if you were their serv-
ant. Why don't you put them in their
place, servants at servants wages?"
But I've no time to go into politics-and
l don't know anything about ft-dont want
to know. It's a low MISUNDERSTANDING
corruption flthness."
Take Dunkirk, for example" l pushed
on His ieutenants and heelers hate him
because he doesn't divide suuarely The
only factor in his power is the rank and file
of the voters of our party. They, I'm con-
vinced are pretty well aware of his hy-
pocrisy-but it doesn't matter much what
they think. They vote like sheep and ac-
cept whatever leaders and candidates
our machine gives them. They are
almost stone blind in their partisan
ship and they can always be fooled
up to the necessary point. And we can
fool them ourselves if we go about il
right just as well as Dunkirk does it for
hire
But Dunkirk is their man, isn't hep
he suggested.
ANY man is their man whom you
choose to give them" replied L And don't
You give them Dunkirk? He takes the
and with it hires the men to sit in the
legislature and finances the machine
throughout the state. 1t takes big money
to run political machine. His power be-
longs to you people, to dozen of you,
and you can take it away from him; his
popularity belongs to the party, and it
would cheer just as loudly for any other
man who wore the party uniform"
Il see he said, refectively; the ma
chine rules the party, and money rules
the machine, and we supply the money
and don't get the benefit. It's as if l let
my wife or one~of my employees run my
property.
Much like that" / answered Now,
why shouldn't you finance the machine
directly and do away with Dunkirk who
takes as his own wages about half what
You give him? He takes 1t and wastes 1t
in stock speculations gambling with
your hard-earned wealth, gambling it
away cheerfully, because he feels that
you people will always give him more"
What do you propose?" he asked and
I could see that his acute business mind
was ready to pounce upon my scheme and
search 1t hopefully If mercilessly.
"A secret, absolutely secret, combine of
dozen of the big corporations of my
state-those that make the bulk of the
political business-the combine to be
under the management of some man
whom they trust and whose interests are
business, not political"
He would have enormous power" said
Roebuck.
I knew that he would point first and
straight at that phase of my scheme no
matter how subtly might disguise 1t. So
had pushed 1t into his face and had all
but pointed at 1t myself so that / might
explain it away. Power said