Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-16
XII.
Burbank Fires the Popular Heart.

Burbank Fires the Popular Heart.
That was indeed wild winter at the
state capital-a Carnival OF corruption"
the newspapers Of other states called It.
One of the first Of the black bills" to go
through was disguised street railway
grab. out of which Senator Croffut got
handsome counsel fee" of ffty-odd thou
sand dollars. But as the rout went on
ever more audacously and recklessly he be-
came uneasy In mid-February he was
urging me to go west and try to do some
thing to curb those Internal grabbers." 1
refused to interfere. He went himself and
Woodruff reported to me that he was run
ming round the state house and the hotels
like crazy man; for when he got into the
thick of it he realized that 1t was much
worse than 1t seemed from Washington. In
a rev days he was back and at me again.
ITS very strange" said he suspiciously
The boys say they're getting nothing out
of it. They declare they're simply obeying
orders"
Whose orders?' 1 asked
Il don't know" he answered his eyes
Sharply upon me. But l do know that,
unless something is DONE I'll not be re-
turned to the Senate. Wen lose the legis-
lature, sure. next fall"
1T does look that way" 1 said with a
touch Of melancholy. That street railway
grab was the beginning of our rakes prog
ress. We've been going it, hell bent, ever
since"
He tossed his handsome head and was
about to launch into an angry defense of
hlmself. But my manner checked him He
began to plead. You can stop it, Sayler.
Everybody out there says you can. And,
II L am reelected, I've got good chance
for the presidential nomination. Should
get II ana be elected we could form a COM
bnation that would interest you, 1 think"
1t was a beautiful irony that in his con-
ceit he should give as his reason why
should help him the very reason why 1 was
not sorry he was to be beaten. For, al
though he was not dangerous, still he was
rival public figure to Burbank in our state,
and-wel accidents sometimes happen, un-
less they're guarded against
What shall l do?" l asked him.
Stop them from passing any more black
bills. Why, they've got half dozen ready
some of them worse even than the two
they passed over Burbank's veto, a week
ago.
For Instance"
He cited three power trust bills
But why don't you stop those three?"
SAID l. 'Ihey're under the special patron
age of Dominick. You have influence with
'Dominick!' he groaned. Are you sure?'
And when l nodded emphatically, he went
on: TN do what l can, but" He threw
up his hands.
He was off for the west that night When
he returned, his face wore the look Of
doom. He had always posed for the benefit
of the galleries. especially the women In
the galleries But now he became sloven In
dress, often issued forth unshaven, and sat
sprawled at his desk in the Senate, his chin
on his shirt bosom, looking vague and
starting when any one spoke to him.
Following my advice the day when /
sent him away happy, Burbank left the cap
ital and the state just before the five worst
bills left the committees. He was called TO
the bedside of his wife, who, so all the news
papers announced, was at the point of death
at Colorado Springs.
While he there nursing her as she
"hovered between life and DEATH" the bills
were damned through the senate and the
assembly.
He telegraphed the lieutenant governor
not to sign them, he returning and
wished 10 deal with them himself. He
reached the capita! on a Thursday morning,
sent the bills back with ringing veto
message, and took the late afternoon train
for Colorado Springs. 1t was as good A
political ''grandstand play as ever thrilled
people.
The legislature passed the bills over his
veto and adjourned that night.
Press and people, without regard to party
lines, We're loud in their eXecrations of the
abandoned and shameless wretches" who
had betrayed the state and had covered
themselves with eternal infamy.' ! quote
from editorial in the newspaper that was
regarded as my personal organ. But
there was only praise for Burbank; his
dependence and had suspected him of will
ingness to do anything to further his per-
sonal ambitions, admitted that he had
shown fearless courage, infiexible honesty
and the highest Ideals of private sacrifice
to public duty And they eagerly exag
gerated him, to make his white contrast
more wildly with the black of the satanic
spawn" in the legislature. His fame spread,
carried far and wide by the sentimentalty
in that supposed struggle between heart
and conscience, between love for the wife
of his bosom and duty to the people
Carlotta, who like most women took no
interest in politics because 1t lacks heart
interest" came to me with eyes swimming
and cheeks aglow She had just been read
ing about Burbank's heroism.
isn't he splendid,' she cried. II always
told you he'd be President. And you didn't
believe me-
BE patient with me, my dear" said l.
81 am not a woman with seven-league boots
of Intuition l. only a heavy-footed man."