The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1906-06-22
THE DECIDING
VOTE
BY d. j. LAYTON
Copyright, by Joseph b. BoWles.)


The green presented an unwonted ap-
pearance of activity. The bar at the
ancient hotel near the state house was
rapidly reducing the mortgage on the
property.
1t was the last day of the legislative
session. For four years the state had
been unrepresented in the United States
senate. The factional quarrel in the
Republican party, unimportant at first,
had become a national question. The
whole country was divided into Allison
and anti-Allison adherents.
Allison had begun the present session
with solid array of Is votes. He
crawled slowly up to 20, and there he
stopped. Arguments, threats, persua
sion availed nothing. Every scheme
known to political science had been
tried. Dickers and deals had been met
with counter deals. The Democrats and
the anti-Allison men could not combine
and Allison could not land another sin
gle supporter. Another deadlock
seemed imminent.
Each day for over a week the clerk
had announced: For John Allison,
20; for Randolph Keener, 26; for
Henry Thomas, 4. Necessary to a
choice, 3d." and the speaker, bitter
ANTI" had drawled out, with his
nasal twang and with an increasing
satisfaction as the prospect for an cleo
ton lessened, "and no one having ma
jority of the votes of those present and
voting, declare no election
1t was II o'clock; the final ballot
would be taken at noon.
Allison was sitting in the governors
private room, talking with the governor
and the secretary of state.
Allison was tall, heavy man, who
dressed we'll, but quietly. In his lapel
he wore a plain Grand Army button.
His was a strong, kindly face, though
careWorn.
IF I thought that crowd were sin
cere in their principles" said he, ";f
their methods were cleaner than mine,
would respect them at least, and would
have stepped aside long ago. But it's not
reform they're after. They want to lick
me. Thomas ran up against me in
financial deal some years ago, and he's
been after me ever since.
-Four men oppose our 20. Speaker
Henry, owned body and soul by
Thomas; Snyder and Hall, two unmiti-
gated rascals if there ever were any,
aad old Wood, the only member they
have from the country, and the only
honest one they have. Why, he really
thinks Thomas never spent a dollar in
this fight. had some hopes that he
might be with us, but he's as stubborn
as a mule. had talk with him last
night.
were, but it seems that Thomas holds
the winning card. He has powerful
friends and powerful interests, and
some way he has the press of the country
back of him. He seems certain to de-
feat me now, but there's a reckoning!"
The auditors Office was the headquar-
tiers Of the "'Antis." 1t was unoccupied
save for two men. They were talking
together in low tones.
One was tall and thin, with peculiar
cast in his eye. His eyes never met you
squarely; they were over you, besideyou,
beyond you, but never at you. He was
Snyder, a member of the house and
leader of the Thomas forces. He was
nervously, chewing the end of cigar,
Jerking his sentences out rapidly. Il
tell you, Hail." he said to his compan-
ion, a dark, heavy man with cold, i'm
passive countenance, Il tell you, it had
to be done. saw Allison have him in
tow yesterday, and you know what that
means. l knew something was up.
thought of those mortgages the first
thing. Woods all right, but he's
cranky, and he's shark for money.
He's got couple of mortgages on that
place Of his, aud he'd turn a corner
quick as creased lightning to save that
precious farm. You bet Allison had
something to say about them I tell you
it was what saved us this time. We've
got EN- sure now, and with Allison
safe at home and not mussin' up things
down at Washington, We'll see who gets
the Offices
Snyder" said Hall, rousing him
self; you've made mistake approach
ing Wood about those mortgages. l
know Wood, used to court one of his
daughters, and he's as straight as a
string. He's one man that;ll stand
without hitching He'd kick the traces
pretty quick if he knew some of the
tricks we've been working. He may
have changed, though" he went on.
musingly; people do. I did. There
was time when would have knocked
a man down if he had tried to inf1u-
ence my vote, and now these lobbyists
come to me the first one. I'm inclined
to take your judgment, for you've got
long head and a sharp eye, when
there's rascality going on. Let's get
up"
The rasping voice of the speaker
called the assembly to order.
Some one moved in a perfunctorv
manner that the joint assembly do
proceed to ballot for the election of
United States senator - Tho b,n,