The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-28
The Politicians
Nall1esake
By ARTHUR HEEDRIcK vANDENBERc


There comes a time in the career
of every autocrat when his power
wanes and his supremacy crumbles in
defeat. The career Of Dan Crimmins.
Boss, was no exception.
The politicians said that Dan car
ried the Fifth ward in his vest pocket.
The politicians said that Dan asked
an exorbitant price for the Fifth ward,
but they were always on the anxious
seat until arrangements were COM
pleted" for Dams influence. Many a
time the knowing ones had tried TO
win in the Fifth without the Boss.
Their measures proved to engender
a strange and fatal unpopularity
among the people,
the city If Dan was with them. be-
cause Dan swung the Fifth ward, and
the Fifth decided the result. They
were equally sure to lose II Dau was
against them.
The politicians said Dan was dis
honest I'm straight as a string"
answered the Boss. when I'm
bought, stay bought. Honesty is
the best policy-sometimes It's
more satisfactory to beat man at his
own game. and in politics that don't
mean honesty. l never dickered with
the tally sheets yet, and never in
tend to-not while l live to look my
son I'm the face
Dan met his Waterloo in the Clay
Sullivan mayoralty contest. Sullivan
was notoriously crooked. Clay was as
notoriously straight. Sullivan had
served one term as mayor, and had
narrowly escaped indictment by the
grand jury on charges Of bribery and
conspiracy growing out OF water
scandal. Now he was out for an
other term. for vindication," as he
called it. Clay was a fusion candi-
date, and carried several wards solid
ly at his back.
Dan acted with unusual care In TAX
ing sides in the contest, because his
son had returned and was. associated
with him. The politicians namesake
was his only son, and the boy was
the pride of his fathers heart. Dan
would have bartered every cent OF
his somewhat shady gains before he
would have allowed the boy to sathom
the inside story of his political career
Inscrutable destiny made him give up
his supremacy in the Fifth ward to
maintain the respect Of his namesake.
Some one asked him whether the
boy inherited his fathers political
genius
Dams never going to put lis dn-
ger in tn game, gentlemen" replied
the Boss. earnestly. He's too honest.
can't even control his vote myself.
No, stree, the boys going to grow up
IN another ward besides the Fifth"
Sullivan called on Crimmins the
day after he landed the nomination.
He came on business, and little time
was wasted over preliminaries. Dan
knew Sullivan would be sorely pressed
without the Fifth, so the price was up.
my dear alderman" said the nom
inee. with great affectation Of digni-
ty, now doubtless you know that
0oNE DCtA AC1O4lluaiCu 1OI uldJOI On
the strength Of my recent very able
administration and that | am going
before the people to ask for another
term. I-ah-shall-ah- want
my good Fifth ward friends to be with
me again, Mr.. Crimmins, and as-ah
"a token of my-ah-esteem-y
let us call it esteem-I am of course,
ready and anxious to do anything that
is right" He took long black wal
let from his pocket and gently tapped
the palm of his hand.
"Well?" returned Dan. gazing at the
patterns in the wall paper with a
bored and uninterested expression.
"No-ah-what should you say-ah
-ah-well-ah- want you to
distinctly understand, Mr.. Crimmins,
that l do not countenance vote buy
ing"
Dan nodded his head. as broad,
sarcastic smile played about his large,
good-natured mouth.
sWell-ah-would-ah ahem $3,-
600 secure the ward, Mr.. Crimmins?"
Sullivan nervously opened and shut
the wallet, playing with the visible
ends of the bank notes. Crimmins
slowly blew great ring of smoke into
the air.
MY dear Mayor Sullivan" he said,
leaning over on his desk and talking
directly into the face of his aspiring
caller, you can't be elected in this
city without q. good. clean majority in
every precinct in the Fifth ward.
Isn't that fact?" Sullivan nervous
ly beat the fingers of his right hand
against the knuckles of his left ''The
people know you bought the upper
chamber and railroaded through the
water franchise. They know you are,
right now, on the pay rolls Of three
big corporations doing business with
the city. And, furthermore, l know
it. And, better still. you know it.
Now, if am to swallow all this
I'VE got to make peace with my con-
science, and it can't be done for any
$4,000. I've got too good conscience.
But business is business. Those four
precincts in the Fifth ward are worth