The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-11
TIE EVENING STORY
when The votes Tied.
(By CLAUDE Paurares. )

(By Claude Paurares.)
It was an of year in politics. That
IS, it was a bad year for the politicians.
The electors had taken the bit in their
teeth and run away, and the cut-and-
dried nominees had failed to become
candidates It was because of this
that Abe Hews0n had been elected to
the legislature from one of the noun
tain districts. When his friends and
neighbors had talked of nominating
him he had replied:
''Shoo. Why I hain't got no eddeca-
shun!s
Don't you reckon you need any to
be an honest man"
But can't make no speech
The less CAB the better. Been too
much talk already
But them eddecated critters will
git me all tangled up
Nobody can't tangle up a souar'
man.
Abe Hewson was nominated and
elected. He didn't have TO pay out a
shilling for campaign expenses, and he
oidn't make any promises. They knew
him throughout his district as an hon
est man. They said of him as they
said of January coonskin-that was
prime.
His wife was not pulled up with
pride over his nomination. She had
little to say during the campaign. It
was only when he came home and
told her that he was elected that she
mctioned him to sit down and then
said:
ABE Hewson, nobody could dun say
that you wasn't an honest man when
l married you"
TiIda.''
Fur ten years you was buyin and
sellin' nevis. Abe. did you ever lie
and cheat in that business ?"
'Drat me, but was SO squar that
couldn't make Twin at it.
-
been buyin' coon and skunk and wood
chuck skins. Have you been a liar
and cheat?"
NO, Tilda I could have lied once
and made three dollars on bar skin,
but I shet my teeth hard agin it."
You kin borrow a dollar of most
any man, can't you?"
Reckon So
And when a man has got your
word he depends on it2"
3" Pears that way
And all this is why you've been
lected. It's cause you've got a good
name; it's cause your a squar' man.
Abe, We'uns is pore folks. We hain't
broadcloths are not for SIGH as US. We
squatted yere 20 years ago, and we'll
stay squatted till the end I hahn
maxim the least complaint over it. 1
don't believe I'd care to be rich and
have grand things. I'm satisfied to go
right along just like this, but don't
fling US down, Abe-don't do that"
What dye mean. Tilda7" he asked.
I hain't much of a reader, but I
can make out huff in our weekly paper
to know that heaps o. men are Willin'
to part with their honesty to get ahead
in the world. Don't part with yours.
You are gOin' Whar' you'll be tempted
but shet your teeth again it. I'm hold
in my head high and feelin jest as
good as any one on this here mount
ing. Not bekase we've got money. Abe.
but bekase you ar a souar' man II
you should lose that name you'd lose
me. I'm lovin' you as much as a wife
can, but I'm speakin' mighty straight
when I tell you that if so much as a
whisper should come back here that
you had lost your squaFness I'd. walk
off and starve to death In the woods
rather than live on with you
And I wouldn't be blamin' you. Til
da," quietly replied Abe as he went out
to walk about and think.
Abe HeWson went down to the cap
ital of the state in fear and trembling.
He was marked down by certain men,
berS and lobbyists as good thing, but
they gave him time to shake himself
down into his place. There were axes
to grind on every hand, but it was the
coal men who had the largest. They
wanted a charter for a railroad to run
to certain undeveIoped mines. 1t wasn't
commodate the people, but to bring coal
out to market. They wanted a grant
Of state lands to recoup themselves.
A powerful lobby. we'll supplied with
money and arguments, was on hand.
Those who saw through the scheme and
knew that 1t was a steal also knew
that they had their hands full to fight
il.
Abe was moving along slowly and
trying to look ahead for pitfalls when
the matter of the railroad came up and
he found himself in the thick of it. He
found himself in the position Of many
another before his time. The state EN-
plOys no lobbyists to protect herself.
All the argument and sophistry and
money is in the hands of those who
would rob her. The opponents of the
railroad scheme sat down with Abe
Hewson and tried to make him under
stand. They found him dense, but re-
allied that he wanted to be honest They
contented themselves by telling him
that it was his duty to vote against the
bill. It was clear enough to Abe that
day, but not so clear the next. The lob
by had got after him.
Your congressional or legislative lob
byist is q smart man. He is a. student
of character. He is diplomat. He is
sleek and slick. In this case. when it
became apparent that the vote would
be close, the Hon. Abraham Hewson
was given especial attention. Cigars
and champagne met him at every turn.
Men were solicitous about his health. He
came to know that shawls and dress
patterns and jewelry were being sent to
his mountain home. Tailors were ready
to measure him for new suits without
cost to himself and hints were thrown
out that after the adjournment he would
be wanted to fill an important position
down in the lowlands.
All this was very soothing and seduc-
tive to Abe. He had always been used
to plain speech. A spade was either
spade or not a spade. The sophistry of
the lobbyists tangled him up. He was
made to see that under certain circum-
stances a long-handled shovel became a
short-handled spade. He was a man
without a grain of natural vanity. but
when gentlemen of wealth and educa-
ton asked him to sit down and drink
and smoke with them and deferred to
his opinions. it was only natural that he
should feel pulled up
The day came when a poll of the