Amador ledger., 1906-10-05
When the
Votes Tied
By CLAUDE PAURAREs
} Copyright, 1905. by W. R. Caldwell

~ Was al Ol year III pOlltiCS-ludI 10,
1t 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. 1t was because of this that
Abe Hewson had been elected to the
legislature from one of the mountain
districts. When his friends and neigh
bors had talked of nominating him he
had replied:
''Shoo! Why, 1 hain't got no eddeca-
shunw
Don't you reckon you need any to
be an honest man."
But can't make no speech"
1.-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 square
man."
Abe Hewson was nominated and
elected. He didn't have to pay out q
shilling for campaign expenses, and he
didn't make any promises. They knew
him throughout his district as an hon.
est man. They said of him as they
said of a January coonskin-that was
prime"
His wife was not puffed up with
pride over his nomination. She had lit
tie to say during the campaign. 1t
was only when he came home and told
her that he was elected that she mo-
toned him to sit down and then said:
ABE Hewson, nobody could dun say
that you wasn't an honest man when
married you"
II was tryin' to walk straight, Til
da."
EUR ten years you was buyin' and
selIin' nevis. Abe, did you ever lie
and cheat in that business?"
."Drat me, but I was so squar' that
couldn't make a livin' at it."
"For six or seven years you have
been buyin' coon and skunk and wood
chuck SKINS Have you been liar and
q cheat?"
"No, Tilda. I could have lied once
and made So on a b'arskin, but shet
my teetn nara ag1n It
"You kin borrow a dollar of most
any man, can't your
Reckon So"
"And when a man has got your word
he depends ON it?"
"'Pears that way"
sand all this Is why you've been
'lected. It's cause you've got q good
name; it's cause your a squar' man.
Abe. we uns is pore folks. We hain't
eddecated. Pianers and silks and
broadcloths are not for SIGH as US. We
squatted yere twenty years ago, and
we'll stay squatted till the end. l
hain't maxim the least complaint over
1t. don't believe Pd 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, Tilda 7" he asked
81 hain't much of a reader, but 1 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 agin 1t. I'm holdln'
my head high and feelin' jest as good
as any one on this here mounting, not
bekase we've got money, Abe, but be-
kase you are squar' man. If you
should lose that name you'd lose me-
I'm lovin' you as much as wife can,
but I'm speakin' mighty straight when
I tell you that if so much as whisper
should come back here that you had
lost your squar'ness I'd walk off and
starve to death in the woods rather
than live on with you"
"And wouldn't be blamin' you, Til
d." quietly replied Abe as he went out
to walk about and think.
Abe Hewson. went down to the CAPT.
tai Of the state in fear and trembling.
He was marked down by certain mem,
bers and lobbyists as a 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 charter for railroad to run
to certain undeveloped mines. It
wasn't line to build up the country
and accommodate the people, but to
bring coal out to market. They want
ed a grant of state lands to recoup
themselves.
A powerful lobby, well supplied with
money and arguments, was on hand.
Those who saw through the scheme
knew that they had their hands full to
fight it.
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
employs no lobbyists to protect herself
All the argument and sophistry and
money are 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 real
lied that he wanted to be honest They
contented themselves by telling him
that 1t was his duty to vote against the
bill. 1t was clear enough to Abe that
day, but not SO clear the next. The
lobby had got after him.
Your congressional or legislative lob
byist Is smart man. He is a student
Of character. He is a diplomat. He is
sleek and slick. In this case when 1t
became apparent that the vote would
be close the Hon. Abraham Hewson
was given especial attention. Cigars