Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-05-30
BY d. j. LAYTON

the anti-Allison men could not combine
and Allison could not land another sin
gle supporter Another deadlock
seemed imminent
Each day for over week the clerk
had announced: For John Allison,
20; for Randolph Keener, 26; for
Henry Thomas, 4. Necessary to
choios, 30,'' and the speaker, bitter
ANTI" had drawled out, with hi; !!
nasal twang and with an increasing |
satisfaction rs the prospect for an cleo
ton lessened, land NO one having a ma
3ority Of the votes of those present and
voting, declare no election
1t was IL o'clock; the final ballot
would be taken at noon.
private room, talking with the governor
and the secretary Of state.
Allison was a tall, heavy man, who
dressed we'll, but quietly: In his lapel
he wore plain Grand Army button.
His was a strong, kindly face, though
careworn.
IF / thought. that crowd were sin
cere in their principles" said he, ":f
their methods were cleaner than mine, I
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 a
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
I Thomas; Snyder and Hall, two unmiti-
gated rascals If there ever were any,
and old Wood, the only member they
have from the country, and the only
honest one they have. Why, he really
thinks Thomas never spent dollar in
this fight. had some hopes thai he
might be with us, but he's as stubborn
as a mule. l had talk with him last
night
We're stronger now that we ever
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-
ters 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, 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 a shark for money
He's got couple of mortgages on that
place of his, and he'd turn a corner
! quick as creased lightning to save that
precious farm. You bet Allison had
something to say about them. 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
eelf;; you've made mistake approach
ing Wood about those mortgages.
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. l did. There
was time when l would have knocked
a man down if he had tried to influ-
ence my vote, and now these lobbyists
| Genre to me the first one. I'm inclined
to take your Judgment, for you've got
a 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 perfunctory
manner that the joint assembly do
proceed to ballot for the election of
q United States senator" The hum
in the galleries increased. Slowly the
roll-call proceeded. Down the list the
clerk went, and no change. The end
was not to be exciting after all. Here
and there member was keeping tally
as the roll-call went on.
Jeremiah Wood sang out the
clerk. There was an instant's pause,
and Wood rose slowly from his seat,
his hand half raised, as if in protest.
He was an old man, with a flowing
white beard stained yellow around the
mouth from the constant use. of to.
bacco. From behind his heavy steel
spectacles shrewd. kindly. eyes looked
out. His hands, trembling with age
and excitement, showed wrinkled and
blue-veined as he stood gripping his
desk. :S ::r|.55$$s 5 >.
i Mr.. Speaker said he, before
cast my vote I'd like to say a little
somethin', if I have permission" and
he peered around over his spectacles
II won't take long, couldn't speak very
long If i tried; l wasn't cut out fe1
Z q lesislaterman. III: ~- =, -.
My deestrict, as you all know, il
pretty much agin Allison. Some o:
j5us thought he wasn't runnin' this lit
! tie political game right, and we fl