The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-25

ures just as corrupt-had voted for
them with no protest beyond cvni
cal shrug and a wry look. Every man
even the Iaxest, if he is to continue
to count as one" must have a point
where he draws the line beyond which
he will not go. The liar must have
things he will not lie about, the thief
things he will not steal the compro-
miser things he will not compromise
the practical man of the pulpit, in
politics, in business, in the profess
sors chair, or editorial tribune, things
he will not sacrifice, whatever the
cost That is practical honor" /
had reached my line of practical
honor, my line between possible com
promise and certain decentralization.
And / realized it.
When the roll-call ended | rose
and, in a voice that I knew was firm
and clear, said: Mr.. Speaker.
voted in the negative by mistake.
wish my vote to be recorded in the
affirmative. | am against the BILL
Amid a fearful silence l took my
seat. With suddenness that made
me leap, wild and crazy assembly
sion, emitted fantastic yell of en-
thusiastic approval. Again there was
that silence; then the tension of the
assembly. floor and crowded galleries,
burst forth in a storm of hysterical
laughter.
/ wish / could boast how brave
felt as | reversed my vote, how in
different to that tempest of mockery.
and how strong as / went forth to
meet my master and hear my death
warrant But l can't, in honesty-Im
only human being. not a hero. and
these are my confessions, not my
professions. So l must relate that,
though the voice that requested the
change of vote was calm and cour-
ageous, the man behind it was agi-
tated and sick with dread. There may
be those who have the absolute cour-
age some men boast-if not directly
then by implication in despising him
who has it not. For myself | must
say that l never made a venture-and
my life has been a succession of ven
lures, often with my whole stake upon
the table, never made venture
that | did not have a sickening sensa-
ton at the heart. Ny courage, if it
can be called by so sounding a name
has been in daring to make the throw
when every atom of me was shrek
ing: You'll lose, You'll be ruined,"
I did not see Dominick until after
supper I had nerved myself for a
scene-indeed. l had been hoping he
would insult me. When one lacks
the courage boldly to advance along
the perilous course his intelligence
will goad some one into kicking him
along it past the point where retreat
is possible. Such methods of advance
are not dignified, but then, is life dig
nified? To my surprise and alarm,
Dominick refused to kick me into
manhood. He had been paid, and the
1000, in bills of large denomination,
were warming his heart from the in
ner pocket of his waistcoat. So he
came up to me scowling, but friendly.
why didn't you tell me you want
ed to be let of, Harvey?" he said. re-
proachfully. I'D "a done it. Now,
damn you. you've put me in place
where I've got to give you the
whip"
To flush at this expression from
Dominick was a hypocritical refine
ment of constituencies. To draw my
self up haughtily, to turn on my heel
and walk away-that was the Stiffness
of a boy. Still, l am glad l did both
these absurd things. When l told
my mother how l had ruined myself
in politics she began to cry-and
tears were not her habit. Then she
got my fathers picture and kissed it
and talked to it about me, Just as if
he were there with US; and for
time l felt that | was of heroic stat
ure
But as the days passed, with no
laurels in the form of cases and fees.
and as clients left me through fear of
DominickS power, / Shriveled back
to human size and descended from
my pedestal. From the ground-level
/ began again to look about the mat
ter-of-fact world
l saw l was making only a first