Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-06-15
CHAPTER TX.

We, our party, carried the state, as
usual Our legislative majority was
increased by Il, to 81 on joint ballot.
sor would be of the same political
faith; but would he be Dunkirk? At
first that venerable custodian OF the
plum tree hadn't a doubt. He had
come to look on 1t as his personal
property. But, after he had talked to
legislators-elect from various parts of
the state, he became uneasy. He
found that the party's members were
dangerously evenly divided between
himself and the "Dominick-Croffut"
faction. And soon he was at me to
declare for him.
| evaded as long as | could-which
did not decrease his nervousness.
When he put it to me point-bank, l
said: II can't do it, senator l will
not mix in quarrels within the party"
But they are saying you are
against me-" he pleaded.
And your people are saying l am
for you" l retorted.
But surely you are not against me
and for Schoocraft? What has he
done for your"
And what have you done for me?"
] replied-a mere interrogation, with
out any feeling in it, TEL me. | try
to pay my debts"
His eyes shifted. Nothing, Sayler,
nothing" he said. II didn't mean to
insinuate that you owed me anything.
Still, l thought-you wouldn't have
been state chairman, except"
AS he halted, l said: Except that
you needed me. And you will recall
that took it only on condition that
l should be free"
Then you are opposed to me-" he
said. Nobody can be on the fence in
this fight"
81 do not think you can be elected"
I replied
AS he sat silent, the puffs under his
eyes swelled into bags and the pallor
of his skin changed to the gray which
makes the face look as If haze or
cloud lay upon it. / pitied him so pro
foundly that, had ventured to speak.
should have uttered impulsive gen.
erosities that would have cost me
dear. How rarely are our impulses of
generosity anything but impulses to
folly, injustice and wrong
I'VE shall see" was all he said, and
ne rose and shambled away.
They told me he made a pititfui
sight, wheedling and whining among
the legislators. But he degraded him
self TO some purpose He succeeded
In rallying round him enough mem
bers TO deadlock the party caucus for
a month-members from the purely
rural districts, where the sentiment OF
loyalty is strongest, where his piety
and unselfish devotion to the party
were believed in, and his significance
as Statesman" / let this deadlock
continued for Dunkirk, Al for
SchoolcTaft-until ! felt that the par
ty throughout the state was heartily
sick of the struggle. Then Woodruff
bought, at $4,000 apiece, two Dunkirk
men to vote to transfer the contest TO
the floor of a joint session of the two
houses.
, After four days of balloting there,
seven Dominick-Croffut meH voted for
me-my first appearance as a candi-
date. On the seventy-seventh ballot
Schoolcraft withdrew, and all the
Dominick-Croffut men voted for me.
On the seventy.ninth ballot | got, in
addition, two opposition votes Wood
ruff had bought for me at $500
apiece. The ballot was Dunkirk, Al;
Grassmere twho was receiving the op-
| positions complimentary vote), So;
Sayler, 43. ! was a senator of the
| United States.
There was a wild scene. Threats
insults, blows even, were exchanged
And down at the Capital City hotel
DunBirk crawled upon table and de