The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-06-05
Continued
CHAPTER VII.
A Call from 1.-THE Party"

CHAPTER vii.
A Call from "the Party"
About a month after the Chicago
and Fredonia bill was smothered In
committee there appeared upon the
threshold OF my Office. In the admins
tratlon building OF the Ramsay COM
pany. man whom at first glance you
might have taken for an exhorted or
a collector for some pious enterprise.
But II you had made a study OF faces,
your second glance would have cut
through that glaze OF oily, apologize
appeal. Behind thin screen OF
short gray beard lay heavy loose
mouth. cruel and strong; above II. a
great beak and pair OF pale green
eyes. intensely alive. They were in
startling contrast to the apparent de-
crepitude OF the stopped shambllng
body. far too small for its covering
OF decent but somewhat rusty black
Senator Dunkirk." said ]. rising
and advancing TO greet the Justly fear
ed leader Of my party. knew there
was an intimate connection between
this visit and the death OF his pet
project. thought II safe 10 assume
that he had somehow stumbled upon
woodrufrs tunnelings. aud with that
well.trained nose OF his had smelled
out their origin. But need not have
dIsquIeted myself: did not then
know how softly Woodruff moved.
sending no warnings ahead. and leav.
ing no trail behind.
For several minutes the senator and
I both felt for each other In the dark In
which We both stralghtway hid lie
was the first 20 give up and reveal
himself In the open. but do not
Wish 10 waste your time and my own,
Mr. sayier." he said 4 have come
TO see you about the threatened split
In the party. You are. perhaps. sur
priscd that should have come TO
you. when you have been 80 many
years out OF politics. but ] think you
will understand. as I explain myself
You know Mr. Roebuck7"
Il cant say that know him
replied "He Is not an easy man 70
know-indeed. who isy"
"A very able man: In some re
spccts n great man." Dunkirk went
on. hut. like so many OF our great
men Of business. he cannot appreciate
polities---the difficulties Of the man In
public life whose pcrsuasleu and com
promise must be used. authority al
most never. And. because I have 70
sisted some Of his impossible demands
he has declared war on the party
lie has raised up IN u n faction head
ed by your old enemy. Domlnick
need not tell you what n brute. what
a beast he IL. the representative OF al
that IL abhorrcnt In politics"
"A faction headed BY Dominica
couldn't be very formidable sug
gcsted.
-But DomlnIck isn't the nominal
leader" replied Dunkirk 'Roebuci
II far too shrewd for that. No. he Ia,
put forward a. the dccoy my col
league. Cronut-pcrhaps you know
him. II 80. needn't tell you what I
vain. shallow. venal fellow he Il. with
bis gift OF Sab that fools the poo
pie"
Il know him" said I. In a ton,
which did not deny the accuracy Of
| Dunkirk's description
Their object" continued the sena
tor. ia 10 buy the control Of the par
" machinery away from those whS
now manage II in the Interests Of con
scryatism and fair dealing. n the,
succeed the only business intcrcs
that viii be considered In this state
will be the Power trust And W
shall have Domlnick. the ignorant
brute. dashed on BY Roebuck's appc
tites. until tho people viii rise II
fury and elect the opposition-ane
you know what II a."
What you say II most interesting.
said I. but confess haven't lmag
nation enough 10 conceive condI
ton OF Affairs IN which anybody viii
the price couldn't get what he want
"a by paying for II. Perhaps the bust
ness interests would gain by a chang
tho other crowd might be less ex
penslye. Certainly the demands o
our party's machine have become In
toiefable."
1T asionlshes me. Mr.. sayler. 4
hear you say that-you. who have
been in politics." he protested. takcI
aback by my hardly disguised at,acl
upon him-for he was In reality
party" and machine" Surely. yol
understand The situation. We mus
have money 10 maintain our organ
iTation. and 10 run our campaign
Our workers can't live on air; and
10 speak Of only one other factor
there are Thousands and thousands o
our voters. honest follows. too. witt
must be paid 10 come 10 the polls
They wouldn't vote against us for AM
sum. but, unless we pay them 10
the day lost in tho fields. they sta,
at home. Now. whero docs our monol
como fromY The big corporations are
the only source--whp else could o.
would give largely enough7 And II 4
necessary and Just that they should
be- repaid hut they are no longer con
i A