The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-24

MY offer for your county votes, +"
said Mason. the attorney for the troll
lev roads. looking quietly at Temp
kins the little member from Temp
kinsville. out Of the corner OF his eye,
is one thousand dollars.
Tompkins, his little, weak, watery
eyes blinking at the throng passing
back and forth in front of him in the
house corridor tilted back in his chair
against the marble balustrade of the
lobby. All about him were members
of the house standing in corners, lean
ing against the WALL some, their hands
in their pockets, Tipping the ashes from
their cigars; others. smoking with lazy
ease, listening to nervous individuals.
whose ewes darted to other groups as
they talked. their fingers tapping the
chests Of the men in front of them.
over all hung a blue haze of cigar
smoke, through all rose a rising hum
Of mems voices.
you know, of course. Mr.. Mason"
said TOmpkins,. looking thoughtfuIly at
the end of his cigar, that the county
is already pledged to Williams to vote
for the interstate railroad bill"
Il understand that" said Mason.
And that it's going to be a pretty
hard matter to get any of them to vote
for you and the trolley opposition now"
The other nodded
TOmpkins puffed a ring of smoke at
the ceiling and took his cigar from be-
tween his lips
How much" he said. staring
shrewdly ut the lobbyist for the trolley
roads beside him. how much did YOU
say YOU would give if I were to bring
my county around from Williams and
the interstate railroad to you?"
One thousand dollars" said Mason.
Il will think it over" said Tomp-
kmS.
And be was thinking it over as he
went TO his seat in the house. and later
on left the capitol for his hotel and sat
in his hotel corridor smoking a cigar.
It vas the fourth day of the last debate
Of the session-the contest in which
he had taken sides at the start with
promise to Williams. the boss of the
lobby (whO made his fifty thousand
session carrying through the interstate
railroad bills), to support with his coun-
" vote the bill to equip the 3 line of
the railroad with third rail. And he
tHA NfAAA III ttAN AlA0 DiDtliiSC- ntOuSn
all the excitement of the session.
through all the attempts of the trolley
roads to bring his county into line
against the bill. until now he had re-
manned firm, true to the twenty MEM
bers OF his county who had agreed to
vote with him for Williams and his bill
true 20 Williams, who had promised
him $500 when it passed.
And yet-fOr weeks he had wished
that he had not jumped so quickly at
Williams offer. He might have wait
ed, seen what the trolley road would
90, might have asked Williams for a
mute more And now Mason, the leader
OF the trolley lobby. had come to him
with his offer of a thousand dollars
lust twice as much as he could hope to
get from Williams-if he would bring
ms county around against the bill
Why couldn't he?
his little, shifty eyes hlinked rapidlv.
es ne SAT in the hotel lobby that even !
hs staring at the floor He could Go
- tie had not risen to be a county |
.rduef Tor nothing. He knew his coun-
I! 10 man. They would do what he
1 ~, them- what ne paid tnem to do. |
" ny should he with twenty of his I
-1ullty votes in his control. as they had /
aiMayS been. Ter Williams pull him off /
WIN less than other members of the /
Jus, . We're getting? The figure of. The /
- - Oh me lobby. the powerful attor- /
~ TOT the Interstate Railroad COM /
s s,,. came up before him. thin-faced. |
i So, WIN steel-gray eyes and square /
bs tiiat We're always working. While 1
II nae promised to vote his county for /
ne lle oill-for five hundred dciiars-he /
ihated him with the shrewd. cunning
- OF the little man who feels the
sIip OF The strong one on his soul. |
1850 up from his chair and walked i
- up the winding stairs Ia his /
,sssl mere DC rang the call bell. i'm
bo,. ieil AIR. Mason" he said to the han
-, 70 come to my room at once"
tnesoh he said. when the trolley
b s.,,oslst had shut the door and stood
-vo,, nm with quick. questioning eve,
os spoke this morning at the capitol
ssnIs Neriaih agreement which YOU
over s'O MAKE II | would bring my county
liams.s ''oi'sy foaus from VIII
Well" said Mason.
~ o'np ,klns blew a ring of smoke at
lIs,,.e slsii ig and paused. Things are a
w. oiEerent now from what thee
49, THIS morning. ne said. He looked
eve s.' al Mason, with his little. shifty
vow Well" said Mason again. what is
your ~ proposition?" "' 70
SIM, have decided" said Tompkins.
eissss isg the ash on the END of his
"a 7 -. mat can hand my county over
f,ss a. twenty votes, and my own. dav
ibsr. ,onaorrow, if You care to pay for
ttsi iason turned sharply and looked the
.st5 eOlnty leader in the face.
~ ~" much do you want?' he said.
Us =, Voice was cold. - '1
..7r. naIli, said Tompkins. "$2, 0oo."
-.,n,r,s... good deal of money.
loel said the trolley lobbyisf.
81 lou must gee that If l. : zoe,sl .
.rs. n,yfe than I am prepared tn pav."
is,r, ny PAiias eFinDed shrewdiv and .
~ y. me ash from his cigar.