The Washington herald., 1907-01-27
THE CANDIDATE
APoIitcaI Romance By Joseph A. Altheler

was growing upon him. if they could only
abide by the issues already formed. But
1T the best it would be a fight to the fin
ish, with the chances in favor OF the
other man. Yet his heart was infused
with hope until this hateful tariff ques-
ton began to raise its head Harley
knew that a declaration upon It would
split the party. or at least would cut from
it fragment big enough 10 cause defeat
He devoUtly hoped that they would steer
clear of this dangerous rock, but he was
not so sure of Jimmy GTaySOn, who, after
all. was his own pilot. And his amiability
did not alter the fact that he had a strong
hand
Harley at first heard the mutterings of
thunder only from afar; it was being de-
bated in the East among the great man
uafcturing cities, bat as yet the West
was untouched by the storm. Mr. Heath
cote, the Eastern committeeman, directed
his attention 20 1t after they had passed
the mountain range that divides Western
Washington from Eastern Washington.
Harley was looking cut of The window
at the ripping brown plain, which ne was
told was one of the best wheat countries
in the world. AT first" said his in
formant. a pioneer. Eve thought il was a
desert, and we thought SO too, for a long
time afterward; it looked like loose sand.
and the wind actually blew the soil about
as if il were dust. Now, and without
irrigation. it produces its thirty bushels
OF wheat per acre season after season"
Harley was thinking of this brilliant
transformation when the committeeman,
who was sitting just behind him, sud
denly changed the channel of his
thoughts
81 have here a WaIla Walll paper that
win interest you, Mr.. Harley" he said.
In fact, it is likely 10 interest us an. The
dispatch is somewhat meager, but il viii
suffice"
He put his finger on the top headline Of
the first page. and Harley read. The
Tariff an Issue" He took the paper and
read the article carefully. The debate
had occurred before an immense audience
in Madison Square Garden. i'm New York
City. and according to the dispatch il
had created the greatest interest, a state
ment that Harley could easily believe.
Il was hoping that we would be spared
this" lac said. as he laid the paper
down and his face became grave. why
do they bring it up? It's not in the plat
form and il should not be made an issue,
at least not now.
But it is an issue. after ALL" replied
Mr.. Heathcote, and I am surprised that
The enemy did not raise the question
sooner. They must have had some very
bad management. They are united on
this question. and We are not. II We are
forced to come into line Of battle on il,
then we are divided and they are not;
don't you see their advantage
yes, Il Is manifest replied Harley,
glOOmily- Then, after a little thought, he
began 10 brighten.
1T is not necessary for Jimmy Grayson
to declare himself"
"He viii, if he is asked 20 do so"
But we are away out here in the
Western mountains, out of immediate
touch with the great ceuters Of pOpul8-
ton These thiuiy settled States are
doubtful. those more pOpulous are not.
Here they are not interested in the tariff
either one way or the other; the subject
has scarcely been mentioned on our West
eTn tour; why can we not still keep &c in
the dark"
"But. tell you, if the issue is presented
TO Jimmy Grayson, he Is sure 10 speak
his mind about it,"
1T is for rs 10 see that il Is not pre-
scented. I don't think IL viii be done by
any OF the local poulation. and we must
exercise censorship over the press. We
must Try To keep from him all newspapers
containing accounts Of the tariff debates.
we must not let him know that the issue
is before the public of there Ia the East.
There is only a month more Of the cam
paign. and. while il is not likely that we
can suppress the matter entirely. we may
keep it down until il is 600 late 10 do
much HARM
THE plan isn't a bad one" said sir
HeathcOte. "but we've got 90 take every
body into the plot lIT. GTayson alone IS
/ TO be left in ignorance"
They are all his devoted personal
friends except Churchill, Of the Monitor,
and I can bully him into silence"
Harleys face flushed slightly as he
made this assertion with emphasis Mr.
Heathcote who was learning much these
Gays, smiled as De observed him.
Mt Harley" be said. mo one could
doubt the reality of your wishes for Mr..
/ Grayson's success
All went willingly into the little con
spiracy against the extension OF Mr.. Gray
sons knowledge, even Churchill. under
the whip and spur Of Harley's viii.
promising a sullcn silence. The case
/ itself presented aspects that stirred these
men, calling as it did for an alertncss Of
mind and delicacy Of handling that ap-
pealed TO their sense OF responsibility;
hence it aroused their interest. which in
! turn beSat "a desire to succeed.
But Harley us well as NJ Heathcote
/ and the others. knew very well that il
was not the enemy alone who had raised
I this new and. as they al feared. fatal
ISSUE even If they had not read Il fin the
/ dispatches, the hand OF the minority
within their own party was too clearly
visible. in the newspapers that reached
them constant illusions were made 10
/ Mr.. Goodnight Mr.. CTay0n. and their as
sociates, who were deeply interested I'm
/ the maintenance of the tariff. and who.
I it was said. would force Mr. Grayson to
pledge himself 20 its support. this. il
was predicted they could easily do, as IL
was obvious that he could not win with
out the help of this minority
/ Harley knew that the Goodnight faction
now intended to force the issuc-that IS
either TO subject Mr.. Grayson or to ruin
him, and be saw that the affair would
require the most delicate handling; only
/ that and the best of fortune could post
pone the issue long enough.
/ They took Sylvia into their confidence.
/ both by necessity and choice. but they
We're rather surprised TO find that in this
| case she did not believe in diplomacy.
II l were Uncle James, she said with
/ indignant anger, I would tell them 10 g
lowell, well, where d man would tell
/ them 10 so to, and 7 would not be polite
about It, either"
Harley laughed at her heat. although he
/ liked it. too
And then you'd lose the election" he
said.
I'D lose it, if l must but at least I'd
save my independence and seIf-respect in
| doing so. Is Uncle James the nominee.
or is he not? If he is the nominee.
shouldn't he say what ne ought TO do2''
Perhaps but il isn't politics; even If he
were elected he wouldn't be absolutely
/ free; no ruler ever was, whether presi-
dent or king"
But she chung to her opinion.