The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-10
Don't scold him" counselled stan.
dish, walking out. "He didn't make
any break. We're all three in the Sc.


The next few days witnessed practi.
cal repetitions of the foregoing cx.
per1ences. In almost every town thu
local newspapers not only refused to
report line of Standishs speeches, but
would not accept his advertisements,
Nor, IN most places, could he find a
job Office willing to print handbills for
him. His agent had nearly everywhere
ben able to engage a hall; but as no
adequate preliminary notice OF tho
meeting had been published, audiences
were pitiably slim. In one or two
towns. where the papers did not be-
long to the Machine" 1t was discov-
cred that every hall, lodgeroom or 9TH
er available meeting.pace had been
engaged In advance by some mystcri-
GUS competitor. Give, at such settle
ments was forced to speak in open
air. Even then the police at one town
dispersed the gathering under excuse
Of fearing riot; at two others the
mayor refused to license to hold an
outdoor meeting, and at fourth, a
gang OF toughs, at long range, pelted
the audience with stones and elderly
eggs. the police refusing to interfere.
At length Gives advance agent re-
turned to the candidate in abject de-
spair.
1--WE been doing this sort Of work
eight years the man reported. but
this time I'm clean stumped. / can't
make any Roadway The papers, the
city authorities, the opera-house and
hall proprietors and the police are all
under Conover's thumb. It's got so
that % soon as / reach town I can
find out right away who is and who
isn't In the Machines pay. Where
the papers aren't muzzled--and there
are precious few such places-the
halls are closed to us, and either the
mayor or the police will stop the
meeting. Where the papers are work.
ing for Conover, we can get all the
halls we want, because the Boss knows
the news of your speech can't circu.
late except by word OF mouth.
"Oh, they've got US whipsawed In
grand shape! I'm wondering what'll
happen at Grafton Monday night.
That's the biggest city next to Granite,
and there's always been more or less
OF KICK there against Conover rule.
They've got square man for mayor,
and one Of their three newspapers is
strong for you. ! was able to get the
operahouse too. It's your big chance
OF the campaign. and your last chance
on this tour. The rest Of the towns
on your route can't do anything with.
I'm waiting to see what dirty game
Conover Will play at Grafton, now
that he can't work his usual tricks
there. He'll be sure to try something"
Billy Shevlin, who had also acted
unexpectedly as unofticially) as ada
vance agent of Give Standish's tour,
had In three respects excelled the
authorized agent: In the first place, he
had been as successful as the other
had been failure III the second, he
had not turned back. Third. and last,
he was not in the very least dis
Outraged. Nor had he need to be-
Yet even to him Grafton presented
the first serious problem. And to It
he devoted much of his time and more
of his cleverness. AT last he formed
plan and saw that his plan was
good.
Give reached Grafton at noon of the
day he was scheduled to speak This
was the second largest city in the
Mountain State, Here, next to Granite,
must the chief battle Of the campaign
be waged. On the effect of his speech
here hung great percentage of Gives
hopes for the coming State convention.
AS Grafton went, SO would big Mata-
wan county. whose centre it was.
And Grafton. waverlng in fealty to
Conover' might yet be won to the Stan
dish ranks by the right sort of speech.
So with the glow Of approaching
struggle upon him Give awaited the
night. All he asked was fair hear
ing This. presumably, was for once
to be accorded him.
AT the hotel on his arrival he found
Karl Ansel waiting. The big, lean
New Highlander was in a state Of
white-hot wrath.
You got my telegram and the no.
tice of the cnucuses, I SUPPOSED" he
growled as Give met him.
mo. ordered all mail forwarded
here and telegram's too l broke away
from my route Saturday, when I found
! couldn't get a hall at Smithneld. I
cancelled my date there and went over
to Deene, leaving word for everything
to be sent on to Grafton Then. yes,
terday---"
Never mind that, We're done!
Beat! Trickedv
What do you meun2"
"The county conventicns--the eau
cuses! In every--nearly every one OF
the eight counties Conover worked
some blackguardism. no some he sent