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

Nobody That Knows Me Ever Sees
Me When-at That Time"
that the vigorous and fearless young
chairman of the party's state commit
tee" should gbe agreed on as COM
promise. An hour after that last bal
lot, he hadn't friend left except
some CALLING sympatbizers from whom
he hid himself Those who had been
his firmest supporters were paying
court to the new custodian OF the plum
tree.
The governor was mine, and the leg
islature. Mine was the federal patron
age, also-all of it, IL | chose, for Croft
fut was my dependent, though he did
not realize 1t; mine also we're the in
definitely vast resources of the mem
bers of my combine. Without my con-
sent no man could get Office any
where in my state, from governorship
and judgeship down as far as ] cared
to reach. Subject only to the check
of public sentiment-so easily defeat
ed if II be not defied-1 was master of
the making and execution of laws
Why? Not because | was leader of
the dominant party. Not because /
was a senator of the United States.
Solely because / controlled the
sources of the money that maintained
the political machinery of both par
ties. The hand that holds the purse
strings is the hand that rules-if it
knows how to rule; for rule is power
plus ability.
| was not master because | had the
plum tree. / had the plum tree be-
cause i was master.
The legislature attended to such of
the demands of my combine and such
of the demands of the public as /
thought it expedient to grant, and then
adjourned. WGA'ruff asked three
months leave. / did not hear from or
of him until midsummer, when he sent
me a cablegram from London. He
was in hospital there, out OF money
and out of health. / cabled him 81 600
and asked him to come home as soon
as he could. 1t was my first personal
experience with that far from uncom-
mon American type, the periodic
drunkard. / had to cable him money
three times before he started.
When he came to me at Washing
ton. in December, he looked just as
before-calm, robust. cool, cynical and
dressed in the very extreme of the
extreme fashion. | received him as
if nothing had happened. 1t was not
until the current of mutual liking was
again flowing freely between us that
l said: DOC. may | impose on your
friendship to the extent of an in
trusion into your private affairs?"
He started and gave me a quick
look, his color mounting. Yes" he
said after a moment.
When heard from you" | went on,
81 made some inquiries. owe you no
apology You had given me shock
one OF the severest OF my life. But
they told me that you never let-that
-that-that popularity of yours in
terfere with business
His head was hanging. II always go
away" he said. Nobody that knows
me ever sees me when-at that time. y
laid my hand on his arm. Doc,
why do you do--that sort of thing?"
The scar came up into his face TO
put agony into the reckless despair
that looked from his eyes. For an in
slant | stood on the threshold of his
chamber of remorse and vain re-
gret-and well / knew where | was.
why not?" he asked, bitterly.
There's always a-sort of horror-in.
side me- And it grows until can't
bear it. And them drown it-why
shouldn't II"
That's very stupid for a man Of
your brains" said l. There's nothing
nothing in the world, except death
that cannot be wiped out or set
right PLAY the game. Doc. Play II
with me for five years. Play It for all
there is in it. Then-go back, If you
want to-"
He thought long time, and did
not try to hurry him. At length he
said, in his cid offhand manner:
"Well, III go you, senator; III not
touch a drop"
And he didn't. Whenever ! thought
/ saw signs of the savage Internal bat
tie against the weakness, ] gave him
something important and absorbing
to do, and ! kept him busy until ]
knew the temptation had lost its pow
er for the time.
This is the proper place to put IT on
the record that he was the most
scrupulously honest man ] have ever
known. lie dealt with the shadlest
and least scrupulous Of men-those
who train their consciences to be the
eager servants of their appetites; ne
handled hundreds of thousands OF
dollars, millions first and last, all OF
it money for which he could never
have been forced to account He mad
at one time as much as half a million
dollars in checks payable to bearer.
I am not confiding by nature or tram
ing, but l am confident that he Kept
not penny for himself beyond MS
salary and his ixed commission. !