Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-02

luk kdke lCNAACN NOWA w
heat. far more dangerous, but less In
coherent, "you and me are talking too
much and saying too little. We've got
to come to a showdown. You're a clev-
err boy and you made a rafting good
fight, and you're on the right side OF
the public and Of the press too. You're
the best material we've got. and If you
try and do the right thing there's no
limit to what you can rise to-but only
IL you do the right thing"
1.-The right thing" echoed Bennett.
"What do you meal by the right
thing?"
Il mean you've got to do the right
thing by the men who put you where
you are today"
That's fair. But who put me where
l am today?"
81 did,. Dick Horrigan. Who yer
heard Of you till I took You up? No
body. II didn't make you mayor.
who did, I'd like to known
1.-The voters. The people Of this
city"
'The voters" scoffed Horrigan. 'The
deuce they did! Who had you nomi-
natedY"
You did. But 1t was the public who
elected me, and I'm going to obey
your orders in one thing. I'm going to
do the right thing by the men who
put me where l am today I'm going
to pay the voters for their trust in me
by giving them n fair and square adj
ministration. In the case Of this Bor-
ough Street railway franchise bill. for
instance" tapping the document lying
before him on his desk, before l sign
that bill I intend to make sure it's for
the good Of the people, that 1t is for
the good Of the city. not merely for
the good Of Richard Horrigan and .
CLIQUE Of his friends and heelers. No.
don't swear. It'u do you no good. I'm
flrm on this matter. II you're discon-
tented with me it's your own fault.
/ warned you months & that If l
was elected I should keep my oath OF
office. AS for this Borough bill"-
"As for this Borough BILL" broke In
Horrigan savagely, you'll sign 1t. IT
you DON'T
well" queried Bennett. as the boss
paused, choked by his own fury. IF
l don't sign it-what then|
"If you don't, your political career Is
ended from this time on. See? It's
ended. Smashed fat. You think of
yourself as a fine. promising young
man who's on the road to the gov
ernorship and maybe to the White
House. Well. you aren't. You're what
Dick Horrigan made you, and your
future will be what Dick Horrigan
chooses to make 1t. I lifted you up,
and l can tear you down just as easy.
And, what's more. by -. I'll do 1t II
you don't sign the Borough bill. I'm
a man Of my word. and before ever
you were nominated l pledged my
word to have that bill put through.
The bill paid your election expenses.
IT,
II paid my own election expenses.
You know that"
"Your personal expenses, perhaps.
But who paid for parades. halls. ban
ners. fireworks. speakers. advertise
ments, workers and watchers and all
the other million things that elected
you? The men behind that Borough
bill paid them. And they did 1t on the
understanding you'd sign the bill"
"In other Words" remarked Ben
nett, you made a bargain for me.
Well. I can't keen it."
"Oh. I'll keep it all right. You'l
sign that bill or you'll'-
"Mr. Horrigan." exclaimed Bennett,
controlling his temper with more and
more difficulty, "you said something
Just now about our coming to a show
down. This Is the time for it. l want
you to remember h%enceforth that l
wear no mans ~collar-yours or any
one else's-and that you can't deliver
any goods you've bargained for in my
name. If l sign that bill 1t won't be
under your orders, but because ! think
1t right"
"Oh," laughed Horrigan, who thought
he began to see the drift of the 9th
er's mind, II don't hold out for that. l
don't care why you sign it as long as
you do sign it."
what do you think about the bill
.yourselfY" inquired Alwyn. do you
consider it honest?"
What do l care? It's got to be
signed, and
II care. And 1 think the bill is
"Getting tender in the conscience,
aren't you? Well
IF you put it that way, yes. l think
this Borough bill is crooked from first
to last. But
whats the matter with it? Ain't'-
LET me explain" pursued Alwyn.
'sThis bill gives the Borough Street
Railway company the right to use
whatever motive power they choose to.
1t gives them the right to charge five
cent fares without any transfers. In
one paragraph there's a clause permit
ting them to build a subway ii they
want one. By another paragraphs con-
cessions they can build a conduit and
lease it out for telephone or telegraph
wires. BY another they can do an ex-
press business. But all these provi-
sions are as nothing compared to the
fact that the bill gives the streets
above and below ground to the Bor-
ough company forever and ever-not
for a term of years. but until the end
Of the world. 1t delivers that route to
the not only for our time, but