Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-05-06
XX1.
'IB YOU CAN'T BUY A SENATOR, THREAT
EN- HIM."

WAS llG
most surprised man in Wash
ington when he. heard the jun
49, ior senator from Mississippi
state that no II was to enrich him.
self out of the government naval base
project.
He heaped a mental anathema on
the head of Stevens for saddling such
a man on the senate 'machine," for
Langdon would of course never had
been put on naval affairs Dust now
very important to the maclline) with
out the 80. *" of Stevens. who had
won a heretofore thoroughly reliable
reputation as a judge of men, or of
what purported to be men. The
thought that at this time, of all times,
there should be q man on the commit
tee on naval affairs that could not be
handled" was sufficient to make him
who reveled in the title of "boss of the
senate" determine that he must get
another chief lieutenant to replace Ste
yenS, who had proved so trustworthy
in the past. Stevens had lost his cum
ming.
1o Nv fOlC vi LolSuOA COuId luOC ne
secured by humbug or in exchange for
favors and as it could not be "deliv-
ered," Peabody, of course, was willing
to pay in actual cash for the vote.
This was the f1na step. but one in po-
litical conspiracies of this nature-cash.
But Langdon would not take cash. so
Peabody had to resort to the last
ororov of thn troinoJ orI o,r,- MAJ
%nipulator of legislation.
He would threaten.
Moreover, he knew that to make
threats effective, if it is possible to
do so, they must be led up to systemat-
ically-that is, they should be made at
the right time. The scene must be set,
as in a play.
Senator Peabody glared at Langdon
as though to convince the latter that
to stand in his way would mean polit-
ical destruction.
$50 nobody is going to make a cent,
eh? Well. l suppose you want all the
profits for yourself" Turning to Ste
vens, who had just entered, the Penn
sylvanian cried:
do you but listen to our suddenly
good friend Langdon. He wants to be
the only man to make money out Of
the naval base. He won't listen to any
other member of the naval committee
making q cent out of it. Why, he
Great God, sir" exclaimed Langdon.
"You are going too far, Peabody. You
state what is false, and you know it,
you-you"-
"Then you are willing that others
should have their rightful share?" put
in Stevens. ooh, l understand now,
senator"
"No, no, no." cried Langdon. "You
do not understand, Senator Stevens,
and 1 must say I am ashamed to speak
Of you by the honorable title Of sena-
tor, sir. 1 will not listen to any person
enriching himself at the government
expense. and 1 am your enemy, you,
Peabody, and you, Stevens, beyond re-
call. You both know you misrepresent
me-"
Langdon walked over to Stevens and
faced him directly.
"Do you remember, Stevens, Lorimer
Hawkslee, back in wnrtimc?'
eyes," said Stevens, puzzled, y re-
member nina very fine gentleman"
The old planter snccred.
eyes, Il very fine gentleman! You
remember he got rich out of contracts
for supplies furnished to the Confed-
crate government when 1t wasn't any
too easy for the Confederate govern
ment to pay and when he was in that
government himself. l quite
thought that the act of Il gentleman,
Stevens. 1t seemed to me to be very
like dishonesty. / refused to speak
to Lorimer Hawkslee i'll the Carroll
hotel at Vicksburg, and when the peo-
pie there asked me why l told them.
I want to warn you, Stevens, that I'm
fikely to meet you some time in the
Carroll hotel at Vicksburg."
Stevens backed away angrily. 81
catch your in%sinuation, but'-he re-
reived a warning glance from Pea
body and broke into a pleasant smile
calculated to deceive the old planter
this once I will overlook it because of
our old friendship and the old days in
Mississippi"
"You are q fine talker, Langdon,"
said Peabody, coming to Stevens res
cue, 'but I can readily see what you
are driving at. You want an investi-
cation. You think you will catch some
of us with what you reformers call
the goods but forget evidently the
entirely simple facts that your family
has invested in Altacoola lands more
heavily probably than any one else
among us. You want to raise a a
dial, do you? Well, go on and raise it,
but remember that you will have to
explain how it happened that there is
$4,000 invested in the name of your
son and $4,000 in the name of your
daughter, Miss Carolina, not to men
ton 81 few thousands put in by the
gentleman who, I am given to under
stand, is to be your son-in-law, Con-
gresham Norton.
"How about that. Norton?" Peabody
asked, turning to the congressman,
n who Ind Followed Ctovans