Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-02-25


south in order to gain your support
for the iron and steel demands
The Office door opened and Senator
Peabody appeared.
Peabody" whispered the secretary.
Instantly the Mississippian had his
cue His back to Peabody, he rose.
brought down his fist heavily upon the
desk and expounded oratorically to
Haines:
''What we can produce of aluminium
hydrates, my boy, is problematical, bui
the south is in a hurry for it, and the
duty must come down. It's got to
come down. and I'm not going to do
anything else until it does"
The secretary stretched across the
desk.
Excuse me, senator; Senator Pea
body is here he said loudly and sur
prisedly, as though he had just sight
ed the boss of the senate.
The Mississippian turned
"Oh, good morning, senator. ! was
just talking with my secretary about
that hydrate clause
Peabody bowed slightly.
Eyes, / knew it was coming up" be
said, $50 just dropped over I'm not
opposed to it or any southern measure.
| but ii makes it more difficult for me
when you southern people oppose GER
tain Pittsburg interests that I have to
take care of
Langdon smiled.
"I've never been in Pittsburg. but
they tell me it looks as if it could take
care of ITSELF"
| The visitor shrugged his shoulders.
''Thats true enough, but give and
Langdon'
This remark brought a frown to
Langdons face.
81 don't like bargaining between gen
tlemen, Peabody. More important still.
/ don't believe American politics has
to be run on that plan. Why can't we
change lot of things now that we
are here?"
! Langdon became so enthused that he
| paced up and down the room as be
| spoke.
peabody, you and Stevens and L."
continued Langdon, ''could get our
| friends together and right now start
| to make this great capital of our great
| country the place of the square DEAL
| the place where give and take, bargain
and sale, are unknown We could
start movement that would drive out
| oil cocrot ipfi1orooc,,-
The secretary noticed Peabody's in
voluntary start.
''The newspapers would help u.s."
| went on Langdon. Public opinion
would be with US, and both houses of
congress would have to join in the
work if we went out in front, led the
way and showed them their plain
duty. And tell you, Senator Peabody
that the principles that gave birth to
this country, the principles of truth.
honesty, justice and independence,
would rule in Washington
"If Washington cared anything about
them. Langdon," interjected the Penn
| sylvanian.
'sThat's my point" cried the Missis-
sippian-'let us teach Washington to
care about themw
s.Langdon. Langdon." said Peabody
~patronizingly, you've seized on big
| ger task than you know. After you
reform Washington you will have to
go on and reform human nature, hui
man instincts, every human being in
| the country. if you want to make poll
tics this angelic thing you describe.
1t isn't politics, it's humanity, that's
| wrong" waving aside protest from
Langdon.
Anyway your idea is not constitu-
tional, Langdon," continued Peabody.
''You want everybody to have share
| in the national government. That
wouldn't meet the theory of centraliza-
| tion woven into our political system
| by its founders. They intended thaf
our government should be controlled
by limited number Of representa-
tives, so that authority can be fixed
and responsibility ascertained."
"You distort my meaning" cried
Langdon. And, senator, l would like
to ask why so many high priced con-
!
stitutional lawyers who enter congress
spend SO much time in placing the con-
stitution of the United States between
themselves and their duty, sir, between
the people and their government, sir,
between the nation and it's destiny?
want to know If in your opinion the
constitution was designed to throttle
expression Of the public will?"
"Of course not. That's the reason
you and l. Langdon, and the others
are elected to the senate" added Pea
body, starting to leave. Then he
halted. by the way, SENATOR" he
said, "I'll do my best to arrange what
you want regarding aluminium by
drates for the sake of the south, and
III also stand with you for Altacoola
for the naval base. Our committee is
to make its report tomorrow"