Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1909-04-23

"rm going to send for der ordinary cir
Jake Stetneh' cumslanccs we
could let him so ahead with his minor
ity report for Gulf City. but as things
Stand he'll have every newspaper r.
porter In Washington buzHing around
and asking impertinent questions
Yes, and you and | would have to
20 TO Paris to live with our life inSur-
Gnce friends from New York. wouldn't
WEI" laughed Peabody sarcaStically.
"I'm going to send for Jake Stcincrt,"
he added.
"steinert2" Stevens calculated
what
'Oh, that's all right. Maybe he can
suggest something" said Peabody, GO
ing to the telephone. We've too much
at stake to maae mistake aud Jake
may see poiat that we've overlooked
Luckily | saw him downstairs in the
grill room as we came through to the
elevator"
"Steinert is all right himself con
tinued Stevens. but his methods
Cant be too particular now about
his methods-or ours, Stevens. when n
bull like Langdon breaks loose in the
political china shop. Fortune and rep
utation are both fragile"
A ring Of bell announced the arriv-
al Of Jake Steinert, whose reputation
as a lobbyist Of advanced ability had
spread wide in the twenty years he
had spent in Washington. OF medium
height, sallow complexion. dark hair
and dark eyes, his broad shoulders fill
ed the doorway as he entered An lily
kept mustache almost hid thin lip.
ped. fOrceful mouth. almost as furCcful
as some of the language he used His
eyes darted first to Peabody and then
to Stevens. waiting for either of them
to open the conversation.
The highest class lobbyists. those
who "swing" the biggest deals" con
Germ themselves only with men who
can handle" or who control lawmak
ers. They get regular reports and out
line the campaign. Like crafty spiders
they hide in the center of a great web.
a web Of bribery. threat. cajolerv aud
intrigue, intent on every victim that is
lured into the glistening mesheS
Only the small fry mingle freely with
the legislators in the open, in the he
tells and cafes and in the capitol CORR
doris.
Jake Steinert did not belong in either
of these classes; he ranked somewhere
between the biggest and the smallest.
He coupled colossal boldness with the
most expert knowledge of all the intri-
cate workings of the congressional
among members to secure the defeat of
bill, he would frequently put most of
the money in his own pocket and for
comparatively small sum defeat il
by influencing the employees through
whose hands 1t must pass
"Sit down, Jake. Something to
drink" asked Peabody, reaching for a
decanter.
NO" grunted the lobbyist; don't
drink durin' business hours; only durin
the day"
well, Jake" said the Pennsylvania
you probably know something OF
what's going on in the naval affairs
committee"
"You mean the biggest job of the
session.
Eyes"
"sure thing, senator. It's the WORK
Of an artist"
"The boss of the senate smiled
grimly.
Now, suppose committeeman
named Langdon absolutely refused t.
be taken care of and insisted on hand
ing In minority report tomorrow
with speech that read like the Decla
ration Of IndependenceT'
Steinert jerked his head forwart
| quickly.
| You mean what would ] do if
was-er-if was runnin' the job?"
Yes"
Steinert leaned toward Peabody.
where do l come in on this?" h,
asked suspiciously.
Come, come, man." was the irritable
| retOrt 81 never LOT a faw dollar