Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-06-17
CHAPTER TX.

LdnguOn anu names OiQ not
find much favor among the
4 powers that are-at the capital.
Senator Peabody peremptorily demand
ed an explanation from Stevens as TO
how he had allowed his senator to
engage as his secretary this inuuisi-
tive man Haines. a reporter who didn't
know his place.
Here we've put Langdon on naval
affairs because we knew he didn't un-
derstand what's going on. and you.
Stevens, supposed to be the finished
product Of the political mill. you fall
asleep and let him take up a man
whom nobody can control, one who
knows the inside workings of Wash
lngton and who will take par-tic-u-lar
pleasure In teaching your fellow Mis-
sissippian far too much for our good"
Stevens reply, to effect that prob
ably Hsines would consent to be "tak-
en- care Of II judiciously approached,
was derided by the observant Pea
body. "a young reformer grows fat
on notoriety." he laughed. 'and think
what a scandal he would have for his
newspaper II we took chance on dis
closing our hand to him. No, no. Ste
vens: we must have him watched and
try to discredit him in some way. Per
haps we can make Langdon believe
that his secretary is dishonest"
Congressman Norton was another
man who was dismayed at the forma-
tion Of the firm Of Langdon and Hams
Young Randolph, too. could not forget
the defeat and humiliation he had pre-
viOusly suffered at Haines hands and
grew more bitter as the reporters in
duence over his father grew stronger
But Haines' most effective enemy had
arisen In the person he would be the
last to suspect. one whom he unceas-
ingly admired, one whose very words
he had come to cherish And possibly
Il was not all her own fault that Caro-
lima Langdon had enlisted her services,
subtle and quite overwhelming lowing
to Haines' fervent worship of herr
against the secretary. Perhaps the So
cial system Of which she had become q
part In Washington had something TO
do with the craving to become leader
In that fascinating world whose daz-
zling variety and infinite diversion
seemed to fill her soul with all that It
yearned for. Love she had for she
had now promised to wed Congress-
man Norton. She loved him fondly;
she had confessed to him, and gradu-
ally she came to work desperately
against Haines, who, she had been
convinced by Norton and Randolph.
would prove stumbling block to them,
TO her father, to herself in her career
at the capital. IL his influence over the
senator should be permitted to exist or
to increase. And so on the surface
Carolina Langdon was most amiable
to the secretary. encouraged him in his
attentions to her. led him surely into
her power, Norton having prevailed on
her to keep the knowledge of their en-
gagement secret from every one. even
her father.
The days and nights became filed
with important work for Senator Lang
don and his secretary. Together they
went over the important measures. out
lined what appeared to be the best
course Of procedure and carried 1t into
eneet as far as possible. Langdon be-
came prominent figure In the senate,
owing to his consistent support of
measures that fitted In with the public
policy, or what should be the public
poilcy, OF the nation. He had learned
mat the only practicable way to out
wit or to cope with the members Of
The dominating machine. made up, he
was surprised to see, Of members Of
DOTH the parties-the only two I'm
"ashington-was to oppose what the
machine wanted with enough power to
torce 1t to grant him what he believed
'he public ought to have. He was de-
scri6ed by some of the hidebound sin
slders" on Capitol hill as ''the only
prainy man who had fought the ma
chine In thirty years."
At the homo he had later established
IN washington AZ preferable to the
International hetel were frequently
seen a small coterie Of senators and
congressman who had become known
10 the sarcastic party bosses In both
VI SouSroSS a. Inc I4dkuOu
crowd" which crowd was admitted to
De somewhat Of factor when 1t fAal-
~ prevailed on the president to take
over l1000 postmastefs from the ap-
continent class and put them under
Ias control Of the civii service commis-
s'on' resulting In the necessity Of
competitive examination for these
possmasters instead of their securing
positions through political favoritism.
Those who did not know Langdon
Intimately suggested that this fellow
ohght to be taken care Of What in
1ods name does he want? A commit
,ee echairmanship? An Enthusiastically
,or some Mississippi charcoal burner?
couple Of federal judgeships for his
friends? Well. whatever 1t is, give 1t
" MIN and get him in with the rest
Of u.s."
Again 1t was Peabody who had the
Deciding say.