Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-11-11

Little as he spared himself. Caleb
| spared his henchmen still less. With
deadly literalness he saw to the car
| rying out of his earlier order that
| everyone, from Congressman to boot.
black, must put his shoulder to the
wheel. The ward heelers, the priv
ileged lieutenants, the rural agents
and the high officials in the Machine,
alike, were driven as never before.
No stone was left unturned, no chance
ignored. Nor was this all. Forth
went the call to all the hundreds. rich
and poor, whom Conover at various
times had privately aided.
The capitalist whose doubtful bill
he had showed through the Assembly;
the coal-heaver whose wife's funeral
expenses he had paid; the Italian
peddler whose family he had saved
from eviction; the countless poor
whom his secretly donated coal,
clothes and food had tided over hard
winters; the struggling farmer whose
mortgage he had paid; the bartender
he had saved from a murderer's fate:
all these beneficiaries and more were
commanded, in this hour of stress, to
remember the Bosss generosity, and
to pay the debt by working for his
election.
| Checks of vast proportions drawn
ostensibly for railroad expenses) were
cashed by Shevlin, Bourke and the
rest, and the proceeds hurled into
| hi In, ho
voting phalanx. The pick of the At
| lantic seaboard's orators were sum-
moned at their own price, and com.
missioned to sway the people to the
| Machine cause.
On waged the fight. Disinterested
outsiders beyond the scope Of the Ma
chimes attractions were daily drawn,
by hundreds, into the Standish camp.
In the country districts his strength
| grew steadily and rapidly. The peo-
| pie at large were aroused, not to the
usual pitch of illogical hysteria Incl
dent on a movement of this sort, but
| to calm, resolute jealousy of their
own public rights. Which latter state
every politician knows to be immeas-
|
| Conover's efforts on the other hand,
were already bearing fruit. His tire
less energy, backed by his genius and
the perfection of his system. were
hourly enlarging his following. The
railroad wards" and slums of Gran
ite and of other towns were with him
to man. prepared on Election Day
to hurl mighty cohorts of the Un-
washed to the polls in their idols be-
half, Loyalty. self-interest, party al
legiance, and more material forms OF
| pressures were binding throngs Of
others besides these underworld deni-
zens to the Conover standard. Not
even the shrewdest non-partisan
dared forecast the result of the con.
test.
| It was on the eve of election. The
campaign work was done. One way
or another, the story was now told.
The last instructions for the next
days duties had been given. Conover.
returning home from his headquarters.
felt as though the weight Of weeks
had rolled off his shoulders. Now
that he had done all mortal man
| could, he was not like weaker soul,
| troubled about the morrow. That
could take care of itself. His worry
ing or not worrying could not affect
the result. Hence, he did not worry.
| AS he turned into Pompton Avenue
and started up the long slope crowned
by the garish white marble Mauso-
leum, his step was as strong and un-
tired as an athletes. On his frame
of steel and inscrutable face the un-
told strain of past weeks had left no
visible mark.
A few steps in advance of him, and
| going in the same direction, slouched
lank, enervated figure.
The Railroader, by the CLEAN Of q
street lamp. recognized Gerald. and
moved faster to catch up with him.
At such rare intervals as he had time
| to think of domestic affairs, Caleb
was more than little concerned Of
late over the behavior Of this only
son of his. Since the visit of his