The San Francisco call., 1910-12-04

was only a cheap legislator.
But Louis wouldn't argue Win
Ham: he would always make some re-
tort that you could only answer Win
a laugh. and the laugh sounded
Louis had. he said, a date over on
Golden Gate. He presently left the
two friends alone. Weldy sd~
spravIed on the small OF his PACK
suckinz his cigar. his big IesS
stretched under the table
III makes me sick" he growleH-
Ham. it's taken for granted that m
ont for the money. You don Z know
ANYTHING about 1.-THE pushing ana
hauling and whispering-We. re hOt
bunch of law makers, we are! All the
dirty little rats in the state arc W
there to give US orders
.How's the bribery business COM
Weldv threw up hts hands with a
gesture pathetic in his vlrlle mann
ness. Gods sake. wish I was OUT!
It's all on me, the way the comInitVee
stands. two to two. i just wanted 10
ask YOU. Ham The whole administra-
ton is trying 70 stop report IN 1aV0r
Of An inouiry. and here's my union, ana
all the decent people / know, hounulhs
us the other way. There's a detesauC"
of preachers up there now-rny wiIe
uncIe's one OF 'em-from Alameda
county"
Arnold studied his friends worried
face He was surprised. chad taken
it for granted that Weldy was getting
his bit" in every chance that came
1t was a fool statesman who didn't PICK
I'D his five thousand a session these
days when the prize lights, the gam
bling machines and the races were al
on the rack. and the big money from
higher UP was also abroad.
And then Arnold had a curious sen
sation; he suddenly recalled day When
he and Fred Weldy would have Thought
exactly the same on the ethics or easy
money" but now he was calouseo 70
it. while Fred hemmed and hawed-
Arnold remembered further that he had
in his own mind. through all their
friendship, assured himself OF certain
superiority to the job printer
The unions playing hell, resumed
Fred. II thought they'd stand for the
program. but the boys passed resolu-
tfons against that bribery deal 1ou
see where 1t puts me, Ham
Arnold smiled at the assemolyrnAn'
childlike insistence.
But IL just struck me all OF sud
den the other day why the gang goe
behind me so strong on that grand Jury
business, and why you were put up
to swear what you didi The house II
torn up pretty bad. and I see now how
badly the track and the gambling men
need me-"
Fred" Arnold leaned to him across
the table, 'the men who run this town
haven't any use for you or me- They'll
use us and throw US aside when the
time shows 1T They don't owe me any
thing. and I've no love for them-its
every man for himself in this gama-
But you're my friend ] didn't so be-
fore the grand jury 10 help the. gam
blers at Sacramento, but to help you
You were in more danger than you'll
ever know. And there was your mother,
and T.
Il know you did. Ham. But you took
awful chances. You're the most reck-
less man I ever knewT'
Program" Ham smiled dfstantly.
Fred it was all cut and dried-sorae
men on that jury knew exactly how
would testify. Man, you don't know
yet how smooth things run. do youT'
II wish 1 was out OF it." sighed
Weldy. The unions knocking me. and
my business is running down. Lord.
Ham, was happier in the shop. Don't
you remember when you used to come
in every afternoon and I'd be kicking
the job press and we'd talk socialism
how we read Marx and were red hot
for the brotherhood Of man? You were
just out Of college and I'd just got
through 'prenticing, and we were both
straight and full of big ideas, and no
man could mutter anything about easy
money to US like Louis did just now.
We've gone pretty far, ain't we. old
man2"
Pretty far" said the other. They
grind you through the mIll-Fred, I
know
We thought we were socialists"
laughed Weldy mirthIessly. we were
chucka block with big schsmes, weren't T.
we? We were going to get into union
politics and hammer away. and lead
the boys to our way OF thinking, and
crack over some of the dirt we saw all
around The Social Commonwealth, the
Fraternity OF Man-Lord. Lordr'
Fred, there's nothing wrong with
our theOries-our beautiful scheme of
human betterment and all that-but
we're wrong-that's il. The run OF men
aren't intelligent enough, aren't honest
enough, to conduct a highly organized
state Character, that's what's lack
ing"
Well they ain't all as bad as that"
Aren't they2 Well, now, take the
organization here. the thing that rules.
the real life Of the present social state
Tor the outward form Of government
doesn't cut any hgure-take It from
Barron Chatom, who runs things here
Tor half dozen moneyed men IN New
1ork-take it from Chatom down
through every class OF men who con-
Germ themselves with public Affairs. who
90 Things, down through them all to the
hypo hends we beat out OF the lodging
houses on election day-who's honest
among them all? Can you name oneP'
The statesman shut his eyes against
the smoke OF his cigar for a minute;
then he murmored in protest: "Thun-
der-thunderl"
On, there are some." retorted Arnold
Unc' Pop. Captain Calhoun, sammy
Jarbo, poor devil driving a laundry
wagon for ten week and writing his
verses TO Mary Mellody-but show me
the men who are showed against life
where It's white hot. who win, and who
aren't willing to stand for crooked
work? 1 don't say they do ft-they
dont need TO do It-they stand for it.
Whlch is the same thing when results
are inquired. Socialism, He'll As long
as men haven't sand enough to run a
ward primary straight they II. never run
an industrial revolution Show ue-Fm
crooked-but deal with crooks"
On, thunder-thunderI' protested the
legislator feebly.
snow me man IN politics who Isn't
advanced by crOOkedness. who isn't
Wlllng to keep his mouth shut about
the thousand deals n avrav- dou-r, b.-o~ u.