Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-05-26

Win
/ YOU. and I'm not in the humor to spar
for an opening. DO you mean 10 run
your SOD or not7 That Is plain ques-
ton. and ia Hike plain answer"
II told you two weeks ago what I
meant TO do McVickar. but you
wouldn't believe me III say IT again
II you want to hear it"
And told you two weeks ago that
we couldn't stand for II; that YOU
might name your own price for an al
Tentative"
Yes. and I told You my price, If
you happen to rem2mber."
Il know. You said you wanted US
TO turn everything over to the reform
ers and take our chances on q clean
administration. Naturally we are not
going to do any such utopian thing.
What / want TO know now is what It
IS going 10 cost us 10 get your consent
to do the practical and possible thing"
: Want 10 buy me outright this time,
do your" said the boss, still smiling
gently.
'We"-McNickar was going to say,
Eve bought you before" but he
changed 1t to n less offensive form
I'VE have had no difficulty in arriving
: at some sensible and practical conclu-
sionS In the past, Blount, and we
shouldn't have now. We can't let you
have your son for attorney general.
That's out Of the question. If you put
your son in as public prosecutor you
can have but one object in view-you
: mean to squeeze us till the blood runs.
!. We're willing TO discount that object
. before the fact"
, so you have said before a number
Of times and In number Of different
ways" was the mild counter sugges-
, ton.
Il shan't say It many more times.
: David. You're pushing me too far
what will you say then?"
Just this-if you won't meet me
halfway. If you insist upon fight. I'll
fight you with any weapons l can get
hold Of
you've said that In other cam
, paigns. IIardwick. and in the end
you've always been Ike the pOsSum
that offered to come down out OF the
tree If the man wouldn't shoot"
"I'll hand you another proverb to go
with that one" snapped the man in
the chair by the window. The pitch
r that OcS often TO tie well IS sure
10 be broken ut last. You've got
joint In your armor now. Bio int
You've always been able to laugh at
publicity before. Can you stand 1t
now?"
> IL reckon I'll have to stand 1t II
, you buy up a few newspapers. as YOU
, usually do" was the half quizzical re-
ply. then for an added flick of the
whip. You and your folks can't paint
, me much blacker than you have al
ways painted nrc. IIardwick."
, Maybe not, but this time we're go
, ing TO give you II chance to start a
few libel suits-if you think you can
, afford to appear In the courts. We've
. got all the evidence in black and
-, white. We might possibly make your
own state too hot To hold you. Have
you thought of that"
go ahead and try It," was the la
comic response.
but that isn't ALL" the man In the
window chair went on rcmorS-lcssly.
Your fellow citizens here know you
for exactly what you are. Blount. You
rule them with n rod of iron, but that
rule can be broken. When II is bro
ken you'll be looked upon rs crimi-
nal. In our last talk together you had
something 10 say to me about our not
keeping up with the change In public
sentiment. 1t has changed changed so
far that 1t Is coming to demand the
punishment of the great offenders rs
well as the falling of the little ones.
If we want TO push this fight hard
enough II Is not impossible that you
may find yourself broken man at the
end of 1t. David"
I'm taking all the chances" was the
even toned rejoinder.
But there Is one chance | am sure
you haven't considered son OF
yours. l know as much about him as
you do-more. perhaps. for | have
taken more pains to keep tab on him
for the past few years than you have
He Is clean and straight, Blount-a
son for any man to be proud Of II
that IS the real reason why we are
afraid to have him instructing the
grand juries Of this state 1t IS also
your best reason for keeping the past
decently under cover. What will you
say to him when the newspapers open
| -haf l..
you? Had you thought of thatT'
For the first time since the begin
ming Of the one sided conference the
senator laid his cigar aside and sat
thoughtfully Juggling at the dropping
muStaches
you'd get the house af1re over my
head. would you, IIardwick? he
queried. with the gray eyes lighting
overwhelmingly; then: The last time
we talked you posted your def; now
I'll post mine. You go ahead and do
your worst The boy and will try to
see that you don't have all the fun.
won't say that you mightnt turn him
II you went ut 1t right. But you won't
go at 1t right. and as matters stand
now-well. blood Is thicker than wa
!. ter, and II you hit me you hit him.
. And l reckon between us Wen man
age to give you rs good as you send.
That's all" rising to lean heavily upon
the table. "all but one thing. You
fight fair. Hardwick. Say anything
ZOO
4, y k lL-A "