Arizona republican., 1911-04-22
THE LONG ARM
OF BOSS TANK
BY p. c. Macfarlane.
Copyright, 1909. by the Pearson Pub
fishing Company.
BY p. c. Macfarlane.
Copyright. 1909. by the Pearson Pub

fishing Company.
The salOon-keeper wants to run 4 little
game or keep open after hours. The
traction company and the gas company
and the water company all wants 10
cut the corners. and they all run into
the banks. This is the day OF organi-
cation. | organize this graft from the
top of il to the bottom. > Nothin' is too
small to overlook, and it's all a part of
my machine, yourself included. The
Dago with his push-cart, and the presi-
dent of the traction company with its
ninety millions capital, and the presi-
dent of the First National Bank is all
part of my machine, because they're
gettin' things from me. l command
'em body and soul to the point Where
they can earn one more dollar by
breakin' with me than by maxim with
me, and when that day comes they'll
break, and then it's me and them for
it, like It was with you. l got to fight
for It every day. and the day get
licked, I'm done"
But aren't you afraid Of the
courts?" interjected Holman.
"The courts, " shifted Tank, in dis
gust. You didn't go TO the courts,
did you? You got to have clean hands
to go into court, and your'n wasn't
clean, were they" Tank shot
shrewd glance into the face of Holman.
A flush stole over the latter's features.
Tank continued;
There might not have been any
graft in that Harbor teamin' contract,
but the way you got it wouldn't have
sounded very nice when the gaff was
:nto you and you was maxim the roar,
would It? And il wouldn't have read
very we'll in the newspapers out on the
hill. The fact IS the courts wasn't any
good to you aud me this time. And let
me tell you something else: They talk
about the saloon graft and the tender
loin graft. These aren't the biggest
gratis nor the biggest srafters amt
handlin' these propositions. The big
graft and what makes this machine Of
mine to-day is the service companies
and the general business graft. They're
what make me- When | hit the cob
blee, as I'm like to some day long
ways of. yet, it won't be tn wards
;hat'n put me out It'll be the big
business interests, and they'll try to
throw me the minute they can get
man who'll organize the graft as well
as do, and give them more Of it"
But are there no honest men?" ex.
claimed Holman.
"Oh, plenty of 'cm." assured Mr..
Tank. "These men are al some hon
est, personally, at least most of EN-.
They wouldn't steal a cent. They pay
their debts Some of EN- are even
what you call good men. but they can't
tell when a tip becomes a brihe or
when a personal accommodation be
comes a special privilege.
a. 1t wasn't me you was buckin'. You
was buclkin' every man in this town
that's getting a special privilege of any
kind, from the president OF the trac-
ton company that's usin' the city
streets that don't belong TO him and
takin' good money for poor service 10
the bOot-black down below here, who's
got his stand settil' six inches on the
sidewalk, and he pays the ward man
more for that six inches on the side
walk than he does the landlord for his
six feet on the floor. That's the COM
bination you went against. and il beat
you. and it'll beat you worse If you
monkey with it.
And just remember, viii you. that
| know where I'm at now. and always
I'm runnin' the show in this town on
commission, and | take out a pretty
good one | give the interests graft
enough to keep EN- eatin' out OF my
hand, and l give the town as good
government as | can for the money
When you get better people, you get
better government. When the best
people in the town are no better than
what they are. you'll not get a govern.
ment any better than this one. And
remember. too. Won and others like you
that talks about me. that I'm better
citizen than you fellows on the hills
that talks about better things. but don't
even go to the polls. The best citizen
is the citizen that votes. and sometimes
the oftener he votes the better citizen
he is. There's men in some of my
wards that can vote fifteen times in
one election. There's men belongs 10
that Good Government cub on the hill
that amt voted in fifteen elections.
And yet you fellows want to send up
the man that voted fifteen times.
Damn me. II | wouldn rather send up
the man that never voted at all!
Mr.. Holman was in a mood to listen.
Besides, he was still thinking about
that side track. He was going to need
II worse than ever, now. to begin to
get his business 'ack. So when Mr..
Tank was done, he preached the sub
ject.