Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-02-03

III lHe SoOu OF the party. Go back
to that gang of damned wharf rats.
and tell EN-, if | hear another squeak.
I'll put 'em whore | got en-"
Cassidy shrauk away with a fur.
tive glance of envy and hate al me,
whom Dominick treated with peculiar
consideration think 1t was be
cause | was the only man of eduea
ton OF any pretensions to family
in official position in his machine. lie
used to like to class himself and me
together as we gentlemen" in con
trast to them muckers," meaning nv
colleagues.
Next day, just before the voting
began, Dominick seated himself al the
front of the governors gallery-the
only person in it. I sec him now as
he looked that day-back and heavy.
jawed and scowing. leaning forward
and both forearms on the railing and
his big, fiat chin resting on his up.
turned, stubby thumbs. He was
there to see that each of us, his crea.
lures, dependent absolutely upon him
for our political lives, should vote as
he had sold us in block There was
no chance to shirk or even to suuirm
AS the roll-Call proceeded. one after
another, seven of us, obeyed that will
frowning from the gallery-iumped
through the hoop of fire under the
Quiyering lash. | was the eighth on
the roll
Sayler!" How my name echoed
through that horrible silence!
l could not answer, Gradually every
face turned toward mel could see
them, could feel them, and to make
bad enough worse, I yielded to an i'm
perious fascination, the fascination of
that incarnation of brute-power-
power Of muscle and power of VIII.
| turned my eyes upon the amazed.
furious eyes of my master. 1t seem
ed to me that his lips must give pass
age to the oaths and filth swelling be-
meath his chest, and seething behind
his eyes.
"Sayler!" repeated the clerk in
voice that exploded within me.
"No!" I shouted-not in answer
to the clerk, but in denial of that in
solent master-to-dog command from
the beast in the gallery.
The look in his eyes changed to re-
lief and contemptuous approval
There was murmur of derision from
my fellow members. Then | remem-
bered that a negative was. at that
stage of the bill a vote for it had
done just the reverse of what | in
tended. The roll-call went on, and |
sat debating with myself. Prudence
inclination, the natural timidity of
youth, the utter futility of opposition,
fear, above all else, fear-these ioin-
ed in bidding me let my vote stand
as cast. On the other side stood nv
notion Of self-respect. / felt | must
then and there and for ever decide
whether | was a thing or a man. Yet,
again and again had voted for meas
ures just as cOrrupt-had voted for
them with no protest beyond a cyni-
cal shrug and Wry look Every man.
even the laXest, if he is to continue
to count as one" must have a point
where he draws the line beyond which
he will not go. The liar must have
things he will not lie about. the thief
things he will not steal. the compro-
miser things he will not compromise.
the practical man of the pulpit, In
politics, in business, in the profes.
sor's chair, or editorial tribune. things
he will not sacrifice, whatever the
cost. That is practical honor" /
had reached my line of practical
honor, my line between possible com.
promise and certain decentralization
And / realized it.
When the roll-call ended rose
and, in a voice that | knew was firm.
and clear, said; Mr.. Speaker, [
voted in the negative by mistake. |
wish my vote to be recorded in the
affirmative. | am against the bill"
Amid fearful silence | took my
seat. With a suddenness that made
me leap, a wild and crazy assembly
man. noted as the crank of that SEES
sion, emitted a fantastic yell of en-
thusiastic approval. Again there was
that silence; then the tension of the
assembly, floor and crowded galleries,
burst forth in a storm of hysterlcal
laughter.
| wish | could boast how brave
felt as | reversed my vote, how in
different to that tempest of mockery,
and how strong as I went forth to
meet my master and hear my death
warrant But can't, in honesty-Tm
only a human being, not a hero, and
these are my confessions, not my
professions. So ] must relate that
though the voice that requested the
change Of vote was calm and cour
ageous, the man behind 1t was agi-
tated and sick with dread There may
be those who have the absolute cour-
age some men boast---if not directly,
then by implication in despising him
Fho has 1t not. For myself, | must
say that | never made a yenture-and
my life has been a succession of ven