Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-04-24
DANIEL TANK AND THE
UNFINISHED FIGHT
BY p. c. Macfarlane.
Copyright, 1909, by the Pearson Pub
fishing Company.

/ 'dtut OI puDllClJy. ElJler ne ala not
/ get sunlight enough into the rotten
City Hall deal or else the rays that
streamed in were devitalized in some
way
He resolved to try again, and this
/ time TO go farther, 70 put his hand
/ upon the actual criminal, to catch him
/ II possible in the act, red-handed,
where the public might see when he
| tung open the next closet door not
only the hideous skeleton of a public
| right, throttled and stripped bare. but
/ the man or men who did the throt-
| Ting. with their hands at the victims
throat. He believed he would have to
employ detectives now as well as re-
porters. He would Squire legal ad-
vice, and special prosecutors. His
campaign had gone long enough to
discover to him a few men of like SYM
pathies. Without difficulty he raised
small fund Of twenty-five thousand
! dollars from men who wanted TO see
Things improved, and the regime of
graft and corruption ended or
amended. II came from the banks, or
rather from individual bankers. from
public spirited merchants and the like.
He set his detectives going and it was
not long before they were on the in
side. Soon one of them arranged to
buy saloon license. The license it
self was but $500 year, but it cost
$1,000 TO get the license o. KID by the
Board Of Police Commissioners. The
Chairman of the Board was to handle
the matter, himself. 1t was to be
paid over in a certain room at a GER
hNr - - It,
and Mr.. Dunno and a lawyer and an
other detective were to>be present be-
hind folding doors and hear the bar
gain assented to and see the delivery
made, and then arrest the man. the
Chairman Of the Board OF Police Com
missioners. and take from him the
marked money.
Just while this was planning. and
before il was accomplished, the Presi.
dent Of the United States visited the
city. IL was either a strange accident
or bit Of humor on the part OF some
one, or perhaps. il was the Boss's own
arrangement that gave Dunno and him
seats together. Dunno was disguised.
He had not known Tank well. The
Boss shrOuded himself with a veil Of
mystery. He seldom made a public
appearance, except in til wards" as
he denOminated the teeming blocks in
which the great mass Of the hand
workers and the poor Of the city lived.
He operated through lieutenants. And
while very accessible to them the pub
lie seldom saw him. He made few
speeches and campaigned by proxy.
In the course of the evening Dunno
discovered that while the man used
knife and fork indifferently he ap-
plauded those particular points in the
speeches which Dunno himself liked.
and that he saw the point as quickly
as any, and even might anticipate It.
His big. heavy features were always
dominated by those two keen, shrewd.
often kindly twinkling eyes. He
laughed with all his more than two
hundred pounds at the witty things
His small eye suffused with something
like moisture when a tender sentiment
was expressed
He's a mighty human animal. any
how" was the sort Of modified verdict
that Dunno allowed himself after a
time. -,
"How's circulation" asked Tank |
after a while, by the way of being |
neighborly.
" Keeping up" grunted Dunno with |
very bad grace. The question angered !
him. Tank had not shown the slight |
est resentment toward him. During !
the six months the Sentine! had been |
at the Tank machine. ripping |
il wide open to public view. Tank had |
not even been disturbed, or if so. ne |
had not displayed it. Dunno had lam |
pOoned the man till he came to hate /
him. and here beside him sat the bic. 1
amiable, alert individual with his /
feathers unruffled. his feeling unhUrt. /
Ind his equanimity undisturbed. He
wen asked how circulation was, 1t |
dashed through DUNES mind that
Tank regarded his work as a mere
for public favor. an endeavOr
% create news and increase circula-
ion, public trick to advance a pri-
rate interest; that he. like Tank him
elf, was merely using the municipal
for selfish personal ac-
count
Circulation isn't the only thing 1
are about" he snapped. holly.
NO?" said Tank interrOgatively
Dunno accepted the challenge in that
tone.
I'm interested" he said. " in expos
ne the rottenness with which the CITY
government is fostering to-day. and not
My exposing it, but in actually detect
ng the officials who are betrayiug
heir trust and sending them TO Jail"
You amt a-goin' to get anywhere
Ioin' that" exclaimed the Boss in even
ones, as he munched a walnut
DUNES cheek flushed hot, but the
Meeting was breaking up just then and
here seemed no opportunity for the
attended reply that he felt necessary.
You're in wrong. young man." con-
inued Tank in a paternal sort of way.
Come and see me at my Office at ten
'clock tomorrow, and I'll tell you
Why"
Dunno was surprised at the invita-
ion and the frankness of il. He stood
or a moment, looking Tank squarely
n the eye. AS a newspaper man the
roffered interview seemed inviting In
he extreme. From the reformer's
oint of view he foresaw complications.
but the journalistic instinct tri-
implied. and the reformer perked up
bit at the prospect, also. Tank was
nown to be a frank man. He might
ak lot. and Dunno knew that even
he most discreet man if he talks long
nough may say something he ought