Western Kansas world., 1912-02-10

Spinney went out, hanging his head
well, there's at least one cur elimi-
mated from the politics of this state"
blurted Harlan gratefully.
''Eliminatedr' sneered his GRANDPA
ther. 1.-THE first man you'll meet in the
legislative lobby next winter will be
Arba Spinney.'
81 think you're the man to take these
documents to the committee on resolu-
tions, Thelismer," stated the general,
drawing out the planks he had sub
mitted the evening before. ''You can
explain why they should be inserted,
and 1 have modified them somewhat.
l have no desire to frighten the party
at the outset
The duke took the papers and de-
parted without a word. The men of
the affidavits returned to their dele
cations on the floor of the convention,
qualification in their faces, as well as
a sense of the Importance of the secret
they We're guarding.
The band gave a final below, and
the business of the convention pro-
ceeded.
General Weymouth and Harlan took
chairs into their little room and sat
down to wait. The sounds came 20
them mellowed by distance, but dis
tinct. They followed the procession of
events
Spinney's name was presented by an
up country spellbinder who had copied
logic, diction and demagogic arguments
from his chief. All the thrill, swing
and excitement of the Spinney move
ment were gone, yet the undercurrent
of opposition to the further dictation
by the party ring was shown by the
applause that greeted every reference
by the speaker to the conditions that
existed in the party. Spinney got per-
functory applause Suggested change
was cheered tumultously. The con-
ventioh was ripe for revolution against
dominant conditions without exactly
understanding how to rebel wisely and
we'll
Suddenly a clarion voice raised itself
from the convention floor. They in
the little room could hear every word.
That's Linton said the general
calmly. ''He baked under my pat,
but he's plunging into the traces hand
somely under the whip"
Linton! After refusing? Is he pre-
senting your name?"
"Oh, he's a politician, and one must
allow a politician to weigh out his
stock Of goods on his own scales and
hope that he will give good measure.
I'll be grateful in this instance, Mr..
Thornton. They've picked out an able
young speaker"
In spite of his resentful opinion of
Linton, an opinion into which he would
not admit to himself that jealousy en-
tered, Harlan as he listened had to
acknowledge the ability of the young
lawyer.
| First he caught the attention of his
auditors, then. he skillfully suggested
that he was preparing a surprise.
With appealing frankness that won the
interest and sympathy Of the Spinney
adherents he agreed with them that
the times demanded changes and re-
forms. He urged that these should be
undertaken within the party, and then,
earnestly but delicately, he hinted that
the reformers had not picked the right
leader. AS delicately he suggested
| next that an extreme partisan, bound
far in advance Of nomination by fac
tional pledges and trades that he must
carry out, was not the right man to
extricate the party either.
Now the delegates shifted the truth.
%
They were not sure. But they sus-
pected. And mere suspicion sent them
upon their settees, cheering wildly.
Distrust Of Spinney, sullen disloyalty
| to the machine created Everett, fur
nished a soil In which hope for an
other solution of the tangle sprang
| with miraculous growth.
Linton waited until the roar of
| voices died away. They again lis
tened breathlessly, wondering whether
their own hopes had beguiled them
From the storied past, gentlemen
of the convention, we draw precept
i and example, lesson and moral, hope
| and inspiration. Today we meet here
In perplexed division as to the stand
ard bearer for our next campaign. If
up from the past OF sage counsel and
unfaltering faith there. might come
| one who could stand forth and ex-
| pound the lessons that we need we
might take heart and travel boldly on
But, gentlemen, bring you a message
| of greater hope, more profound a
blessing. Up from that past comes the
| standard bearer himself. His wise
kindliness meets every test Of honest
| gentleman. Scholarship crowns his
brow. Law holds her torch aloft that
his feet may tread the safe way War
from him has taken tribute, but to him
has given a hero's deathless laurels