The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-31
The Corruption Fund.
ecopyright 1909, by Benj.. B Hampton.)
By 6. ". OGDEN.

! : q
 ~ ENoR vALGAs, editor of Fl Regidor was
 small of the foot. like a woman, but large
 - of the waist, and tapering like Holland
 cask. Bald the head of Senor Valgas
 calbo if you please, it falls from the tongue less rudely-calbo, and bearded with small rolls of fat
 El Regidor had been an inspiration. Regidor, al 6erman. When the paper was founded It was the intention of it's editor to make of it lever to lift him into that place of quick emoluments and nothing said. But had not Ell Regidor grown? And was It's editor not more how board sna9 % ever hope to be? Just so; bien. Flavored to the palate Fl Regidor, -tEe moral and political guide of the 2O0O Mexcan-A Americans who represented the balance of power on election day Yes, beyond doubt senor valgas held in his hands much power.
 Many papers In the measured poetry of the Gas. tfIian tongue had blown in like gulls from the sea to the old Texas city, and blown out agaln sn9 iKe but Ei Regidor stood like the walls of Guadalupe. and it's editor slept the siesta all of the afternoons not at all nj day nj night, it seemed; whose son sought the anuncias. the advertisements unceasng' ly, and wrote philosophy equal to that of Savanda Ii was the season of election Andy Gallagher again-for the seventh time-beng up for mayor on on the side of the spoilers always triumphant. For years Senor Valgas had received from the scentra committee of Gallagher's party i've hundred dollars for nubshing the ticket headed by Gallagher on the front page of Fl Regidor for five weeks running with such editorial encouragement as he thought the senor Valgas had himself put through at the begin ning and never had he ntrusted the diplomatic task of renewing the arrangement to the hands or an. other not even the capable Pedro, who never slept and whose philosophy was equal to that of Savanda himself
 the customary date to receive from his hands the copy and the check Many years in oflee during Ias fo the highest bidder and many other public i'm. provements had been carried out on the same equit able scale had made Gallagher corpuiently conn- dent He had been transformed from the unriyaled mixer to the blunt-headed dictator He held a neculiar contempt, which at election time yielded to
 patronizing tolerance for every brand of humanity neither Irish nor of his party
 The great candidate met the smiling eyes of Senor valgas coldly as he met all who came to subtract and not add in his municipal school of arithmetic With adroit compliments Wnlcn caused the ne Gallagher to yawn, Senor Nalgas lea up to Une mat ter of the advertisement
 "No" said Gallagher were not throwing away any money this year-whats the use! Here the committees been payin you year in an year out to run the ticket an give us boost in Mexican then we've had to go out an buy them rotten greasers just tba same No long as we've got to buy 'em anyhow, valgas. wed just as well add your little ole five hundred to the fund,
 The pulse of Senor vaIgas indicated low pressure at the fountain head But, Fl Regidor is powerful he protested Much better for the party it is that it have the friendship rather than the enmy of the powerful periodico, El Regidor"
 "Your pipes out" cut in Gallagher Look ahere, valgas we've got s6oOO to buy them 200o greasers votes; savyey? All right, then; what do you reckon you could say in Mexican to greaser thatd look Senor valgas left in a mighty passion. His face was VI r the hue of ripe g when he reached he; the oncs wrote many minutes without once looking in the direction of Pedro who a being wise said i nothing
 
 copy paper at arms length, saying:
 This Gallagher the hog that is mayor by grace of Ell Regidor, insults me"
 Just so, padre, answered the mild Pedro pausing in the driving of his typewriter.
 T am refused $500 to print the ticket, am in suited lam turned out" panted the padre, handing his copy to the son. "but shall prove to this Gal lagher that El Regidor is burr under the saddle, thorn in the foot that will lose for him the run We have money to throw away you said he; we have $6,000 buy 2O0O greaser votes Oh. very well. Read this, then have it set in type large that even the blind hear it. if they cannot see!"
 Pedro read:
 1.-THE CORRUPTION FUND!
 Much shame and disgrace has been discovered! The Gallagher party has cried out the boast that it will win the election but not by honest votes. No! When has the Gallagher party been honest? As in the past, it will again cheat honest men of their rights by spreading money like the seeds of plague! "Gallagher boasts that his party has $20,0OO to spend in buying 2,000 Mexican votes. Ten dollars vote! What disgrace is deep enough for the proud Mexican-American who will betray his dear brave country for ten dollars!
 LET NO MAN DO THIS! "Ten dollars for your votes
 THE CORRUPTION FUND!
 THIEVES AND RASCALSi
 DOWN WITH GALLAGHER! DOWN WITH GALLAGHER"