The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-07-26

al with unwilling inquiry at
- his host, who lounged at
ease In his chair, watching the
younger man with grim smile, al
though reading his every thought.
Their relative positions were ludi
crously akin to those OF judge and
prisoner. And the compelling force
that lay behind the amusement In Ca.
lsb's eyes strengthened the resem.
biance.
I'm the first place" said the Rail-
roader, Il think you called me cur.
Twice. ! believe you said that You
most likely thought I'd get mad. A
cur does get mad when he's called
bad names. But grown mans too
busy to kick the puppy that yelps at
his heels. A man OF sense keeps his
mouth shut, unless he's got something
TO say. II cur hasn't anything else
to yelp at he goes out and picks scrap
with the moon, or at something else
that's too big or too high up to bother
TO hit back when he barks at IT, Me.
for instance. So wen let IL 10 at
that"
He lighted gaudily.banded per
fecto, pulled II minute and went on:
II don't know why I'm going TO
waste time talking 10 you. I've never
took the trouble, before, 10 defend my.
self or 10 try TO make other folks see
my view OF the case. But you're a
wellmeaning chap. for all you're such
an ass. And maybe something's due
you after the luck ! put you up against
on that tour of yours. So I'm just
going 10 squander some words on you.
And after that Ill ask you to trot on
home, for I've some riding to do"
He shifted his cigar 10 an angle %
his mouth and resumed:
I'm the first place you give me the
usual rank old talk about the way
treat the people OF the Mountain
State Why do ! boss this city and
the State? Because the people want
me 10. Why do ! run things TO suit
myself In my railroads and my legiela-
ture? Because the people want me TO,
Now you're getting ready to say that's
lie. IL isn't Why don't grab the
food on some mans dinner table? Be
cause he don't want me 90. He'd yell
for the police or pull gun on me II
! tried il. Why do l saddle that same
man with any taxes | choose? Why
do elect my own crowd TO ONCE and
work franchises and everything else
Just. as like? Because he does want
me to. If he didn't he wouldn't let
me. He conld stop me from stealing
his dinner. And he would He could
stop me from grabbing his State.
And he doesn't. DO you s'pose for a
second that /. or Tom Plat, or Rich.
ard Croker, or Charley Murphy, or
Matt Quay or any other boss who ever
lived. could have made ten people m
the whole world do what those people
didn't want tor You knew well enough
they couldn't Then. why did Platt and
Quay and the rest boss the Macbinef
Why do boss the Machine7 Because
they'd rather be led than 10 lead
thatf Facts is facts. and history IL
history. Bosses is bosses. and the
people are sheep Is shepherd In
the herdlng business for his health
and to amuse and el'yate the sheep?
Not he. He's In the game for the
money he can get out Of Ehearing and
occasional butohering. So am !, My
own pocket FIRST last and always N
II wasn't me it'd be another shepherd.
And maybe one thatd make the sheer
sweat worse'n ! do
Gives lips parted In protest bnt
Caleb waved him 10 silence.
"You were going TO say some wise
thing about the peoples involate
rights, eh? We've all got lnyiolats
rights. But II we leave EN- laying
around loose and don't stand mp for
'em. we can't expect much pity when
aomeone else cops EN- away from NE.
III try to turn you out OF your house,
you've got a right 10 prevent me. And
YOU would. II you sat by and let me
do Il. you deserve what you got. u ]
try to turn the people out OF their
rights In the Legislature and they
stand for Il, who's got kick coming
Once In a blue moon some man whose
brains have all run to lungs nothing
personal gets up and shouts To the
people that they're being conned.
sometimes not this time, mind you
they believe IL. and they throw over
the Machine and elect a bunch OF
wail-eyed reformers that know as
much about practical politics as
corn.fed dodo bird knows about the
oIogy. What happensY The city and
the State are run I'm way thatd make
a schoolboy cry. Al the end OF one
single administration there's record
NJ incompetence and messed-up official
Affairs that takes century 70
atralghten out. The police have been
made SO pure they won't let ice and
milk be sold for sick babies on Sun
- a Ia. 10. Inn