The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-05-29


dogged energy TO begin n new campaign
against the state machine.
The campaign that followed was but
a weary repetition OF other years. with.
out the stimulus OF hope. The spasm
of enthusiasm past. the people had
sunk back into habitual lack Of inter.
est The only notable political feature
OF that year was the quiet contest
within the organization between the
old boss and the new. struggle 10
which Murchell was forced TO yield.
When man sees the best years OF
his life slipping away with no accom-
plishment, when he has suffered not
only denunclation and misrepresenta-
ton, which are not easy to bear. but
also treachery and ridlcule, which are
harder, and misunderstanding and In.
difference from the people he IL trying
to serve. which are hardest OF all, he
cannot be greatly blamed for wanting
sometimes 90 chuck the game" az
Haig put II to John one evening In
early winter. The bantering friend
ship between them, grown deeper as
the years passed. had been worth more
to John than he quite realized.
"Why don't you chuck the game
You're further back than you were four
years ago. The novelty's worn on: the
dear pee-pul's tired Of hearing you. and
they believe that somehow you're worse
than an anarchist. And you're even
going to lie kicked out of Office here
next spring. DO you know thatH
You're breaking down your health.
You're doing the work Of three men
and small boy-for nothing. This
county Is growing There's going to be
plenty OF law business. And you could
be the biggest lawyer around here
You are that now In point OF ability,
though the Lord knows where you find
time to study your cases. Why don't
you chuck Il? Serving the people Is the
most worthless. thankless job In the
world
You besotted Cynlcr' John laughed
''What II we don't get any farther for
ward? We can't let 'em have the state
BY default, can WEI And IL isn't alto
8Vthti NihhhifNNs UNIV u
run into men Ike Cranshawe or Girls
well or Sykes. When see how they
depend on me. IL have to stick Il out
II isn't necessarily worthless, either.
I've generally found that II you hold
on TO the breaking point and then hold
on a little longer. things get easier all
Of a sudden
Sunday school aphorisms. What's
10 be the next slaughter Of the limo
centsi"
"We elect governor next year"
"And where1l you find n candidateT'
"well." said John cheerfully. II
could run myself. you know"
"And Offer 'em more bread pills
ehi' Haig was trying to decide
whether he was Socialist or not.
hence was critical Of all remedies and
theories.
81 suppose you are thinking Of your
brotherhood ~ a substitutef'
mot my brotherhood" Haig snort
ed 81 wouldn't have the dolts you
call the people as my brothers. They're
Interesting Ia me only as study In
asininity. What can you expect OF
people whose very ideal IL concentrat-
ed selhshnessi"
"But the people don't understand
that's all"
mot understand! You can say that
Do you suppose there's an intelligent
man in the state who doesn't know that
you have as much brains and capacity
for government and far more charac.
ter, than either Murchell or Sherrod or
any Of their tribe? Yet they turn you
down for them every time. Whyl BE.
cause the NurcheIIs and the Sherrods rep
resent the people. You don't. Ninety.
nine out OF a hundred men, all over
the nation. have pretty clear notion
OF what's going on in politics and gov
eminent, and they have rudimentary
social instinct that tells them II In
wrong. Sometimes that incipient sense
gets them interested I'm a reform, but
the interest lasts only for about one
campaign. Just az you have found II.
We don't really care. We don't want
things changed"
"But''-
Here. I have the floor. Things are
rotten-yes! There's stink In every
plane OF our national life. You think
you have a purpose In life to clean
up this state Well. then play the
game as you find II, make OF yourself
despot. And when you have your
power use Il TO win compromises from
the other strong ones, and TO give the
people Just AZ much as they are able
10 use and enjoy. Among a selfish
people only a supreme. practical egoist
can lead"
Haig sat back. relighting his pipe.
GOSH he grlnned Reminds me Of
my college debating society. But
mean IT," he added earnestly.
John smiled family. He leaned for
ward and caught up the poker, absent
ly jabbing the Goals In the stove. He
was thinking OF another time when,
out OF her ignorance, young woman
had stumbled, far less cleverly, upon
the same theory. He said:
zone must build from the bottom up
ward. The nation can be saved from
its sins neither by strong individuals
nor BY mechanical systems. Only by