Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-12-20
CHATTER XIII.
The BOss's Code of Ethics.

= Standish remained standing at the
table, looking across with unwilling
inquiry at his host, who lounged at
ease in his chair, watching the
Younger man with a grim smile, as
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
leb's eyes strengthened the resem-
blance.
"In the first place." said the Rail
roader, 81 think you called me cur.
Twice, / believe, you said that. You
most likely thought I'd. get mad. A
cur does not get mad when he's called
bad names. But a 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. If a cur hasn't anything else
to yelp at he goes out and picks a
scrap with the moon, or at something
else that's too big or too high up to
bother to hit back when he banks at
it. Me, for instance. So we'll let it
go at that"
He lighted a gaudilybanded per-
fecto, pulled a minute, and went on:
IL don't know why Pm going to
waste time talking to you. I've never
took the trouble, before, to defend my
self or to try to make other folks see
my view of the case. But you're a
well-meaning chap, for all you're such
an ass. And maybe something's due
you after the luck l put you up
against on that tour of yours. So I'm
Just going to squander some words on
you. And after that I'll ask you to
trot off home, for I've some riding to
do"
He shifted his cigar to an angle of
his mouth and resumed:
an the first place, you give me the
usual rank of old talk about the way |
treat the people of the Mountain
State. Why do l boss this city and
the State? Because the people want
me to. Why do / run things to suit
myself in my railroads and my legis-
lature? Because the people want me
to. Now you're getting ready to say
that's a lie. 1t isn't. Why don't
grab the food off some mans dinner
table? Because he don't want me to.
He'd yell for the police or pull gun
on me if / tried it. Why do / saddle
that man with any taxes | choose :?
Why do l elect my own crowd to Of
fee and work franchises and every
thing else as like? Because he does
want me to. If he didn't he wouldn't
let me. He could stop me from steal
ing his dinner. And he would. He
could stop me from grabbing his
State. And he doesn't. Do you sup
pose for a second that l; or Tom
Plat, or Richard Croker, or Charley
Murphy, or Matt Quay or any other
boss who ever lived, could have made
ten people in the world do what those
people want to? You knew well
enough they couldn't. Then, why did
Platt and Quay and the rest boss the
Machine? Because they'd rather be
led than to lead themselves. Can you
find a flaw in that? Facts is facts,
and history is history. Bosses is boss
es, and the people are sheep. Is a
sheperd in the herding business for
his health and to amuse and el'vate
the sheep. Not he. He's in the game
for the money he can get out of
shearing and occasional putchering. So
am I. My own pocket first, last and
always. If it wasn't me it'd be an
other shepherd. And maybe one that'd
make the sheep sweat worse'n do"