The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-02-06

sauntpring down Main street IN CON
pany with n behannpipd summer gen
tenan had something to do with hls
Ipuud
ThpD. another vision was arcuidr''
MIN II fat white horse aZilv draw
ing an ancient top buggy in whlrh S1i
Senator Mur"hell. for alt the word u
prosperous fnrmpr passing into agt
amid peace and plenty
A minuls later came knock at his
door Come" he said.
The senator entered. Afternoon.
John"
What can | do for yuuy''
"Humph! Don't seem very glad to see
me You might ask me to sit down
John pointed to a chair why hpSi
tateI It's your courthouse. isn't it,
Understood you'd taken mortgage
on it yourself lately" MurcheIl sat
Down. looking genially at John
"So you think I'm a bad man and II
disgrace to the stateT the senator in
quired at last
We'll. just about that" John said
quickly.
Told Miss Roberta I'm a bad man.
1idn't you?"
81 could have said that you are
shameful force Ia politics; that you
have exploited IL great party and tile
ignorance of the people; that you have
built up a marhine for the sole pur.
pose of looting The state; that You hnNe
got and held power by compelling pub
lie servants to use the influence OF
their office to perpetuate your machine
and by buying the votes of the cor
ruptible There's probably lot more.
if | only knew it. I've never heard
that you used your power for any good
thing Without profession or business
you are rich man. Howr
"Humphr gruHted Murchell. who
had listened without display Of feeling
Doesn't mean much. You'd have hard
work proving any of IL.
They relapsed into silence. John
looked out Of the window, awaiting in
cold silence the seuatOr's next words.
Murchel preserved mis- usual impas
sive front II was not the first time
he had encountered the intolerance OF
youth Bul never before, save during
the Sheehan trial. had the intolerance
pierced the crust of the man.
lie broke the silence. What do you
want to dO?"
"A good many things you wouldn't
understand principally. | suppose, to
smash you and your organization
That probably sounds funny to yon."
Murchell did not laugh. He merely
felt pity for an impractical young
dreamer.
You can't smash the organization
1T must be smashed, because it ex.
lists to deprive the people of the right
Of self government"
"a pretty phrase It's common sense
politics The people don't want to gov
ern themselves-th they can't. They need
some one to take the burden from them.
How are you going to smash usT'
ut may be simpler than you think.
Senator Murchell. When the people
understand what you are they'll smash
you"
uc Vlllci aVu
think because you've sent few poor
devils to Jail you're man Of destiny,
don't your You think I'm merely
wicked old fellow who's got power
and is using it for his own selfish ends.
If ! were just that you could smash
me. But I'm more than that. ] am
an institutional part of a necessary
institution, one that society. that prop
erty, that business, can't get along
without. You can smash William
Murchell-that is, put some one in his
place. But you can't smash the instl-
tuition And you can't judge a system
by its incidental errors"
John smiled. not very happily. 1--WE
heard that before. The weakness of
your argument is that the errors seem
to be essential Government isn't, or
shouldn't be, merely a matter of force.
nor exist only as the servant of prop
erty. even If all you say is true. And
I've got to 90 on
"And where'll you come ontT'
81? You will try to break me. You
mdJ ouCNCtd. nut yOu WIN OpSSiVS
"You've gone out Of your way to at.
tack me. You're fool"
that | have little to lose, II had
much-you won't understand this-l
hope I'd lose II gladly"
did say ! was going to break
your Murchell demanded testify. ~
came here today to suggest that you
come out for Wash Jenkins seat 10
congress
Johns reply was almost bitter. 80
! have impressed you as a hypocrite
trying to get kicked up out of the way
| repeat. I'm not for sale.
Murchell suddenly rose and put
heavy hand on Johns shoulder "You
said you have little to lose You have
mucha future You've gone out of
| yonr way TO attack me. You're fool
But II like you man. And Id like
10 save that future for you
For a moment John stared at hip,, In
tredulous. he went to the window, star