The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-01-02

over the Teller with something to sci.
or develop. Trouble Is, even whsc We
know It's wrong. we, don't want is
change 1t. hopin' that some day it'll
give us a cllunct to make money the
same way"
"Ch. no" John protested. I'D hate
to believe thHt. can't believe it,
Men aren't all Of the ,logeat-,log spp-
cies"
well" snd ri, a little ashamed. ~
don't know as ! believe It myself
Guess I'm little pcevish over bein'
outbargaineh by Steve Hampden. !
wish" he added thoughtfully. you
could he lawyer fer the company. 1t
looks like us farmers won't have much
say In the business. I'd like to have
some one on the inside who could tell
US what's goin' on"
y mo chance of that. Ri. Hampden
doesn't think much Of me-" He did not
tell Cransha>;e why he had lost the
capitalists favor.
The net result of his quixotism, he
thought with some bitterness. was TO
win Hampden's hostility and to put
himself out Of the way of protecting
his farmer friends.
And late in October occurred his par
tvs rally.
1t was necessary to marshal the
badly shaken party hosts. For into
Benton county had marched young
man who. in single opposition speech.
broke through the defenses so pains
takingly reared by Jeremy Apologize
and his fellow soldiers. None other
than Jerry Brent. A big. rawboned.
homely fellow. uncouth in manner and
sometimes in grammar. but with
crude, passionate eloquence that al
ways carried his audience with him.
He had been a coal miner. labor
organizer, and had. after struggle
20 common that description stales.
been admitted to the practice of law.
In all the thirty-ive years Of his life
the charge of material dishonesty had
never been raised against him: he was
still poor. And he was counted a ris-
ing man in the opposition party. not
with the connivance Of his party
bosses, however. They considered him
q radical. unsafe and-cardinal crime
In an honest and manageable young
man-ambitious. Respectable people
sneered at his "antics" It was said
that his eyes were fixed on the next
nomination for governor. Even with
this suspicion ranking in their minds
the bosses dared not-so popular was
he among labor men-refuse him op-
portunity to speak during the cam
paign.
John, an inconspicuous listener.
heard Brent's Benton county speech.
It troubled him. 1t seemed to him
unanswerable. Brent, it was true.
dealt in terms Of suspicion, not Of
facts, but it was a suspicion that
found swift echo in the hearts Of his
audience. He frankly said as much.
1--WE don't govern this state" said
Brent. Zone man, Murchell. picks out
our officers and tells EN- what to do
while in office. You people don't gov
ern Benton county One man. Jim
Sheehan. Murchelrs tool. chooses your
commissioners. your. treasurers. your
sherlffs, your district attorneys" John
WINGED. "And it's wrong, my God! It's
wrong" the ora tor cried passionately.
cit would be wrong. even IT, these
men were honest. And 1 blame you
for 1t. You haven't the right to shove
your responsibility on other mems
shoulders. and they haven't the right
to take the power"
s The mans hot, rough eloquence
found a Judgment where least expected
in Johns heart already sensitized by
his own discoveries and questionings
Jerry Brent was right
The Oldest inhabitant could not re-
member when the old party had been
90 vigorously attacked. To stem the
tide Of revolt-John felt 1t strongly in
his canvass AN old time rally was to
be held In the square. Sheehan in
structed John as to the part which the
latter was to play.
YOU'RE to speak. Hit 'er up hard.
Tell 'em all about us bein the friend of
the farmer. It's your chance. Parrot
and Sherrodll be there. PARROTS no
SLOUGH Of a speaker, but you can beat
him. Farmers like good speech
81 don't know that care to make
the speech"
"Don't you want to be electedr'
eheehan demanded.
II guess so. Yes" with sudden vigor
and short laugh that Sheehan did
not understand. 81 do
"Well. then. play up your indie
pendence. Tell 'em there's no strings
tied to YOU
II can tell them that-with truth"
eheehan looked long and hard at
him. Then he chuckled "Of course.
And don't forget the state ticket when
you're talkin'.''
When he was alone John fairly
writhed in his self contempt and hat
red of the boss
He prepared fine speech, and then
came the night Of the rally-the pomp
and panoply ofwar.