The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-02-20

VkakRoW sea in one. preparin;. vii
dogged energy to begin new cammig'
against the state machine
The campaign that followed was b,l.
weary repetition of other years, with
out the stinulus of hope The S,,dsm
of enthusiasm past the people had
h0nk back into hahiHGi 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, u struggle III
which MurcheI was forced to yield.
When man sees the best years OF
his life slipping away with no accom-
pl1shment, when he has suffered not
only denunciatiOu and misrepresenta-
ton, which are not easy to bear, but
also treachery and rdicule. which are
harder, and misunderstanding and in.
difference from the people he is trying
TO serve. which are hardest Of all, he
cannot be greatly blamed for wanting
sometimes to "chuck the game" as
Hafg put 1t to John one evening In
early winter The bantering friend
ship between them, grown deeper as
the years passed, had been worth more
10 John thai he quite realized
why don't you chuck the game?
You're further back than you were four
Fears ago. The novelty's worn off; 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 be kicked out of Office here
next spring DO you know that?
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 it? Serving the people is the
most worthless, thankless job in the
world"
You besotted cynic!- John laughed
What if we don't get any farther for
ward? We can't let 'em have the state
by default can we? And it isn't alto
gether thankless. Once in a while
run into men like Cranshawe or Girls
well or Sykes. When see how they
depend on me, IL have to stick 1t out.
1t isn't necessarily worthless, either.
I've generally found that If you hold
on to the breaking point and then hold
on little longer, things get easier all
of a sudden"
Sunday school aphorisms. What's
to be the next slaughter OF the inno-
cents?"
1--WE elect a governor next year."
"And where'll you find candidateT
"Well," said John cheerfully, 81
could run myself, you know"
"And offer 'em more bread pills,
eh?'' Haig was trying to decide
whether he was a Socialist or not,
hence was critical of all remedies and
theories,
Il suppose you are thinking of your
brotherhood as a substitute?"
"Not my brotherhoodw Haig snort
ed II wouldn't have the dolts you
call the people as my brothers. They're
Interesting to me only as study in
asininity. What can you expect Of
people whose very ideal Is concentrat-
ed selfshness?"
But the people don't understand
that's ALL"
Not 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-
tor than sIrhrr NTrcEall or Sherrod or
any of their tribe? Yet they turn you
down for them every time Why? Be-
cause the MurchellS and the SherTOds rep.
resent the people. You don't. Ninety
nine out of a hundred men. all over
the nation. have a pretty clear notion
of what's going on in politics and gov
ernment. and they have a rudimentary
social instinct that tells them it is
wrong. Sometimes that incipient sense
gets them interested in reform, but
the interest lasts only for about one
campaign. Just as you have found 1t.
We don't really care. We don't want
things changed"
But
Here, 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 it. make of yourself a
despot. And when you have your
power. use it to win compromises from
the other strong ones. and to give the
people just as much as they are able
to use and enjoy Among a selfish
people only supreme, practical egoist
can lead"
Haig sat back, relightiug his pipe.
"GOshw 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 a young woman