The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-15

doCgei energy TO begin a new campaign
against the state machine.
The camfaign that followed was but
a We1ry repetition of other years. with
ont the stimulus of hope. The spasm
OF enthusiasm past. the people had
sun4 baek inro lsabitual lack of inter
es.. The oai.t notable political feature
OF That year was the quiet contest
within the organization between the
old boss and the new. struggle in
which Murchell was forced to yield.
When Il man sees the best years of
his life slipping away with no accom-
plishment, when he has suffered not
only denupciation and misrepresenta-
ton, which are not easy TO bear, but
also treachery and ridicule, 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
Haig put it 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 off; the
dear pee-purs 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 a 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 cynicr' 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. II have to stick it 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 limo
! cents 2"
I'VE elect a governor next year"
"And where'll you find a candidate?"
'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 Socialist or not
hence was critical of all remedies and
theories.
Il suppose you are thinking of your
brotherhood as substitute?"
mot my brotherhood Haig snort
ed 81 wouldn't have the dolts you
call the people as my brothers. They re
| interesting to me only as a study in
asininity. What can you expect of a
people whose very ideal is concentrate
ed selfishness?"
but the people don't understand
that's ALL
Not understand. You can say that
Do you suppose there's ali 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 OF
| any of their tribe? Yet they turn YOU
| down for them every time. Why? Be
| cause the HWrchells aud the Sherr0ds 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
| eminent, and they have rudimentary
! social instinct that tells them it is
wrong. Sometimes that incipient sense
gets them interested in a reform. but
the interest lasts only for about one
| campaign. Just as you have found it.
We don't really care. We don't want
things changed"
But
Here, l have the floor. Things are
rotten-yes There's a stink in every
you have a purpose in life to clean
up this state Well, then play the
| game as you find it, make of yourself q
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, relighting his pipe
"Goshr' he grinned Reminds me OF
my college debating society. But
4 mean it, he added earnestly.
John smiled family He leaned for.
ward and caught up the poker. absent
i ~ iabbing the Goals in the stove. He
| was thinking of another time when
4 out of her ignorance, a young woman
had stumbled, far less cleyerly. upon
the same theory He said
-One 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
the aroused moral sense Of the people
| realization and acceptance Of political
responsibility. and a man can't very
successfully preach political morality
unless he practices it. He has to serve
| in the way for which he's best fitted
/ don't think I'm cut out for boss
/ Haig'
| Halo orravvlad again ssSarvioa-v