The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-08-05

ten they don't want anything except to
stay asleep and let the right crowd
handle the country. But when a man
like Standish gets them to listen TO
him, they all wake up and yell for re-
form and purity in politics as hard as
a waking baby squalls for its bottle.
They've made him popular idol"
THE people," scoffed Van Dyke.
They make an idol one minute and
overturn it the next"
That's right" agreed Gregg, but
the Mullins bill will be defeated before
they get time to overturn Standish.
The people are awake. They really
seem to have an idea we ought to keep
some OF our promises. And. say! After
all, we did promise them a lot Of
things"
Did WEI" echoed Neligan. I'VE
made our platform look like a cross
section of the Ten Commandments.
fringed with pages of Pilgrims Prog
ress. Yah! That's the trouble. We're
over-promised.'
IF we could loosen Standish's pull
with the parsons" said Neligan, wed
have him against the ropes in one
round"
Now you are talking sanity" ap-
proved the lawyer. That was Just
what was waiting to suggest"
We'll, we didn't wait for you to sug.
gest it, retorted Neligan. I'VE aren't
corporation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, per
haps, but we've got a few grains of
gray matter left That's the first stunt
we tried. We put good men on the
case to look up Standish's record-to
find one break that we could hang a
story on"
"Well?"
We'll, from their reports, Standish
seems to have led a life that would
make Saint Anthony and Sir Galahad
and the Pilgrim fathers look like a
bunch of soused Tenderloin FOUNDERS"
You're sure your men left nothing
uncovered?"
do you think we'd overlook any.
thing when the whole game hangs on
it?"
That's right, Van Dyke" supple
mented Gregg. We've been over
Standish's record with a microscope.
He's cost us enough to make the
search mighty careful. Even if you
don't give US credit for sense enough
to probe the business, you'll have to
allow that Mark Robertson's no fool.
And Robertson's moved heaven and
hell to get something on Standish. But
he can't. Robertson's got more at
stake than any of US. If Standish ticks
him in this fight and gets the speaker
ship it'll cost Mark Robertson more
than most people could understand.
Self-respect and ambition and future
and"
1T sure will agreed Neligan. Let's
sect must be close on five years,
now, that Standish and Robertson
have been at each others threats. Five
years-no, six. Ever since Robertson
ran for governor and Standish dug up
that smelly franchise deal against
him. Robertson's had it in for him
ever since"
Just when I'm all loaded up to the
guards with perfectly good stock that
will go to pieces like a card house
when the bill fails!" walled Gregg.
Cut out the whine." ordered Nell
gan. 'You aren't the only man who's
bought stock that Standish will turn
into waste paper Oh, that man Stand
| ish! He's got the country running
after him like flock of hens after the
| farmer at feeding-time. They think
his private life's got Saint Peter and
Anthony Comstock dashed to the mast
and that his politics are so pure they'd
make Abraham Lincoln feel like a
ward heller. He's no man. He's a
bloodless saint. I don't believe he
ever so much as squeezed a womans
| hand in his life or swigged anything
stronger than sarsaparilla. How are
we going to get the hooks into a fell
low like that?"
st don't know howl" f1ared Van
Dyke But it's Jim Blake's business
to know. He was supposed to be run
ming the house and holding our men
together What's Jim been doing to
let things get away from him like
this?''
"Ah, can it," snarIed Neligan, at
once up in arms in defense of his
adored leader Throw the blame all
over the shop II you've got to. Rub II
into our hair. But don't spill any of it
on Jim Blake. Tell me this, before
you hand out any more kindly criti-
cisms: Did Jim ever lose a trick that
any mortal man could have taken?
Did he? Isn't he the best house lead
er the organization ever had? Hasn't
he put you people into the way OF
grabbing millions?"
Cool off, Neligan, laughed Van
Dyke. why, good lord, Tim, think
as much of Jim Blake as you do. He's
a splendid upright man and"
He is mott" fiercely contradicted
Neligan. He's a CRATER. And every
body knows it. But, by the powers
he's the very best CRATER in the bust
ness. And, what's more, he's my
friend. And"
And the best way to show we agree