The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-09-19


"ioa Knew him well, by sight. For
whenever political crises swent Wash.
'As'oh ne was as certain to apnesr as
a'e 'aitures to congregate for the
lsas'' lie was Ralph Van DYKE q
w" 'oFKer, and counsel for great
faifoad. His was one Of the sbrevd.
CO. regal minds in America. And he
liau SO carefully trained that mind 20
tue million dark intricacies Of CORPORA.
'hal law as to be doubly worth the an.
h1a' fortune he reaped from the Inter.
es's' WHAT Jim Blake was in politics
hsiph Van Dyke was in corporation
ia"' The chance word Wanda had
Just overheard had been spoken BY
HIN. y
are things still going as badly with
the Mullins bin as when you wired me
teaay?' he had asked Neligan.
On returned Neligan, I'VE had the
mousse cinched when it was reported
wed have passed 1t, hands down, /,
we could have damned it through then
bpt now-we may as well stand up tc
facts-we're as good as licked"
But, gentlemen urged Van Dyke
iHpatfently, this bill has to pass"
Sure 1t has" gloomily assenteJ
Neligan. "Only 1t can't. Unless some
thing explodes Standish before 1
comes to vote. Oh, it's the people
Ihey're reform-crazy. They don't know
| What they want. and nine years out o
un they don't want anything except t.
say asleep and let the right crowt
handle the country. But when a MAJ
IKE Standish gets them to listen tt
sim, they all wake up and yell for re
fprm and purity in politics as hard a.
q waking baby squalls for it's bottle
They've made him popular idol"
The people!" scoffed Van Dyke
"They make an idol one minute AM
pverturn 1t the next"
That's right" agreed Gregg. "bu
the Mullins bill will be defeated .befor
they get time to oyerturn Standish
The people are awake. They reall
seem to have an idea we ought to kee
some OF our promises. And, say! Ate
oil, we did promise them a lot O
things"
Did WEI" echoed Neligan. wv
made our platform look like a cross
section Of the Ten Commandment!
Rringed with pages Of Pilgrims Pros
ress. Yah! That's the trouble. Weir
over-promised."
III we could loosen Standish's pu
with the parsons said Nellgan, I'VE
have him against the ropes in on
round
Now you are talking sanity al
proved the lawyer. THAT was Jus
what was waiting to suggest"
well. we didn't wait for you to SUI
gest it." retorted Neligan. I'VE aren
corporation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, pc
haps, but we've got a few grains .
gray matter left. That's the first stur
we tried. We put good men on til
case to look up Standish's record,
Hind one break that We could hang
Well?o
well. from their reports, Stands
seems to have led a life that wou
make Saint Anthony and Sir Galahs
and the Pilgrim fathers look like
bunch of soused Tenderloln FOUNDERS
! You're sure your men left nothir
uncovered"
"Do you think we'd overlook an
thing when the whole game hangs C.
it,"
That's right, Van Dyke" suppl
mented Gregg. We've been ov'
Standish's record with a microscop
He's cost us enough to make tt
search mighty careful. Even il ye
don't give us credit for sense enoug
to probe the business, you'll have
allow that Mark Robertson's no foe
And R0bertson's moved heaven ar
hell to get something on Standish. b
he can't. Robertson's got more
stake than any of US. II Standlsh llcl
him in this fight ind gets the speakc
ship It'll cost Mark Robertson mo-
than most people could understan
Self.respect and ambition and futul
rand"
1T sure WILL" agreed Neligan. Let
sect must be close on five year
now, that Standish and R0bertsC