The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-02-13

| ing TO New OuelSe1 uIIcF IOuF
SSI years would have found vast
J improvements wrought. Nor
was the prosperity thus attested mere
~ the crumbs from the table Of thriv-
ing Plumville. 1t was all New Chel-
seas own, and it had come by the ave
nue. of Stephen Hampden's specuIa-
ton, for the coal company. despite the
rules Of the game, was q success for
all concerned Already It was paying
dividends. ,e .
But great deal more than boom"
can happen in four years. That num-
Der of cycles saw William Murchelrs
power shaken. tottcr and crash to the
earth. Most people credited this to
the craft Of Mark Sherrod, state treas
urer and the new minister. and his
able lieutenant Governor PARROT.
Nurchell would have placed the credit
or blame elsewhere. Had he had the
habit of discussing his mistakes he
would have added a year to our calcu-
lation and said that the initial blow
had been struck at his power when on
certain June day. in company with
Jim Sheehan. he had sought to press
4 bright faced young man into his
service.
If it was yonr good fortune to be
resident of New Chelsea at that time
you will remember how John Dun
meade appeared when he was thirty
five-a grave. quiet man. looking older
than his years, as carelessly dressed as
men are apt to be who are dreaming
Of big things. His hair was beginning
to thin at the temples. He walked
with slight stoop and with less
spring-the long. slow stride of a man
who thinks much on his feet.
He made it a point. however un-
happily his cause was progressing.
never to seem downcast You would
leave him, probably thinking it a pity
that such an attractive man should
b 20 impractical and the object Of SO /.
many bitter and powerful enmities If !
tho truth must be told. New Chelsea
was more than a little disappointed |
h John Dunmeade.
His health was not always good
He had suffered serious illness dur !
ing one winter and. between the duties |
Of ONCE. the, cares Of a growing pri-
vate practice and the incessant labors
o. politics. his body had been sadly |
overtaxed. He was still district at
eosney. last trophy Of the reform wave
that had swept over the shattered
machine. Under the leadership Of
Greene. an ex-gambler and former lieu
tenant OF Sheehan. less obviously the
brute and far shrewder than the de-
posed boss. the Plumville organization l
had risen from its ashes. He had re-
captured all the county odices. except
Wien John. a candidate for reelection. /
had won through personal popularity
ana by scant margin.
Politics is hard taskmaster. John
ceund poor compensation in the fact
mat he had become well known
throughout the state. The year after
the Benton county reform he had ioin-
Cd himself to the cause Of Judge Cray.
On honest and capable lawyer who
cared to nsk the old party nomina-
ton for governor against the organiza-
ions choice. With the Judge John
made vigorous stumping campaign
ia every county Of the state. He was
new, he was enthusiastic. he was dar-
ing. People listened. Parrot was nomi-
mated easily according to the slate
Judge Dunmeade was not nominated
p the supreme court that year: hence
tie breach Of q lifelong friendship, in
creased bitterness against his son and
many 1-told-you-sos from Miss Roberts.
But John preached on. He did more
I'm attack. He devised and proRered
somedies with naive disregard Of tine
ssossrvative habit of the American
01nd that melted nirth in some, ap-
peshension In others and bewilderment
= stin others. 1t is not necessary here
% enumerate his remedies. They have
since become respectable.
He learned in common with other
young iconOclasts something Of the ex.
istence and character and aims Of the
personal government which lay behind
the formal and Of the marveIously
woven system by which the dominant
| personalities, twisted the form Of gov.
eminent to their purpose. Being a
| yOung man who thought himself in
Dpired, he was aghast and the more de-
termined to destroy that system. Not