Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1913-01-05

Il
palace was great when the
EcfSy.-Sj news came that the belea
49, guered stronghold had fallen
The Michigan had won into the Steel
City.
Two men were scrambling over each
other. turning the state upside down,
because each lusted for power and
hated the other. Victory by either. II
one might judge by the past, meant
corruption, thievery. oppression, in
justice. and 1t would be won for him
by characteristic means. The people
| knew 1t.
Between the two camps wandered a
lonely voice, preaching honesty. de-
cency. liberty. equity. He was worthy
to preach. He was the sort of man
to whom other men gladly entrust their
most important private affairs. He
was fitted by capacity, by study. by
ideals. for the pure function of gov
eminent. He had put aside prefer
ment. money, love-the trio of rewards
for any one of which men daily sell
their souls=-that he might be the filter
for his task.
/ And as he went about that spring
preaching his crusade scanty audiences
4 listened carelessly or with suspicion
bred of many receptions and syste
matte miseducation; let us he just
4 indifferently responsive.
John WAS in the Steel City one night
speaking at public meeting He was
often laughed at for proffering old
fashioned oratory in the day of the
ubiquitous newspaper. But it was the
only way in which he could reach the
people, since the columns of the sub
Sldized press were not open to him or
his crusade. He went away from the
hall heavily downcast. The audience
had been small, anything but enthusi
astie. and he had spoken poorly. There
4 Is no encouragement like unto that of
/ the man who believes he has a message
to give and knows that he has deiv-
cred it inadequately.
His way to the hotel took him along
the city's principal street. He walked
slowly. scrutinizing the passersby with
that interest in city throngs which the
country bred man never quite loses.
He came to corner where another
crowded thoroughfare crossed lie
stopped and leaned against the wall of
the bank that stood there
The theaters were just letting out,
and around him swirled a stream of
humanity. the sound of many voices
and twice as many feet rising in a
peculiar, unmusical roar John won
dered as the endless stream Of hui
manity swept by him If 1t were true,
as Haig had said to him once that
800 men in LOCO in the cities were
dependent on the thousandth. and that
six men had it in their power to turn
on n panic" to put on the screws
What. II the screws We're put on.
would these men do-fight or submit
But it was not that which made the
load OF dependency hang heavier.
| Once, seeing a thousand men gathered
In the square ut home. he had thought
of the power there. the power and
the glory" Now he saw the people.
not in their immensely, but in their
infinite multiplicity; so many men
with so many interests. each living In
his own restricted sphere Was Hag
then right? How could a dreamer or
a thousand dreamers by word of
mouth teach these men to think what
their lives taught them not to feel
that social problem was their prob
lem. that political putrefaction was
their peril that the masses interest
was their interest?
He walked on. tortured by doubts,
yet clinging, as the shipwrecked mari
ner clings to his raft to his dwindling
faith In the people.
As he was passing through the lob
by of his hotel the clerk motioned him
to the desk. Say. there's been a big
tough guy in three times tonight ask
Ing for yon Says It's important. and
he'll be back again Name is Maley
! guess" he laughed. knowing his
guest. Its some political bum want
ing to make a touch"
Butch Malev of New Chelsea, former
"heeler.n douhtlessl John. curious,
found n seat In the lobby and waited.
He laughed inwardly. not pleasantly,
Mt the recoilections called forth by the
name. which he had almost forgotten.
Butch Maley was the first to be CON
vieted In that crusade of nearly six
years ago
He had not long to wait. Maley was
the same bestial creature who had
stood trembling in the dock and march
ed away. mounting imprecations and
large threats. to the penitentiary That
he was prosperous. the yellow diamond
In his neektie loudly proclaimed He
rolled toward John vripninp offabJy