Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-03-06

rate wasn't too high the business people
didn't growl. and Tanner fixed every
board to suit himself-and hogged all
the county work. He's a good man.
this Tanner-I like his m~ethod-he gets
things. But we ought to get him. A
no time. And a district attorney who'd
throw the gait. The n you got is q
crook"
II agree" murmured wiley-he felt
too amiable after his Decent occasion,
with dogs In four colors, to be the
zealot. New blood is needed. But
there's some good men or our side
the creek, also"
"SkunS?" queried Mcbride.
"Sinsinawa."
"Call it Skunk. Then Wen get down
to brass tacks. I always wanted to
talk with some of you fellows from
the county seat. State labor is right
fight. That's the reason I'm down
here. I'm here until this district is
organized by the Delroy crowd. The
governor wants Fairchild's seat in the
Senate. and he "a Jim Halls scalp
in congress. because he thinks Hall will
get the old crowds support for it If
F'afrchild can't win out. So he and his
people are going to put Curran over
and I'm with EN-. / amt no reformer,
but labor is going With EN-. But first
we ought to clean III this county,"
Wiley unused. Arne, his black eyes
Swapping, listened as if a fresh breath
had come somewhere out of a fighting
world. Harlan wondered rather
satirically why an outsider should come
down here and talk like a man of au-
thority.
The Catholic vote in them new
mines where the Poles and dagos have
come in, it'll be for Curran," went on
McBride. Father Doyle gives it to me
straight. All that's good. And this
new Earlville contracting company.
which Is sore over Tanner gobbling all
the work. Is going to unload on the old
ring. Amt any reform going to get
far unless some one expects to clean
up something. Take it from me.
We're going to elect Curran."
Harlan had listened more acutely.
He had begun to resent Wiley's prob
lematical success. Mcbride was worse
than he had dreamed. His fathers
ideals of politics had not encompassed
such brute truth. Mcbride turned his
blue eyes under their red brows di-
rectly on him
Are you the man they're talking Of
for district attorney"
Harlan stared at him incredulously.
The easy ingratiating standards of his
fathers sort of men around the court
house. even the rustic geniality of the
county board members. he felt equal
to. but this ruthless analysis and mil
liant dtrectneSS OF the mar of new con-
ditions Jared him. He still stared at
Mcbride.
Come out" rasped Mcbride. eve
can put o over this year. / hear you'll
do-Vance. Curran. here-put it up that
way"
Harlan turned to them with a laugh.
Since when had Arne and Wiley and a
few unlknowns took it to themselves
to parcel out the county offices? These
without organization? 1t was actually
humorous!
I'VE want to trim this crook-Tan-
ner-and an honest district attorney
can do it."
Still Harlan was silent. He knew that
Tanner. And Jewett. the prosecutor,
was not invited to his fathers house.
Still this did not keep Jewett out of
office. His father was a good man.
But here was a different good-the
fighting good of the new order.
How about it?" pursued Mcbride.
~ on the labor man. mo. thanks. Nc
Bride. I think I'll stick to the law yet
a while" He was thinking how. funny
it would be to tell his father of the
trio sitting in the badly new dining
room of the Metropole. plotting against
that ancient and honorable thing
Wtnnetka county politics. It had not
been rippled since James g. Blaine.
You young men are needed" went
on Mcbride. instead of going off to
Canada and h cheap lands. or to the
cities. you ought to be right here maxi
Ing your fight. There's big chances
rough knocks and big chances"
Il have mine" retorted Harlan quiet
~. He was conscious Of wiley's look
upon him. appealing. sorrowful-and OF
Arnes subdued belligerency. They had
apparently been talking Of him to Nc
Bride-thes strongest young man in the
county!
Use here. we need you"-there was a
You'll make q name. too. cleaning UP
that crooked board. Go after your
courts. too. They're not right. Here's
this Lindstrom. they tell me about
gone crazy over religion. The quarry
man who lost an arm and then his
nicality-.and then was sent over on 8
made a criminal right there!"
Wiley saw Harlan's face turn an ugly
red. Mcbride went IN: Here the
court wrecks a man over some hoiier-
SlidA SiiOO tIdOlIlOu OI the law. IlaCS
the stuff h courts hand out"
Harlan was on his feet. His clenched
hand shot across the table near Nc
Brides face. "See here-the Judge tina,
made that decision was my father!"
Mcbride stared back: "Your father? p
Yes! And no man can speak, tina,
way Of hfm!"
There was silence through the be.
Fingered and tapestr1ed room. Arm.
and Wiley sal back. There was moth.
ing else to do between man and man
Mcbride. the older. the rugged power.
full figure: and Harlan with the anger
Of a young god. fair. handsome. tower.
ing over him.
MnER16o olouelr ~Ala~oH IYA-~~l2l>-