Sioux County pioneer., 1922-11-23
BY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


to his home in the little town of Bax-
ter, where people on the streets who
had seen him grow up from boy and
called him "Tom," really were glad to
see him. Just before he had left his
rooms for the departing train his pri-
vate secretary had handed him the
days clippings; and after he had been
riding for an hour or SO, while he was
fumbling In his pockets for q match,
they tumbled out In tight little roll.
He Idly read them. He was used to
unjust abuse and sick of uncalled-for
praise. The first clipping was taken
from the Queen City Daily Herald; it
bore Washington date line, and was
introduced by the words, Special to
the Herald" It read:
They say here that Wharton Of the
Fourth district, Is beginning to feel
uneasy. He has received several let
ters from his district that have con-
.vinced him that the Populist cyclone
has shaken down several lengths of
fence in Lee, Meade and Smith coun-
ties. Bill Heatleys strength is said to
be developing down there wonderfully.
The Hon. Ike RUSSELL who was here
last week looking for job as receiver
Of the Baxter National bank, was in
close consultation with Wharton three
Of the four nights he was here, and the
"old man" is wearing hunted look
and is talking to himself. They say
down in the Fourth district that 1t will
take more than "Our Tom" Wharton's
hug to explain away his silver vote.
Wharton knew the correspondent and
only smiled as he tipped the wadded
clipping out Of the car window. There
was short editorial clipping from the
same paper. 1t read:
The dispatches say that sour Tom"
Wharton Is wiggling in his seat and
trying to project his astral body in the
Fourth district to see how his fences
are, and at the same time to keep his
corporeal body in Washington to look
after Ike Russells pie plate. If "Our
Tom" doesn't fall down in his anxiety
to keep one foot in the "bloody Fourth"
and the other at the political bake
shop, he must be either Colossus Of
Rhodes or 'quadrille dancer"
Wharton dropped that on the floor
and read another from the Smith Coun-
ty Farmers Friend. 1t was long and
full Of double leads and 'break lines"
and italics and exclamation points. 1t
was abusive In the extreme and closed
with this TRADE:
Now, let us reason together, Tom
Wharton has been in congress ten
years; he had been Judge six years be-
perintendent four years before he was
Judge. Twenty years has this man
been In Office; his total salary in that
time has been only $4,000. Yet he ia
rated by the commercial agencies at
one-half million dollars. He has banks
and railroad stock; he owns mort.
cages and farms. Where did he gel
them7 His time has been sold to the
people; he has been false to every
trust; he has voted with the East on
the money question; he has neglected
the farmers at every turn. He is 8
garden-seed congressman; he comes
out here and haw.haws around, anG
then goes back to vote with Wal
street. Wall street knows its friends
and "Our Tom" Is worth one-half mil
lion dollars, lives In mansion illet
with hammered brass at Baxter, Will,
the farmer foots the bills.
Wharton knew that the editor Of tn,
Farmers Friend had been candidate
for the post Office at Smith City; tina
he himself had lent the editor none.
! and held his note for $500. He pu
the clipping in his pocketbook witt
4 sigh, and looked through the othe
E scraps Of paper. There were perhap
a dozen-a few Of them laudatory t
an offensive degree, some clearly bid
for money, and the rest fair discus
sion Of his candidacy.
Wharton's flrst week In the distric
was spent at Baxter. He did pract
eally nothing tos secure his renomins
tion, although wise-looking men frol
each Of the three doubtful countte
came every day to Baxter and wen
directly from the train to Wharton
house. They all wanted money {
promises Of assistance; and each I
Il hem told how some precinct could !
a .aW5lnR INTO line" by q little work q