the vision spendid(美景)-第33章
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questions from their ordinarily docile following。 〃Why shouldn't we tie
strings to our representatives so as to keep them from betraying us？ 。 。 。
Why can't we make laws ourselves in emergency and kill bad laws the
legislature makes？ 。 。 。 What's the matter with taking away some of the
power from our representatives who have abused it？〃
In the city election O'Brien went down to defeat。 Only fragments of his
ticket were saved from the general wreckage。 Next day Joe Powers wired
James Farnum to join him immediately at Chicago。
〃I'm going to put you in charge of the political field out there；〃 the
great man announced； his gray granite eyes fastened on the young lawyer。
〃Ned Merrill won't do。 Neither will O'Brien。 Between them they've made a
mess of things。〃
〃I don't know that it is their fault； except indirectly。 One of those
populistic waves swept over the city。〃
〃Why didn't they know what was going to happen？ Why didn't they let
me know？ That's what I pay them for。〃
〃A child could have foreseen it； but O'Brien wouldn't believe his eyes。
He's been giving Verden an administration with too much graft。 The
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THE VISION SPLENDID
people got tired of it。〃
〃What were Merrill and Frome up to？ Why did they permit it？〃
demanded Powers impatiently。
〃They were looking out for their franchises。 To get the machine's
support they had to give O'Brien a free hand。〃
〃If necessary you had better eliminate Big Tim。 Or at least put him and
his gang in the background。 Make the machine respectable so that good
citizens can indorse it。〃
James nodded agreement。 〃I've been thinking about that。 The thing can
be done。 A business men's movement from inside the party to purify it。 A
reorganization with new men in charge。 That sort of thing。〃
〃Exactly。 And how about the state？〃
〃Things don't look good to me。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃This initiative and referendum idea is spreading。〃
Powers drove his fist into a pile of papers on the desk。 〃Stop it。 I give
you carte blanche。 Spend as much as you like。 But win。 What good is a
lobby to me if those hare…brained farmers can kill every bill we pass
through their grafting legislature？〃
The possibilities grew on Farnum。 〃I'll send Professor Perkins of
Verden University to New Zealand to prepare a paper showing the thing is
a failure there。 I'll have every town in the state thoroughly canvassed by
lecturers and speakers against the bill。 I'll bombard the farmers with
literature。〃
〃What about the newspapers？〃
〃We control most of them。 At Verden only the _World_ is against us。〃
〃Buy it。〃
〃Can't be bought。 Its editorial columns are not for sale。〃
〃Anything can be bought if you've got the price。 Who owns it？〃
〃A Captain Chunn。 He made his money in Alaska。 My cousin is the
editor。 He is the real force back of it。〃
〃Does the paper have any influence？〃
〃A great deal。〃
〃I've heard of your cousin。 A crack…brained Socialist； I understand。〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
〃You'll find he's a long way from that；〃 James denied。
〃Whatever he is； buy him；〃 ordered Powers curtly。
The young man shook his head。 〃Can't be done。 He doesn't want the
things you have to offer。〃
〃Every man has his price。 Find his； and buy him。〃
James shook his head decisively。 〃Absolutely impossible。 He's an
idealist and an altruist。〃
Powers snorted impatiently。 〃Talk English； young man； and I'll
understand you。〃
Farnum had heard Joe Powers was a man who would stand plain talk
from those who had the courage to give it him。 His cool eyes hardened。
Why not？ For once the old gray pirate； chief of the robber buccaneers who
rode on their predatory way superior to law； should see himself as Jeff
Farnum saw him。
〃What I mean is that the things he holds most important can't be
bought with dollars and cents。 He believes in justice and fair play。 He
thinks the strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak。
He has a passion to uplift humanity。 You can't understand him because
it isn't possible for you to conceive of a man whose first thought is always
for what is equitable。〃
〃Just as I thought； a Socialist dreamer and demagogue；〃 pronounced
Powers scornfully。
〃Merrill and Frome have been thinking of him just as you do。〃 James
waved his hand toward the newspaper in front of the railroad king。 〃With
what result our election shows。〃
〃Well； where does his power lie？ How can you break it？〃 the old man
asked。
〃He is a kind of brother to the lame and the halt all over the state。
Among the poor and the working classes he has friends without number。
They believe in him as a patriot fighting for them against the foes of the
country。〃
〃Do you call me a foe of the country； young man？〃 Powers wanted to
know grimly。
〃Not I；〃 laughed James。 〃Why should I quarrel with my bread and jam？
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If you had ever done me the honor to read any of my speeches you would
see that I refer to you as a Pioneer of Civilization and a Builder for the
Future。 But my view doesn't happen to be universal。 I was trying to show
you how the man with the dinner pail feels。〃
〃Who fills his dinner pails？〃
James met his frown with a genial eye。 〃There's a difference of opinion
about that； sir。 According to the economics of Verden University you fill
them。 According to the _World_ editorials it's the other way。 They fill
yours。〃
〃Hmp！ And what's your personal opinion？ Am I a robber of labor？〃
〃I think that the price of any success worth while is paid for in the
failure of others。 You win because you're strong； sir。 That's the law of the
game。 It's according to the survival of the fittest that you're where you are。
If you had hesitated some other man would have trampled you down。 It's a
case of wolf eat wolf。〃
The old railroad builder laughed harshly。 This was the first time in his
experience that a subordinate had so analyzed him to his face。
〃So I'm a wolf； am I？〃
〃In one sense of the word you're not that at all； sir。 You're a great
builder。 You've done more for the Northwest than any man living。 You
couldn't have done it if you had been squeamish。 I hold the end justifies
the means。 What you've got is yours because you've won it。 Men who do a
great work for the public are entitled to great rewards。〃
〃Glad to know you've got more sense than that fool cousin of yours。
Now go home and beat him。 I don't care how you do it； just so that you get
results。 Spend what money you need。 but make good； young manmake
good。〃
〃I'll do my best；〃 James promised。
〃All I demand is that you win。 I'm not interested in the method you use。
But put that cousin of yours out of the demagogue business if you have to
shanghai him。〃
James laughed。 〃That might not be a bad way to get rid of him till after
the election。 The word would leak out that he had been bought off。〃
