a far country-第52章

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the　candidates。　　Why；　pray；　should　the　people　complain；　when　they　had
everything　done　for　them？　　The　benevolent　parties；　both　Democratic　and
Republican；　even　undertook　the　expense　of　printing　the　ballots！　　And
generous　ballots　they　were　（twenty　inches　long　and　five　wide！）；
distributed　before　election；　in　order　that　the　voters　might　have　the
opportunity　of　studying　and　preparing　them：　in　order　that　Democrats　of
delicate　feelings　might　take　the　pains　to　scratch　out　all　the　Democratic
candidates；　and　write　in　the　names　of　the　Republican　candidates。
Patriotism　could　go　no　farther　than　this。。。。

I　spent　the　week　before　election　in　the　city；　where　I　had　the　opportunity
of　observing　what　may　be　called　the　charitable　side　of　politics。　　For　a
whole　month；　or　more；　the　burden　of　existence　had　been　lifted　from　the
shoulders　of　the　homeless。　　No　church　or　organization；　looked　out　for
these　frowsy；　blear…eyed　and　ragged　wanderers　who　had　failed　to　find　a
place　in　the　scale　of　efficiency。　　For　a　whole　month；　I　say；　Mr。　Judd
Jason　and　his　lieutenants　made　them　their　especial　care；　supported　them
in　lodging…houses；　induced　the　night　clerks　to　give　them　attention；　took
the　greatest　pains　to　ensure　them　the　birth…right　which；　as　American
citizens；　was　theirs；that　of　voting。　　They　were　not　only　given　homes
for　a　period；　but　they　were　registered；　and　in　the　abundance　of　good
feeling　that　reigned　during　this　time　of　cheer；　even　the　foreigners　were
registered！　　On　election　day　they　were　driven；　like　visiting　notables；　in
carryalls　and　carriages　to　the　polls！　　Some　of　them；　as　though　in
compensation　for　ills　endured　between　elections；　voted　not　once；　but　many
times；　exercising　judicial　functions　for　which　they　should　be　given
credit。　　For　instance；　they　were　convinced　that　the　Hon。　W。　　W。　　Trulease
had　made　a　good　governor；　and　they　were　Watling　enthusiasts；intent　on
sending　men　to　the　legislature　who　would　vote　for　him　for　senator；　yet
there　were　cases　in　which；　for　the　minor　offices；　the　democrat　was　the
better　man！

It　was　a　memorable　day。　　In　spite　of　Mr。　Lawler's　Pilot；　which　was　as　a
voice　crying　in　the　wilderness；　citizens　who　had　wives　and　homes　and
responsibilities；　business　men　and　clerks　went　to　the　voting　booths　and
recorded　their　choice　for　Trulease；　Watling　and　Prosperity：　and　working…
men　followed　suit。　　Victory　was　in　the　air。　　Even　the　policemen　wore
happy　smiles；　and　in　some　instances　the　election　officers　themselves　in
absent…minded　exuberance　thrust　bunches　of　ballots　into　the　boxes！

In　response　to　an　insistent　demand　from　his　fellow…citizens　Mr。　Watling；
the　Saturday　evening　before；　had　made　a　speech　in　the　Auditorium；　decked
with　bunting　and　filled　with　people。　　For　once　the　Morning　Era　did　not
exaggerate　when　it　declared　that　the　ovation　had　lasted　fully　ten
minutes。　　〃A　remarkable　proof〃　it　went　on　to　say；　〃of　the　esteem　and
confidence　in　which　our　fellow…citizen　is　held　by　those　who　know　him
best；　his　neighbours　in　the　city　where　he　has　given　so　many　instances　of
his　public　spirit；　where　he　has　achieved　such　distinction　in　the　practice
of　the　law。　　He　holds　the　sound　American　conviction　that　the　office
should　seek　the　man。　　His　address　is　printed　in　another　column；　and　we
believe　it　will　appeal　to　the　intelligence　and　sober　judgment　of　the
state。　　It　is　replete　with　modesty　and　wisdom。〃

Mr。　Watling　was　introduced　by　Mr。　Bering　of　the　State　Supreme　Court　（a
candidate　for　re…election）；　who　spoke　with　deliberation；　with　owl…like
impressiveness。　　He　didn't　believe　in　judges　meddling　in　politics；　but
this　was　an　unusual　occasion。　　（Loud　applause。）　Most　unusual。　　He　had
come　here　as　a　man；　as　an　American；　to　pay　his　tribute　to　another　man；　a
long…time　friend；　whom　he　thought　to　stand　somewhat　aside　and　above　mere
party　strife；　to　represent　values　not　merely　political。。。。　　So
accommodating　and　flexible　is　the　human　mind；　so　〃practical〃　may　it
become　through　dealing　with　men　and　affairs；　that　in　listening　to　Judge
Bering　I　was　able　to　ignore　the　little　anomalies　such　a　situation　might
have　suggested　to　the　theorist；　to　the　mere　student　of　the　institutions
of　democracy。　　The　friendly　glasses　of　rye　and　water　Mr。　Bering　had　taken
in　Monahan's　saloon；　the　cases　he　had　〃arranged〃　for　the　firm　of　Watling；
Fowndes　and　Ripon　were　forgotten。　　Forgotten；　too；　when　Theodore　Watling
stood　up　and　men　began；　to　throw　their　hats　in　the　air；were　the
cavilling　charges　of　Mr。　Lawler's　Pilot　that；　far　from　the　office　seeking
the　man；　our　candidate　had　spent　over　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　of　his
own　money；　to　say　nothing　of　the　contributions　of　Mr。　Scherer；　Mr。
Dickinson　and　the　Railroad！　　If　I　had　been　troubled　with　any　weak；
ethical　doubts；　Mr。　Watling　would　have　dispelled　them；　he　had　red　blood
in　his　veins；　a　creed　in　which　he　believed；　a　rare　power　of　expressing
himself　in　plain；　everyday　language　that　was　often　colloquial；　but　never…
…as　the　saying　goes　…〃cheap。〃　　The　dinner…pail　predicament　was　real　to
him。　　He　would　present　a　policy　of　our　opponents　charmingly；　even
persuasively；　and　then　add；　after　a　moment's　pause：　〃There　is　only　one
objection　to　this；　my　friendsthat　it　doesn't　work。〃　　It　was　all　in　the
way　he　said　it；　of　course。　　The　audience　would　go　wild　with　approval；　and
shouts　of　〃that's　right〃　could　be　heard　here　and　there。　　Then　he
proceeded　to　show　why　it　didn't　work。　　He　had　the　faculty　of　bringing　his
lessons　home；　the　imagination　to　put　himself　into　the　daily　life　of　those
who　listened　to　him；the　life　of　the　storekeeper；　the　clerk；　of　the
labourer　and　of　the　house…wife。　　The　effect　of　this　can　scarcely　be
overestimated。　　For　the　American　hugs　the　delusion　that　there　are　no
class　distinctions；　even　though　his　whole　existence　may　be　an　effort　to
rise　out　of　once　class　into　another。　　〃Your　wife；〃　he　told　them　once；
〃needs　a　dress。　　Let　us　admit　that　the　material　for　the　dress　is　a　little
cheaper　than　it　was　four　years　ago；　but　when　she　comes　to　look　into　the
family　stocking〃　（Laughter。）　〃I　needn't　go　on。　　If　we　could　have　things
cheaper；　and　more　money　to　buy　them　with；　we　should　all　be　happy；　and　the
Republican　party　could　retire　from　business。〃

He　did　not　once　refer　to　the　United　States　Senatorship。

It　was　appropriate；　perhaps；　that　many　of　us　dined　on　the　evening　of
election　day　at　the　Boyne　Club。　　There　was　early　evidence　of　a　Republican
land…slide。　　And　when；　at　ten　o'clock；　it　was　announced　that　Mr。　Trulease
was　re…elected　by　a　majority　which　exceeded　Mr。　Grunewald's　most　hopeful
estimate；　that　the　legislature　was　〃safe；〃　that　Theodore　Watling　would　be
the　next　United　States　Senator；　a　scene　of　jubilation　ensued　within　those
hallowed　walls　which　was　unprecedented。　　Chairs　were　pushed　back；　rugs
taken　up；　Gene　Hollister　played　the　piano　and　a　Virginia　reel　started；　in
a　burst　of　enthusiasm　Leonard　Dickinson　ordered　champagne　for　every
member　present。　　The　country　was　returning　to　its　senses。　　Theodore
Watling　had　preferred；　on　this　eventful　night；　to　remain　quietly　at　home。
But　presently　carriages　were　ordered；　and　a　〃delegation〃　of　enthusiastic
friends　departed　to　congratulate　him；　Dickinson；　of　course；　Grierson；
Fowndes；　Ogilvy；　and　Grunewald。　　We　found　Judah　B。　Tallant　there；in
spite　of　the　fact　that　it　was　a　busy　night　for　the　Era；　and　Adolf　Scherer
himself；　in　expansive　mood；　was　filling　the　largest　of　the　library
chairs。　　Mr。　Watling　was　the　least　excited　of　them　all；　remarkably　calm；
I　thought；　for　a　man　on　the　verge　of　realizing　his　life's　high　ambition。
He　had　some　old　brandy；　and　a　box　of　cigars　he　had　been　saving　for　an
occasion。　　He　managed　to　convey　to　everyone　his　appreciation　of　the　value
of　their　cooperation。。。。

It　was　midnight　before　Mr。　Scherer　arose　to　take　his　departure。　　He
seized　Mr。　Watling's　hand；　warmly；　in　both　of　his　own。

〃I　have　never；〃　he　said；　with　a　relapse　into　the　German　f's；
〃I　have　never　had　a　happier　moment　in　my　life；　my　friend；　than　when
I　congratulate　you　on　your　success。〃　　His　voice　shook　with　emotion。
〃Alas；　we　shall　not　see　so　much　of　you　now。〃

〃He'll　be　on　guard；　Scherer；〃　said　Leonard　Dickinson；　putting　his　arm
around　my　chief。

〃Good　night；　Senator；〃　said　T