the titan-第103部分

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hole　idea；〃　observed　an　editorial　in　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald's　Inquirer；　〃smacks　of　chicane；　political　subtlety；　and　political　jugglery。　　Well　do　the　citizens　of　Chicago　and　the　people　of　Illinois　know　who　and　what　particular　organization　would　prove　the　true　beneficiaries。　　We　do　not　want　a　public…service　commission　at　the　behest　of　a　private　street…railway　corporation。　　Are　the　tentacles　of　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　to　envelop　this　legislature　as　they　did　the　last？〃

This　broadside；　coming　in　conjunction　with　various　hostile　rumblings　in　other　papers；　aroused　Cowperwood　to　emphatic　language。

〃They　can　all　go　to　the　devil；〃　he　said　to　Addison；　one　day　at　lunch。　　〃I　have　a　right　to　an　extension　of　my　franchises　for　fifty　years；　and　I　am　going　to　get　it。　　Look　at　New　York　and　Philadelphia。　Why；　the　Eastern　houses　laugh。　　They　don't　understand　such　a　situation。　　It's　all　the　inside　work　of　this　Hand…Schryhart　crowd。　I　know　what　they're　doing　and　who's　pulling　the　strings。　　The　newspapers　yap…yap　every　time　they　give　an　order。　　Hyssop　waltzes　every　time　Arneel　moves。　　Little　MacDonald　is　a　stool…pigeon　for　Hand。　　It's　got　down　so　low　now　that　it's　anything　to　beat　Cowperwood。　Well；　they　won't　beat　me。　　I'll　find　a　way　out。　　The　legislature　will　pass　a　bill　allowing　for　a　fifty…year　franchise；　and　the　governor　will　sign　it。　　I'll　see　to　that　personally。　　I　have　at　least　eighteen　thousand　stockholders　who　want　a　decent　run　for　their　money；　and　I　propose　to　give　it　to　them。　　Aren't　other　men　getting　rich？　Aren't　other　corporations　earning　ten　and　twelve　per　cent？　Why　shouldn't　I？　Is　Chicago　any　the　worse？　Don't　I　employ　twenty　thousand　men　and　pay　them　well？　All　this　palaver　about　the　rights　of　the　people　and　the　duty　to　the　publicrats！　Does　Mr。　Hand　acknowledge　any　duty　to　the　public　where　his　special　interests　are　concerned？　Or　Mr。　Schryhart？　Or　Mr。　Arneel？　The　newspapers　be　damned！　I　know　my　rights。　　An　honest　legislature　will　give　me　a　decent　franchise　to　save　me　from　the　local　political　sharks。〃

By　this　time；　however；　the　newspapers　had　become　as　subtle　and　powerful　as　the　politicians　themselves。　　Under　the　great　dome　of　the　capitol　at　Springfield；　in　the　halls　and　conference　chambers　of　the　senate　and　house；　in　the　hotels；　and　in　the　rural　districts　wherever　any　least　information　was　to　be　gathered；　were　their　representativesto　see；　to　listen；　to　pry。　　Out　of　this　contest　they　were　gaining　prestige　and　cash。　　By　them　were　the　reform　aldermen　persuaded　to　call　mass…meetings　in　their　respective　districts。　　Property…owners　were　urged　to　organize；　a　committee　of　one　hundred　prominent　citizens　led　by　Hand　and　Schryhart　was　formed。　　It　was　not　long　before　the　halls；　chambers；　and　committee…rooms　of　the　capitol　at　Springfield　and　the　corridors　of　the　one　principal　hotel　were　being　tramped　over　almost　daily　by　rampant　delegations　of　ministers；　reform　aldermen；　and　civil　committeemen；　who　arrived　speechifying；　threatening；　and　haranguing；　and　departed；　only　to　make　room　for　another　relay。

〃Say；　what　do　you　think　of　these　delegations；　Senator？〃　inquired　a　certain　Representative　Greenough　of　Senator　George　Christian；　of　Grundy；　one　morning；　the　while　a　group　of　Chicago　clergymen　accompanied　by　the　mayor　and　several　distinguished　private　citizens　passed　through　the　rotunda　on　their　way　to　the　committee　on　railroads；　where　the　house　bill　was　privily　being　discussed。　　〃Don't　you　think　they　speak　well　for　our　civic　pride　and　moral　upbringing？〃　He　raised　his　eyes　and　crossed　his　fingers　over　his　waistcoat　in　the　most　sanctimonious　and　reverential　attitude。

〃Yes；　dear　Pastor；〃　replied　the　irreverent　Christian；　without　the　shadow　of　a　smile。　　He　was　a　little　sallow；　wiry　man　with　eyes　like　a　ferret；　a　small　mustache　and　goatee　ornamenting　his　face。　　〃But　do　not　forget　that　the　Lord　has　called　us　also　to　this　work。〃

〃Even　so；〃　acquiesced　Greenough。　　〃We　must　not　weary　in　well　doing。　The　harvest　is　truly　plenteous　and　the　laborers　are　few。〃

〃Tut；　tut；　Pastor。　　Don't　overdo　it。　　You　might　make　me　larf；〃　replied　Christian；　and　the　twain　parted　with　knowing　and　yet　weary　smiles。

Yet　how　little　did　the　accommodating　attitude　of　these　gentlemen　avail　in　silencing　the　newspapers。　　The　damnable　newspapers！　They　were　here；　there；　and　everywhere　reporting　each　least　fragment　of　rumor；　conversation；　or　imaginary　programme。　　Never　did　the　citizens　of　Chicago　receive　so　keen　a　drilling　in　statecraftits　subtleties　and　ramifications。　　The　president　of　the　senate　and　the　speaker　of　the　house　were　singled　out　and　warned　separately　as　to　their　duty。　　A　page　a　day　devoted　to　legislative　proceeding　in　this　quarter　was　practically　the　custom　of　the　situation。　　Cowperwood　was　here　personally　on　the　scene；　brazen；　defiant；　logical；　the　courage　of　his　convictions　in　his　eyes；　the　power　of　his　magnetism　fairly　enslaving　men。　　Throwing　off　the　mask　of　disinterestedness　if　any　might　be　said　to　have　covered　himhe　now　frankly　came　out　in　the　open　and；　journeying　to　Springfield；　took　quarters　at　the　principal　hotel。　　Like　a　general　in　time　of　battle；　he　marshaled　his　forces　about　him。　　In　the　warm；　moonlit　atmosphere　of　June　nights　when　the　streets　of　Springfield　were　quiet；　the　great　plain　of　Illinois　bathed　for　hundreds　of　miles　from　north　to　south　in　a　sweet　effulgence　and　the　rurals　slumbering　in　their　simple　homes；　he　sat　conferring　with　his　lawyers　and　legislative　agents。

Pity　in　such　a　crisis　the　poor　country…jake　legislator　torn　between　his　desire　for　a　justifiable　and　expedient　gain　and　his　fear　lest　he　should　be　assailed　as　a　betrayer　of　the　people's　interests。　　To　some　of　these　small…town　legislators；　who　had　never　seen　as　much　as　two　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　all　their　days；　the　problem　was　soul…racking。　　Men　gathered　in　private　rooms　and　hotel　parlors　to　discuss　it。　　They　stood　in　their　rooms　at　night　and　thought　about　it　alone。　　The　sight　of　big　business　compelling　its　desires　the　while　the　people　went　begging　was　destructive。　　Many　a　romantic；　illusioned；　idealistic　young　country　editor；　lawyer；　or　statesman　was　here　made　over　into　a　minor　cynic　or　bribe…taker。　　Men　were　robbed　of　every　vestige　of　faith　or　even　of　charity；　they　came　to　feel；　perforce；　that　there　was　nothing　outside　the　capacity　for　taking　and　keeping。　　The　surface　might　appear　commonplaceordinary　men　of　the　state　of　Illinois　going　here　and　theresimple　farmers　and　small…town　senators　and　representatives　conferring　and　meditating　and　wondering　what　they　could　doyet　a　jungle…like　complexity　was　present；　a　dark；　rank　growth　of　horrific　but　avid　lifelife　at　the　full；　life　knife　in　hand；　life　blazing　with　courage　and　dripping　at　the　jaws　with　hunger。

However；　because　of　the　terrific　uproar　the　more　cautious　legislators　were　by　degrees　becoming　fearful。　　Friends　in　their　home　towns；　at　the　instigation　of　the　papers；　were　beginning　to　write　them。　　Political　enemies　were　taking　heart。　　It　meant　too　much　of　a　sacrifice　on　the　part　of　everybody。　　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　the　bait　was　apparently　within　easy　reach；　many　became　evasive　and　disturbed。　　When　a　certain　Representative　Sparks；　cocked　and　primed；　with　the　bill　in　his　pocket；　arose　upon　the　floor　of　the　house；　asking　leave　to　have　it　spread　upon　the　minutes；　there　was　an　instant　explosion。　　The　privilege　of　the　floor　was　requested　by　a　hundred。　　Another　representative；　Disback；　being　in　charge　of　the　opposition　to　Cowperwood；　had　made　a　count　of　noses　and　was　satisfied　in　spite　of　all　subtlety　on　the　part　of　the　enemy　that　he　had　at　least　one　hundred　and　two　votes；　the　necessary　two…thirds　wherewith　to　crush　any　measure　which　might　originate　on　the　floor。　　Nevertheless；　his　followers；　because　of　caution；　voted　it　to　a　second　and　a　third　reading。　　All　sorts　of　amendments　were　madeone　for　a　three…cent　fare　during　the　rush…hours；　another　for　a　20　per　cent。　tax　on　gross　receipts。　　In　amended　form　the　measure　was　sent　to　the　senate；　where　the　changes　were　stricken　out　and　the　bill　once　more　returned　to　the　house。　　Here；　to　Cowperwood's　chagrin；　signs　were　made　manifest　that　it　could　not　be　passed。　　〃It　can't　be　done；　Frank；〃　said　Judge　Dickensheets。　　〃It's　too　grilling　a　game。　　Their　home　papers　are　after　them。　　They　can't　live。〃

Consequently　a　second　measure　was　devisedmore　soothing　and　lulling　to　the　newspapers；　but　far　less　satisfactory　to　Cowperwood。　　It　conferred　upon　the　Chicago　City　Council；　by　a　trick　of　revising　the　old　Horse　and　Dummy　Act　of　1865；　the　right　to　grant　a　franchise　for　fifty　instead　of　for　twenty　years。　　This　meant　that　Cowperwood　would　have　to　return　to　Chicago　and　fight　out　his　battle　there。　　It　was　a　severe　blow；　yet　better　than　nothing。　　Providing　that　he　could　win　one　more　franchise　battle　within　the　walls　of　the　city　council　in　Chicago；　it　would　give　him　all　that　he　desired。　　But　could　he？　Had　he　not　come　here　to　the　legislature　especially　to　evade　such　a　risk？　His　motives　were　enduring　such　a　blistering　exposure。　　Yet　perhaps；　after　all；　if　the　price　were　large　enough　the　Chicago　councilmen　would　have　more　real　courage　than　these　country　legislatorswould　dare　more。　　They　would　have　to。

So；　after　Heaven　knows　what　desperate　whisperings；　conferences；　arguments；　and　heartening　of　members；　there　was　originated　a　second　measure　whichafter　the　defeat　of　the　first　bill；　104　to　49was　introduced；　by　way　of　a　very　complicated　path；　through　the　judiciary　committee。　　It　was　passed；　and　Governor　Archer；　after　heavy　hours　of　contemplation　and　self…examination；　signed　it。　　A　little　man　mentally；　he　failed　to　estimate　an　aroused　popular　fury　at　its　true　import　to　him。　　At　his　elbow　was　Cowperwood　in　the　clear　light　of　day；　snapping　his　fingers　in　the　face　of　his　enemies；　showing　by　the　hard；　cheerful　glint　in　his　eye　that　he　was　still　master　of　the　situation；　giving　all　assurance　that　he　would　yet　live　to　whip　the　Chicago　papers　into　submission。　　Besides；　in　the　event　of　the　passage　of　the　bill；　Cowperwood　had　promised　to　make　Archer　independently　richa　cash　reward　of　five　hundred　thousand　dollars。




Chapter　LIX



Capital　and　Public　Rights

Between　the　passage　on　June　5；　1897；　of　the　Mears　billso　christened　after　the　doughty　representative　who　had　received　a　small　fortune　for　introducing　itand　its　presentatio