the titan-第59部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


stitute　the　weak　spot　in　the　Cowperwood…McKenty　campaign。　　Tiernan　and　Kerrigan；　to　begin　with；　being　neighhors　and　friends；　worked　together　in　politics　and　business；　on　occasions　pooling　their　issues　and　doing　each　other　favors。　　The　enterprises　in　which　they　were　engaged　being　low　and　shabby；　they　needed　counsel　and　consolation。　　Infinitely　beneath　a　man　like　McKenty　in　understanding　and　a　politic　grasp　of　life；　they　were；　nevertheless；　as　they　prospered；　somewhat　jealous　of　him　and　his　high　estate。　　They　saw　with　speculative　and　somewhat　jealous　eyes　how；　after　his　union　with　Cowperwood；　he　grew　and　how　he　managed　to　work　his　will　in　many　waysby　extracting　tolls　from　the　police　department；　and　heavy　annual　campaign　contributions　from　manufacturers　favored　by　the　city　gas　and　water　departments。　　McKentya　born　manipulator　in　this　respectknew　where　political　funds　were　to　be　had　in　an　hour　of　emergency；　and　he　did　not　hesitate　to　demand　them。　　Tiernan　and　Kerrigan　had　always　been　fairly　treated　by　him　as　politics　go；　but　they　had　never　as　yet　been　included　in　his　inner　council　of　plotters。　　When　he　was　down…town　on　one　errand　or　another；　he　stopped　in　at　their　places　to　shake　hands　with　them；　to　inquire　after　business；　to　ask　if　there　was　any　favor　he　could　do　them；　but　never　did　he　stoop　to　ask　a　favor　of　them　or　personally　to　promise　any　form　of　reward。　　　That　was　the　business　of　Dowling　and　others　through　whom　he　worked。

Naturally　men　of　strong；　restive；　animal　disposition；　finding　no　complete　outlet　for　all　their　growing　capacity；　Tiernan　and　Kerrigan　were　both　curious　to　see　in　what　way　they　could　add　to　their　honors　and　emoluments。　　Their　wards；　more　than　any　in　the　city；　were　increasing　in　what　might　be　called　a　vote…piling　capacity；　the　honest；　legitimate　vote　not　being　so　large；　but　the　opportunities　afforded　for　colonizing；　repeating；　and　ballot…box　stuffing　being　immense。　　In　a　doubtful　mayoralty　campaign　the　first　and　second　wards　alone；　coupled　with　a　portion　of　the　third　adjoining　them；　would　register　sufficient　illegitimate　votes　（after　voting…hours；　if　necessary）　to　completely　change　the　complexion　of　the　city　as　to　the　general　officers　nominated。　　Large　amounts　of　money　were　sent　to　Tiernan　and　Kerrigan　around　election　time　by　the　Democratic　County　Committee　to　be　disposed　of　as　they　saw　fit。　　They　merely　sent　in　a　rough　estimate　of　how　much　they　would　need；　and　always　received　a　little　more　than　they　asked　for。　　They　never　made　nor　were　asked　to　make　accounting　afterward。　　Tiernan　would　receive　as　high　as　fifteen　and　eighteen；　Kerrigan　sometimes　as　much　as　twenty　to　twenty…five　thousand　dollars；　his　being　the　pivotal　ward　under　such　circumstances。

McKenty　had　recently　begun　to　recognize　that　these　two　men　would　soon　have　to　be　given　fuller　consideration；　for　they　were　becoming　more　or　less　influential。　　But　how？　Their　personalities；　let　alone　the　reputation　of　their　wards　and　the　methods　they　employed；　were　not　such　as　to　command　public　confidence。　　In　the　mean　time；　owing　to　the　tremendous　growth　of　the　city；　the　growth　of　their　own　private　business；　and　the　amount　of　ballot…box　stuffing；　repeating；　and　the　like　which　was　required　of　them；　they　were　growing　more　and　more　restless。　　Why　should　not　they　be　slated　for　higher　offices？　they　now　frequently　asked　themselves。　　Tiernan　would　have　been　delighted　to　have　been　nominated　for　sheriff　or　city　treasurer。　He　considered　himself　eminently　qualified。　　Kerrigan　at　the　last　city　convention　had　privately　urged　on　Dowling　the　wisdom　of　nominating　him　for　the　position　of　commissioner　of　highways　and　sewers；　which　office　he　was　anxious　to　obtain　because　of　its　reported　commercial　perquisites；　but　this　year；　of　all　times；　owing　to　the　need　of　nominating　an　unblemished　ticket　to　defeat　the　sharp　Republican　opposition；　such　a　nomination　was　not　possible。　　It　would　have　drawn　the　fire　of　all　the　respectable　elements　in　the　city。　　As　a　result　both　Tiernan　and　Kerrigan；　thinking　over　their　services；　past　and　future；　felt　very　much　disgruntled。　　They　were　really　not　large　enough　mentally　to　understand　how　dangerous　outside　of　certain　fields　of　activitythey　were　to　the　party。

After　his　conference　with　Hand；　Gilgan；　going　about　the　city　with　the　promise　of　ready　cash　on　his　lips；　was　able　to　arouse　considerable　enthusiasm　for　the　Republican　cause。　　In　the　wards　and　sections　where　the　so…called　〃better　element〃　prevailed　it　seemed　probable；　because　of　the　heavy　moral　teaching　of　the　newspapers；　that　the　respectable　vote　would　array　itself　almost　solidly　this　time　against　Cowperwood。　　In　the　poorer　wards　it　would　not　be　so　easy。　　True；　it　was　possible；　by　a　sufficient　outlay　of　cash；　to　find　certain　hardy　bucaneers　who　could　be　induced　to　knife　their　own　brothers；　but　the　result　was　not　certain。　　Having　heard　through　one　person　and　another　of　the　disgruntled　mood　of　both　Kerrigan　and　Tiernan；　and　recognizing　himself；　even　if　he　was　a　Republican；　to　be　a　man　much　more　of　their　own　stripe　than　either　McKenty　or　Dowling；　Gilgan　decided　to　visit　that　lusty　pair　and　see　what　could　be　done　by　way　of　alienating　them　from　the　present　center　of　power。

After　due　reflection　he　first　sought　out　〃Emerald　Pat〃　Kerrigan；　whom　he　knew　personally　but　with　whom　he　was　by　no　means　intimate　politically；　at　his　〃Emporium　Bar〃　in　Dearborn　Street。　　This　particular　saloon；　a　feature　of　political　Chicago　at　this　time；　was　a　large　affair　containing　among　other　marvelous　saloon　fixtures　a　circular　bar　of　cherry　wood　twelve　feet　in　diameter；　which　glowed　as　a　small　mountain　with　the　customary　plain　and　colored　glasses；　bottles；　labels；　and　mirrors。　　The　floor　was　a　composition　of　small；　shaded　red…and…green　marbles；　the　ceiling　a　daub　of　pinky；　fleshy　nudes　floating　among　diaphanous　clouds；　the　walls　were　alternate　panels　of　cerise　and　brown　set　in　rosewood。　　Mr。　Kerrigan；　when　other　duties　were　not　pressing；　was　usually　to　be　found　standing　chatting　with　several　friends　and　surveying　the　wonders　of　his　bar　trade；　which　was　very　large。　　On　the　day　of　Mr。　Gilgan's　call　he　was　resplendent　in　a　dark…brown　suit　with　a　fine　red　stripe　in　it；　Cordovan　leather　shoes；　a　wine…colored　tie　ornamented　with　the　emerald　of　so　much　renown；　and　a　straw　hat　of　flaring　proportions　and　novel　weave。　　About　his　waist；　in　lieu　of　a　waistcoat；　was　fastened　one　of　the　eccentricities　of　the　day；　a　manufactured　silk　sash。　　He　formed　an　interesting　contrast　with　Mr。　Gilgan；　who　now　came　up　very　moist；　pink；　and　warm；　in　a　fine；　light　tweed　of　creamy；　showy　texture；　straw　hat；　and　yellow　shoes。

〃How　are　you；　Kerrigan？〃　he　observed；　genially；　there　being　no　political　enmity　between　them。　　〃How's　the　first；　and　how's　trade？　I　see　you　haven't　lost　the　emerald　yet？〃

〃No。　　No　danger　of　that。　　Oh；　trade's　all　right。　　And　so's　the　first。　　How's　Mr。　Gilgan？〃　Kerrigan　extended　his　hand　cordially。

〃I　have　a　word　to　say　to　you。　　Have　you　any　time　to　spare？〃

For　answer　Mr。　Kerrigan　led　the　way　into　the　back　room。　　Already　he　had　heard　rumors　of　a　strong　Republican　opposition　at　the　coming　election。

Mr。　Gilgan　sat　down。　　〃It's　about　things　this　fall　I've　come　to　see　you；　of　course；〃　he　began；　smilingly。　　〃You　and　I　are　supposed　to　be　on　opposite　sides　of　the　fence；　and　we　are　as　a　rule；　but　I　am　wondering　whether　we　need　be　this　time　or　not？〃

Mr。　Kerrigan；　shrewd　though　seemingly　simple；　fixed　him　with　an　amiable　eye。　　〃What's　your　scheme？〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　always　open　to　a　good　idea。〃

〃Well；　it's　just　this；〃　began　Mr。　Gilgan；　feeling　his　way。　　〃You　have　a　fine　big　ward　here　that　you　carry　in　your　vest　pocket；　and　so　has　Tiernan；　as　we　all　know；　and　we　all　know；　too；　that　if　it　wasn't　for　what　you　and　him　can　do　there　wouldn't　always　be　a　Democratic　mayor　elected。　　Now；　I　have　an　idea；　from　looking　into　the　thing；　that　neither　you　nor　Tiernan　have　got　as　much　out　of　it　so　far　as　you　might　have。〃

Mr。　Kerrigan　was　too　cautious　to　comment　as　to　that；　though　Mr。　Gilgan　paused　for　a　moment。

〃Now；　I　have　a　plan；　as　I　say；　and　you　can　take　it　or　leave　it；　just　as　you　want；　and　no　hard　feelings　one　way　or　the　other。　　I　think　the　Republicans　are　going　to　win　this　fallMcKenty　or　no　McKentyfirst；　second；　and　third　wards　with　us　or　not；　as　they　choose。　　The　doings　of　the　big　fellow〃he　was　referring　to　McKenty〃with　the　other　fellow　in　North　Clark　Street〃Mr。　Gilgan　preferred　to　be　a　little　enigmatic　at　times〃are　very　much　in　the　wind　just　now。　　You　see　how　the　papers　stand。　　I　happen　to　know　where　there's　any　quantity　of　money　coming　into　the　game　from　big　financial　quarters　who　have　no　use　for　this　railroad　man。　　It's　a　solid　La　Salle　and　Dearborn　Street　line…up；　so　far　as　I　can　see。　　Why；　I　don't　know。　　But　so　it　is。　　Maybe　you　know　better　than　I　do。　　Anyhow；　that's　the　way　it　stands　now。　　Add　to　that　the　fact　that　there　are　eight　naturally　Republican　wards　as　it　is；　and　ten　more　where　there　is　always　a　fighting　chance；　and　you　begin　to　see　what　I'm　driving　at。　　Count　out　these　last　ten；　though；　and　bet　only　on　the　eight　that　are　sure　to　stand。　　That　leaves　twenty…three　wards　that　we　Republicans　always　conceded　to　you　people；　but　if　we　manage　to　carry　thirteen　of　them　along　with　the　eight　I'm　talking　about；　we'll　have　a　majority　in　council；　and〃flick！　he　snapped　his　fingers〃out　you　goyou；　McKenty；　Cowperwood；　and　all　the　rest。　　No　more　franchises；　no　more　street…paving　contracts；　no　more　gas　deals。　　Nothingfor　two　years；　anyhow；　and　maybe　longer。　If　we　win　we'll　take　the　jobs　and　the　fat　deals。〃　He　paused　and　surveyed　Kerrigan　cheerfully　but　defiantly。　　

〃Now；　I've　just　been　all　over　the　city；〃　he　continued；　〃in　every　ward　and　precinct；　so　I　know　something　of　what　I　am　talking　about。　I　have　the　men　and　the　cash　to　put　up　a　fight　all　along　the　line　this　time。　　This　fall　we　winme　and　the　big　fellows　over　there　in　La　Salle　Street；　and　all　the　Republicans　or　Democrats　or　Prohibitionists；　or　whoever　else　comes　in　with　usdo　you　get　me？　We're　going　to　put　up　the　biggest　political　fight　Chicago　has　ever　seen。　　I'm　not　naming　any　names　just　yet；　but　when　the　time　comes　you'll　see。　　Now；　what　I　want　to　ask　of　you　is　this；　and　I'll　not　mince　me　words　nor　beat　around　the　bush。　　Will　you　and　Tiernan　come　in　with　me　and　Edstrom　to　take　over　the　ci