The Conflict [29]
another boss in his place--perhaps one more expensive and less efficient. The time had been when he--and the plutocracy generally--were compelled to come to the political bosses almost hat in hand. That time was past, never to return. But still a competent political agent was even harder to find than a competent business manager--and was far more necessary; for, while a big business might stagger along under poor financial or organizing management within, it could not live at all without political favors, immunities, and licenses. A band of pickpockets might as well try to work a town without having first ``squared'' the police. Not that Mr. Hastings and his friends THEMSELVES compared themselves to a band of pickpockets. No, indeed. It was simply legitimate business to blackjack your competitors, corner a supply, create a monopoly and fix prices and wages to suit your own notions of what was your due for taking the ``hazardous risks of business enterprise.''
``Leave everything to me,'' said Kelly briskly. ``I can put the thing through. Just tell your lawyer to apply late this afternoon to Judge Lansing for an injunction forbidding the strikers to assemble anywhere within the county. We don't want no more of this speechifying. This is a peaceable community, and it won't stand for no agitators.''
``Hadn't the lawyers better go to Judge Freilig?'' said Hastings.
``He's shown himself to be a man of sound ideas.''
``No--Lansing,'' said Kelly. ``He don't come up for re-election for five years. Freilig comes up next fall, and we'll have hard work to pull him through, though House is going to put him on the ticket, too. Dorn's going to make a hot campaign--concentrate on judges.''
``There's nothing in that Dorn talk,'' said Hastings. ``You can't scare me again, Dick, as you did with that Populist mare's nest ten years ago.''
That had been Kelly's first ``big killing'' by working on the fears of the plutocracy. Its success had put him in a position to buy a carriage and a diamond necklace for Mrs. Kelly and to make first payments on a large block of real estate. ``It was no mare's nest, Mr. Hastings,'' gravely declared the boss. ``If I hadn't 'a knowed just how to use the money we collected, there'd 'a been a crowd in office for four years that wouldn't 'a been easy to manage, I can tell you. But they was nothing to this here Dorn crowd. Dorn is----''
``We must get rid of him, Dick,'' interrupted Hastings.
The two men looked at each other--a curious glance --telegraphy. No method was suggested, no price was offered or accepted. But in the circumstances those matters became details that would settle themselves; the bargain was struck.
``He certainly ought to be stopped,'' said Kelly carelessly. ``He's the worst enemy the labor element has had in my time.'' He rose. ``Well, Mr. Hastings, I must be going.'' He extended his heavy, strong hand, which Hastings rose to grasp. ``I'm glad we're working together again without any hitches. You won't forget about that there stock?''
``I'll telephone about it right away, Dick--and about Judge Lansing. You're sure Lansing's all right? I didn't like those decisions of his last year--the railway cases, I mean.''
``That was all right, Mr. Hastings,'' said Kelly with a wave of the hand. ``I had to have 'em in the interests of the party. I knowed the upper court'd reverse. No, Lansing's a good party man--a good, sound man in every way.''
``I'm glad to hear it,'' said Hastings.
Before going into his private room to think and plan and telephone, he looked out on the west veranda. There sat his daughter; and a few feet away was David Hull, his long form stretched in a hammock while he discoursed of his projects for a career as a political reformer. The sight immensely pleased the old man. When he was a boy David Hull's grandfather, Brainerd Hull, had been the great man of that region; and Martin Hastings, a farm hand and the son of a farm hand, had looked up at him as the embodiment of all that was grand and aristocratic. As Hastings
``Leave everything to me,'' said Kelly briskly. ``I can put the thing through. Just tell your lawyer to apply late this afternoon to Judge Lansing for an injunction forbidding the strikers to assemble anywhere within the county. We don't want no more of this speechifying. This is a peaceable community, and it won't stand for no agitators.''
``Hadn't the lawyers better go to Judge Freilig?'' said Hastings.
``He's shown himself to be a man of sound ideas.''
``No--Lansing,'' said Kelly. ``He don't come up for re-election for five years. Freilig comes up next fall, and we'll have hard work to pull him through, though House is going to put him on the ticket, too. Dorn's going to make a hot campaign--concentrate on judges.''
``There's nothing in that Dorn talk,'' said Hastings. ``You can't scare me again, Dick, as you did with that Populist mare's nest ten years ago.''
That had been Kelly's first ``big killing'' by working on the fears of the plutocracy. Its success had put him in a position to buy a carriage and a diamond necklace for Mrs. Kelly and to make first payments on a large block of real estate. ``It was no mare's nest, Mr. Hastings,'' gravely declared the boss. ``If I hadn't 'a knowed just how to use the money we collected, there'd 'a been a crowd in office for four years that wouldn't 'a been easy to manage, I can tell you. But they was nothing to this here Dorn crowd. Dorn is----''
``We must get rid of him, Dick,'' interrupted Hastings.
The two men looked at each other--a curious glance --telegraphy. No method was suggested, no price was offered or accepted. But in the circumstances those matters became details that would settle themselves; the bargain was struck.
``He certainly ought to be stopped,'' said Kelly carelessly. ``He's the worst enemy the labor element has had in my time.'' He rose. ``Well, Mr. Hastings, I must be going.'' He extended his heavy, strong hand, which Hastings rose to grasp. ``I'm glad we're working together again without any hitches. You won't forget about that there stock?''
``I'll telephone about it right away, Dick--and about Judge Lansing. You're sure Lansing's all right? I didn't like those decisions of his last year--the railway cases, I mean.''
``That was all right, Mr. Hastings,'' said Kelly with a wave of the hand. ``I had to have 'em in the interests of the party. I knowed the upper court'd reverse. No, Lansing's a good party man--a good, sound man in every way.''
``I'm glad to hear it,'' said Hastings.
Before going into his private room to think and plan and telephone, he looked out on the west veranda. There sat his daughter; and a few feet away was David Hull, his long form stretched in a hammock while he discoursed of his projects for a career as a political reformer. The sight immensely pleased the old man. When he was a boy David Hull's grandfather, Brainerd Hull, had been the great man of that region; and Martin Hastings, a farm hand and the son of a farm hand, had looked up at him as the embodiment of all that was grand and aristocratic. As Hastings