a far country-第47章
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Building。 He was never too busy to converse with them； or； it might
better be said； to listen to them converse。 Let some legally and
politically ambitious young man observe Mr。 Gorse's method。 Did he
inquire what the party worker thought of Mr。 Watling for the Senate？ Not
at all！ But before the party worker left he was telling Mr。 Gorse that
public sentiment demanded Mr。 Watling。 After leaving Mr。 Gorse they
wended their way to the Durrett Building and handed their cards over the
rail of the offices of Watling； Fowndes and Ripon。 Mr。 Watling shook
hands with scores of them； and they departed； well satisfied with the
flavour of his cigars and intoxicated by his personality。 He had a
marvellous way of cutting short an interview without giving offence。
Some of them he turned over to Mr。 Paret； whom he particularly desired
they should know。 Thus Mr。 Paret acquired many valuable additions to his
acquaintance； cultivated a memory for names and faces that was to stand
him in good stead； and kept； besides； an indexed note…book into which he
put various bits of interesting information concerning each。 Though not
immediately lucrative； it was all； no doubt； part of a lawyer's education。
During the summer and the following winter Colonel Paul Varney came often
to town and spent much of his time in Mr。 Paret's office smoking Mr。
Watling's cigars and discussing the coming campaign； in which he took a
whole…souled interest。
〃Say； Hugh； this is goin' slick！〃 he would exclaim； his eyes glittering
like round buttons of jet。 〃I never saw a campaign where they fell in
the way they're doing now。 If it was anybody else but Theodore Watling；
it would scare me。 You ought to have been in Jim Broadhurst's campaign；〃
he added； referring to the junior senator； 〃they wouldn't wood up at all；
they was just listless。 But Gorse and Barbour and the rest wanted him；
and we had to put him over。 I reckon he is useful down there in
Washington； but say； do you know what he always reminded me of？ One of
those mud…turtles I used to play with as a boy up in Columbia County；
shuts up tight soon as he sees you coming。 Now Theodore Watling ain't
like that； any way of speaking。 We can get up some enthusiasm for a man
of his sort。 He's liberal and big。 He's made his pile； and he don't
begrudge some of it to the fellows who do the work。 Mark my words； when
you see a man who wants a big office cheap； look out for him。〃
This； and much more wisdom I imbibed while assenting to my chief's
greatness。 For Mr。 Varney was right；one could feel enthusiasm for
Theodore Watling； and my growing intimacy with him； the sense that I was
having a part in his career； a share in his success； became for the
moment the passion of my life。 As the campaign progressed I gave more
and more time to it； and made frequent trips of a confidential nature to
the different counties of the state。 The whole of my being was
energized。 The national fever had thoroughly pervaded my bloodthe
national fever to win。 Prosperitywrit largedemanded it； and Theodore
Watling personified； incarnated the cause。 I had neither the time nor
the desire to philosophize on this national fever； which animated all my
associates： animated； I might say； the nation； which was beginning to get
into a fever about games。 If I remember rightly； it was about this time
that golf was introduced； tennis had become a commonplace； professional
baseball was in full swing； Ham Durrett had even organized a local polo
team。。。。 The man who failed to win something tangible in sport or law or
business or politics was counted out。 Such was the spirit of America； in
the closing years of the nineteenth century。
And yet； when one has said this； one has failed to express the national
Geist in all its subtlety。 In brief； the great American sport was not so
much to win the game as to beat it； the evasion of rules challenged our
ingenuity； and having won； we set about devising methods whereby it would
be less and less possible for us winners to lose in the future。 No
better illustration of this tendency could be given than the development
which had recently taken place in the field of our city politics；
hitherto the battle…ground of Irish politicians who had fought one
another for supremacy。 Individualism had been rampant； competition the
custom； you bought an alderman； or a boss who owned four or five
aldermen； and then you never could be sure you were to get what you
wanted； or that the aldermen and the bosses would 〃stay bought。〃 But now
a genius had appeared； an American genius who had arisen swiftly and
almost silently； who appealed to the imagination； and whose name was
often mentioned in a whisper；the Hon。 Judd Jason； sometimes known as
the Spider； who organized the City Hall and capitalized it； an ultimate
and logical effectif one had considered itof the Manchester school of
economics。 Enlightened self…interest； stripped of sentiment； ends on
Judd Jasons。 He ran the city even as Mr。 Sherrill ran his department
store； you paid your price。 It was very convenient。 Being a genius； Mr。
Jason did not wholly break with tradition； but retained those elements of
the old muddled system that had their value； chartering steamboats for
outings on the river； giving colossal picnics in Lowry Park。 The poor
and the wanderer and the criminal （of the male sex at least） were cared
for。 But he was not loved； as the rough…and…tumble Irishmen had been
loved； he did not make himself common； he was surrounded by an aura of
mystery which I confess had not failed of effect on me。 Once； and only
once during my legal apprenticeship； he had been pointed out to me on the
street； where he rarely ventured。 His appearance was not impressive。。。。
Mr。 Jason could not； of course； prevent Mr。 Watling's election； even did
he so desire； but he did command the allegiance of several city
candidatesboth democratic and republicanfor the state legislature；
who had as yet failed to announce their preferences for United States
Senator。 It was important that Mr。 Watling's vote should be large； as
indicative of a public reaction and repudiation of Democratic national
folly。 This matter among others was the subject of discussion one July
morning when the Republican State Chairman was in the city； Mr。 Grunewald
expressed anxiety over Mr。 Jason's continued silence。 It was expedient
that somebody should 〃see〃 the boss。
〃Why not Paret？〃 suggested Leonard Dickinson。 Mr。 Watling was not
present at this conference。 〃Paret seems to be running Watling's
campaign； anyway。〃
It was settled that I should be the emissary。 With lively sensations of
curiosity and excitement； tempered by a certain anxiety as to my ability
to match wits with the Spider； I made my way to his 〃lair〃 over Monahan's
saloon； situated in a district that was anything but respectable。 The
saloon； on the ground floor； had two apartments； the bar…room proper
where Mike Monahan； chamberlain of the establishment； was wont to stand；
red faced and smiling； to greet the courtiers； big and little； the party
workers； the district leaders； the hangers…on ready to be hired； the city
officials； the police judges；yes； and the dignified members of state
courts whose elections depended on Mr。 Jason's favour： even Judge Bering；
whose acquaintance I had made the day I had come； as a law student； to
Mr。 Watling's office； unbent from time to time sufficiently to call there
for a small glass of rye and water； and to relate； with his owl…like
gravity； an anecdote to the 〃boys。〃 The saloon represented Democracy； so
dear to the American public。 Here all were welcome； even the light…
fingered gentlemen who enjoyed the privilege of police protection； and
who sometimes； through fortuitous circumstances； were hauled before the
very magistrates with whom they had rubbed elbows on the polished rail。
Behind the bar…room； and separated from it by swinging doors only the
elite ventured to thrust apart； was an audience chamber whither Mr。 Jason
occasionally descended。 Anecdote and political reminiscence gave place
here to matters of high policy。
I had several times come to the saloon in the days of
