the conflict-第13节

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re　similarly　representative　of　the　‘‘rank　and　file''　and；　rather；　of　the　petty　officers　who　managed　the　rank　and　file　and　voted　it　and　told　it　what　to　think　and　what　not　to　think；　in　exchange　taking　care　of　the　needy　sick；　of　the　aged；　of　those　out　of　work　and　so　on。　　Martin　Hastingsthe　leading　Republican　citizen　of　Remsen　City；　though　for　obvious　reasons　his　political　activities　were　wholly　secret　and　stealthywas　the　leading　spirit　in　the　Lincoln　Club。　　Jared　Olds　Remsen　City's　richest　and　most　influential　Democrat；　the　head　of　the　gas　company　and　the　water　company　was　foremost　in　the　Jefferson　Club。　　At　the　Lincoln　and　the　Jefferson　you　rarely　saw　any　but　‘‘gentlemen''　men　of　established　position　and　fortune；　deacons　and　vestrymen；　judges；　corporation　lawyers　and　the　like。　　The　Blaine　and　the　Tilden　housed　a　livelier　and　a　far　less　select　classthe　‘‘boys''the　active　politicians；　the　big　saloon　keepers；　the　criminal　lawyers；　the　gamblers；　the　chaps　who　knew　how　to　round　up　floaters　and　to　handle　gangs　of　repeaters；　the　active　young　sports　working　for　political　position；　by　pitching　and　carrying　for　the　political　leaders；　by　doing　their　errands　of　charity　or　crookedness　or　what　not。　　Joe　House　was　the　‘‘big　shout''　at　the　Tilden；　Dick　Kelly　could　be　found　every　evening　on　the　third　or　‘‘wine；''　or　plottingfloor　of　the　Blaine　found　holding　court。　　And　very　respectful　indeed　were　even　the　most　eminent　of　Lincoln；　or　Jefferson；　respectabilities　who　sought　him　out　there　to　ask　favors　of　him。

The　bosses　tend　more　and　more　to　become　mere　flunkeys　of　the　plutocrats。　　Kelly　belonged　to　the　old　school　of　boss；　dating　from　the　days　when　social　organization　was　in　the　early　stages；　when　the　political　organizer　was　feared　and　even　served　by　the　industrial　organizer；　the　embryo　plutocrats。　　He　realized　how　necessary　he　was　to　his　plutocratic　master；　and　he　made　that　master　treat　him　almost　as　an　equal。　　He　was　exacting　ever　larger　pay　for　taking　care　of　the　voters　and　keeping　them　fooled；　he　was　getting　rich；　and　had　as　yet　vague　aspirations　to　respectability　and　fashion。　　He　had　stopped　drinking；　had　‘‘cut　out　the　women；''　had　made　a　beginning　toward　a　less　inelegant　way　of　speaking　the　language。　　His　view　of　life　was　what　is　called　cynical。　　That　is；　he　regarded　himself　as　morally　the　equal　of　the　respectable　rulers　of　societyor　of　the　preachers　who　attended　to　the　religious　part　of　the　grand　industry　of　‘‘keeping　the　cow　quiet　while　it　was　being　milked。''

But　Mr。　Kelly　was　explaining　to　Martin　Hastings　what　he　meant　when　he　said　that　there　was　‘‘hell　to　pay''：

‘‘That　infernal　little　cuss；　Victor　Dorn；''　said　he　‘‘made　a　speech　in　the　Court　House　Square　to…day。　　Of　course；　none　of　the　decent　papersand　they're　all　decent　except　his'nwill　publish　any　of　it。　　Still；　there　was　about　a　thousand　people　there　before　he　got　throughand　the　thing'll　spread。''

‘‘Speech？what　about？''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘He's　always　shooting　off　his　mouth。　　He'd　better　stop　talking　and　go　to　work　at　some　honest　business。''

‘‘He's　got　on　to　the　fact　that　this　strike　is　a　put…up　jobthat　the　company　hired　labor　detectives　in　Chicago　last　winter　to　come　down　here　and　get　hold　of　the　union。　　He　gave　namesamounts　paidthe　whole　damn　thing。''

‘‘Um；''　said　Hastings；　rubbing　his　skinny　hands　along　the　shiny　pantaloons　over　his　meagre　legs。　　‘‘Um。''

‘‘But　that　ain't　all；''　pursued　Kelly。　　‘‘He　read　out　a　list　of　the　men　told　off　to　pretend　to　set　fire　to　the　car　barns　and　start　the　riotthose　Chicago　chaps；　you　know。''

‘‘I　don't　know　anything　about　it；''　said　Hastings　sharply。

Kelly　smiled　slightlyamused　scorn。　　It　seemed　absurd　to　him　for　the　old　man　to　keep　up　the　pretense　of　ignorance。　　In　fact；　Hastings　was　ignorantof　the　details。　　He　was　not　quite　the　aloof　plutocrat　of　the　modern　school；　who　permits　himself　to　know　nothing　of　details　beyond　the　dividend　rate　and　similar　innocent　looking　results　of　causes　at　which　sometimes　hell　itself　would　shudder。　　But；　while　he　was　more　active　than　the　conscience…easing　devices　now　working　smoothly　made　necessary；　he　never　permitted　himself　to　know　any　unnecessary　criminal　or　wicked　fact　about　his　enterprises。

‘‘I　don't　know；''　he　repeated。　　‘‘And　I　don't　want　to　know。''

‘‘Anyhow；　Dorn　gave　away　the　whole　thing。　　He　even　read　a　copy　of　your　letter　of　introduction　to　the　governorthe　one　youaccording　to　Dorngave　Fillmore　when　you　sent　him　up　to　the　Capitol　to　arrange　for　the　invitation　to　come　after　the　riot。''

Hastings　knew　that　the　boss　was　deliberately　‘‘rubbing　it　in''　because　Hastingsthat　is；　Hastings'　agents　had　not　invited　Kelly　to　assist　in　the　project　for　‘‘teaching　the　labor　element　a　much　needed　lesson。''　　But　knowledge　of　Kelly's　motive　did　not　make　the　truth　he　was　telling　any　less　truethe　absurd　mismanagement　of　the　whole　affair；　with　the　result　that　Dorn　seemed　in　the　way　to　change　it　from　a　lesson　to　labor　on　the　folly　of　revolt　against　their　kind　and　generous　but　firm　employers　into　a　provoker　of　fresh　and　fiercer　revolt　effective　revoltpolitical　revolt。　　So；　as　Kelly　‘‘rubbed；''　Hastings　visibly　winced　and　writhed。

Kelly　ended　his　recital　with：　　‘‘The　speech　created　a　hell　of　a　sensation；　Mr。　Hastings。　　That　young　chap　can　talk。''

‘‘Yes；''　snapped　Hastings。　　‘‘But　he　can't　do　anything　else。''

‘‘I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；''　replied　Kelly；　who　was　wise　enough　to　realize　the　value　of　a　bogey　like　Dorn　its　usefulness　for　purposes　of　‘‘throwing　a　scare　into　the　silk…stocking　crowd。''　　‘‘Dorn's　getting　mighty　strong　with　the　people。''

‘‘Stuff　and　nonsense！''　retorted　Hastings。　　‘‘They'll　listen　to　any　slick　tongued　rascal　that　roasts　those　that　are　more　prosperous　than　they　are。　　But　when　it　comes　to　doing　anything；　they　know　better。　　They　envy　and　hate　those　that　give　them　jobs；　but　they　need　the　jobs。''

‘‘There's　a　good　deal　of　truth　in　that；　Mr。　Hastings；''　said　Kelly；　who　was　nothing　if　not　judicial。　　‘‘But　Dorn's　mighty　plausible。　　I　hear　sensible　men　saying　there's　something　more'n　hot　air　in　his　facts　and　figgures。''　　Kelly　paused；　and　made　the　pause　significant。

‘‘About　that　last　block　of　traction　stock；　Mr。　Hastings。　　I　thought　you　were　going　to　let　me　in　on　the　ground　floor。　　But　I　ain't　heard　nothing。''

‘‘You　ARE　in；''　said　Hastings；　who　knew　when　to　yield。　　‘‘Hasn't　Barker　been　to　see　you？　　I'll　attend　to　it；　myself。''

‘‘Thank　you；　Mr。　Hastings；''　said　Kellydry　and　brief　as　always　when　receipting　with　a　polite　phrase　for　pay　for　services　rendered。　　‘‘I've　been　a　good　friend　to　your　people。''

‘‘Yes；　you　have；　Dick；''　said　the　old　man　heartily。　　‘‘And　I　want　you　to　jump　in　and　take　charge。''

Hastings　more　than　suspected　that　Kelly；　to　bring　him　to　terms　and　to　force　him　to　employ　directly　the　high…priced　Kelly　or　Republico…Democratic　machine　as　well　as　the　State　Republico…Democratic　machine；　which　was　cheaper；　had　got　together　the　inside　information　and　had　ordered　one　of　his　henchmen　to　convey　it　to　Dorn。　　But　of　what　use　to　quarrel　with　Kelly？　　Of　course；　he　could　depose　him；　but　that　would　simply　mean　putting　another　boss　in　his　placeperhaps　one　more　expensive　and　less　efficient。　　The　time　had　been　when　heand　the　plutocracy　generallywere　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　managerand　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。''

‘‘NoLansing；''　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　campaignconcentrate　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　'