a far country-第96节

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be　solved　by　a　rule…of…thumb　morality。　　Coincident　with　the　appearance　of
these　new　and　mighty　problems；　perhaps　in　response　to　them；　a　new　and
saner　view　of　life　itself　was　being　developed　by　the　world's　thinkers；
new　sciences　were　being　evolved；　correlated　sciences；　a　psychology　making
a　truer　analysis　of　human　motives；　impulses；　of　human　possibilities；　an
economics　and　a　theory　of　government　that　took　account　of　this
psychology；　and　of　the　vast　changes　applied　science　had　made　in
production　and　distribution。　　We　lived　in　a　new　world；　which　we　sought　to
ignore；　and　the　new　education；　the　new　viewpoint　was　in　truth　nothing　but
religion　made　practical。　　It　had　never　been　thought　practical　before。
The　motive　that　compelled　men　to　work　for　humanity　in　science；　in
medicine；　in　artyes；　and　in　business；　if　we　took　the　right　view　of　it；
was　the　religious　motive。　　The　application　of　religion　was　to…day
extending　from　the　individual　to　society。　　No　religion　that　did　not　fill
the　needs　of　both　was　a　true　religion。

This　meant　the　development　of　a　new　culture；　one　to　be　founded　on　the
American　tradition　of　equality　of　opportunity。　　But　culture　was　not　a
weed　that　grew　overnight；　it　was　a　leaven　that　spread　slowly　and
painfully；　first　inoculating　a　few　who　suffered　and　often　died　for　it；
that　it　might　gradually　affect　the　many。　　The　spread　of　culture　implied
the　recognition　of　leadership：　democratic　leadership；　but　still
leadership。　　Leadership；　and　the　wisdom　it　implied；　did　not　reside　in　the
people；　but　in　the　leaders　who　sprang　from　the　people　and　interpreted
their　needs　and　longings。。。。　　He　went　on　to　discuss　a　part　of　the
programme　of　the　Citizens　Union。。。。

What　struck　me；　as　I　laid　down　the　typewritten　sheets；　was　the
extraordinary　resemblance　between　the　philosophies　of　Hermann　Krebs　and
Theodore　Watling。　　OnlyKrebs's　philosophy　was　the　bigger；　held　the
greater　vision　of　the　two；　I　had　reluctantly　and　rather　bitterly　to　admit
it。　　The　appeal　of　it　had　even　reached　and　stirred　me；　whose　task　was　to
refute　it！　　Here　indeed　was　something　to　fight　forperhaps　to　die　for；
as　he　had　said：　and　as　I　sat　there　in　my　office　gazing　out　of　the　window
I　found　myself　repeating　certain　phrases　he　had　usedthe　phrase　about
leadership；　for　instance。　　It　was　a　tremendous　conception　of　Democracy；
that　of　acquiescence　to　developed　leadership　made　responsible；　a
conception　I　was　compelled　to　confess　transcended　Mr。　Watling's；　loyal　as
I　was　to　him。。。。　　I　began　to　reflect　how　novel　all　this　was　in　a
political　speechalthough　what　I　have　quoted　was　in　the　nature　of　a
preamble。　　It　was　a　sermon；　an　educational　sermon。　　Well；　that　is　what
sermons　always　had　been；and　even　now　pretended　to　be；educational　and
stirring；　appealing　to　the　emotions　through　the　intellect。　　It　didn't
read　like　the　Socialism　he　used　to　preach；　it　had　the　ring　of　religion。
He　had　called　it　religion。

With　an　effort　of　the　will　I　turned　from　this　ironical　and　dangerous
vision　of　a　Hugh　Paret　who　might　have　been　enlisted　in　an　inspiring
struggle；　of　a　modern　yet　unregenerate　Saul　kicking　against　the　pricks；
condemned　to　go　forth　breathing　fire　against　a　doctrine　that　made　a　true
appeal；　against　the　man　I　believed　I　hated　just　because　he　had　made　this
appeal。　　In　the　act　of　summoning　my　counter…arguments　I　was　interrupted
by　the　entrance　of　Grierson。　　He　was　calling　on　a　matter　of　business；　but
began　to　talk　about　the　extracts　from　Krebs's　speech　he　had　read　in　the
Mail　and　State。

〃What　in　hell　is　this　fellow　driving　at；　Paret？〃　he　demanded。　　〃It　sounds
to　me　like　the　ranting　of　a　lunatic　dervish。　　If　he　thinks　so　much　of　us；
and　the　way　we　run　the　town；　what's　he　squawking　about？〃

I　looked　at　Grierson；　and　conceived　an　intense　aversion　for　him。　　I
wondered　how　I　had　ever　been　able　to　stand　him；　to　work　with　him。　　I　saw
him　in　a　sudden　flash　as　a　cunning；　cruel　bird　of　prey；　a　gorged；　drab
vulture　with　beady　eyes；　a　resemblance　so　extraordinary　that　I　wondered　I
had　never　remarked　it　before。　　For　he　had　the　hooked　vulture　nose；　while
the　pink　baldness　of　his　head　was　relieved　by　a　few　scanty　tufts　of　hair。

〃The　people　seem　to　like　what　he's　got　to　say；〃　I　observed。

〃It　beats　me；〃　said　Grierson。　　〃They　don't　understand　a　quarter　of　it
I've　been　talking　to　some　of　'em。　　It's　their　dd　curiosity；　I　guess。
You　know　how　they'll　stand　for　hours　around　a　street　fakir。〃

〃It's　more　than　that；〃　I　retorted。

Grierson　regarded　me　piercingly。

〃Well；　we'll　put　a　crimp　in　him；　all　right；〃　he　said；　with　a　laugh。

I　was　in　an　unenviable　state　of　mind　when　he　left　me。　　I　had　an　impulse
to　send　for　Miss　McCoy　and　ask　her　if　she　had　understood　what　Krebs　was
〃driving　at；〃　but　for　reasons　that　must　be　fairly　obvious　I　refrained。　　I
read　over　again　that　part　of　Krebs's　speech　which　dealt　with　the
immediate　programme　of　the　Citizens　Union。　　After　paying　a　tribute　to
Greenhalge　as　a　man　of　common　sense　and　dependability　who　would　make　a
good　mayor；　he　went　on　to　explain　the　principle　of　the　new　charter　they
hoped　ultimately　to　get；　which　should　put　the　management　of　the　city　in
the　hands　of　one　man；　an　expert　employed　by　a　commission；　an　expert　whose
duty　it　would　be　to　conduct　the　affairs　of　the　city　on　a　business　basis；
precisely　as　those　of　any　efficient　corporation　were　conducted。　　This
plan　had　already　been　adopted；　with　encouraging　results；　in　several
smaller　cities　of　the　country。　　He　explained　in　some　detail；　with
statistics；　the　waste　and　inefficiency　and　dishonesty　in　various
departments　under　the　present　system；　dwelling　particularly　upon　the
deplorable　state　of　affairs　in　the　city　hospital。

I　need　not　dwell　upon　this　portion　of　his　remarks。　　Since　then　text…books
and　serious　periodicals　have　dealt　with　these　matters　thoroughly。　　They
are　now　familiar　to　all　thinking　Americans。




XXV。

My　entrance　into　the　campaign　was　accompanied　by　a　blare　of　publicity；
and　during　that　fortnight　I　never　picked　up　a　morning　or　evening
newspaper　without　reading；　on　the　first　page；　some　such　headline　as
〃Crowds　flock　to　hear　Paret。〃　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　crowds　did　flock；
but　I　never　quite　knew　as　I　looked　down　from　platforms　on　seas　of　faces
how　much　of　the　flocking　was　spontaneous。　　Much　of　it　was　so；　since　the
struggle　had　then　become　sufficiently　dramatic　to　appeal　to　the　larger
public　imagination　that　is　but　occasionally　waked；　on　the　other　hand；　the
magic　of　advertising　cannot　be　underestimated；　nor　must　the　existence　be
ignored　of　an　organized　corps　of　shepherds　under　the　vigilant　direction
of　Mr。　Judd　Jason；　whose　duty　it　was　to　see　that　none　of　our　meetings　was
lacking　in　numbers　and　enthusiasm。　　There　was　always　a　demonstrative
gathering　overflowing　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　entrance；　swaying　and
cheering　in　the　light　of　the　street　lamps；　and　on　the　floor　within　an
ample　scattering　of　suspiciously　bleary…eyed　voters　to　start　the　stamping
and　applauding。　　In　spite　of　these　known　facts；　the　impression　of
popularity；　of　repudiation　of　reform　by　a　large　majority　of　level…headed
inhabitants　had　reassuring　and　reenforcing　effects。

Astute　citizens；　spectators　of　the　frayif　indeed　there　were　anymight
have　remarked　an　unique　and　significant　feature　of　that　campaign：　that
the　usual　recriminations　between　the　two　great　parties　were　lacking。　　Mr。
Parks；　the　Republican　candidate；　did　not　denounce　Mr。　MacGuire；　the
Democratic　candidate。　　Republican　and　Democratic　speakers　alike　expended
their　breath　in　lashing　Mr。　Krebs　and　the　Citizens　Union。

It　is　difficult　to　record　the　fluctuations　of　my　spirit。　　When　I　was　in
the　halls；　speaking　or　waiting　to　speak；　I　reacted　to　that　phenomenon
known　as　mob　psychology；　I　became　self…confident；　even　exhilarated；　and
in　those　earlier　speeches　I　managed；　I　think；　to　strike　the　note　for
which　I　strovethe　judicial　note；　suitable　to　a　lawyer　of　weight　and
prominence；　of　deprecation　rather　than　denunciation。　　I　sought　to　embody
and　voice　a　fine　and　calm　sanity　at　a　time　when　everyone　else　seemed　in
danger　of　losing　their　heads；　and　to　a　large　extent　achieved　it。　　I　had
known　Mr。　Krebs　for　more　than　twenty　years；　and　while　I　did　not　care　to
criticise　a　fellow…member　of　the　bar；　I　would　go　so　far　as　to　say　that　he
was　visionary；　that　the　changes　he　proposed　in　government　would；　if
adopted；　have　grave　and　far…reaching　results：　we　could　not；　for　instance；
support　in　idleness　those　who　refused　to　do　their　share　of　the　work　of
the　world。　　Mr。　Krebs　was　well…meaning。　　I　refrained　from　dwelling　too
long　upon　him；　passing　to　Mr。　Greenhalge；　also　well…meaning；　but　a　man　of
mediocre　ability　who　would　make　a　mess　of　the　government　of　a　city　which
would　one　day　rival　New　York　and　Chicago。　　（Loud　cheers。）　And　I　pointed
out　that　Mr。　Perry　Blackwood　had　been　unable　to　manage　the　affairs　of　the
Boyne　Street　road。　　Such　men；　well…intentioned　though　they　might　be；　were
hindrances　to　progress。　　This　led　me　naturally　to　a　discussion　of　the
Riverside　Franchise　and　the　Traction　Consolidation。　　I　was　one　of　those
whose　honesty　and　good　faith　had　been　arraigned；　but　I　would　not　stoop　to
refute　the　accusations。　　I　dwelt　upon　the　benefits　to　the　city；　uniform
s