the vision spendid(美景)-第25节
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fourth ballot for the election of a United States Senator。
In an oppressive silence the clerk began to call the roll。
〃Allan。〃
A raw…boned farmer from one of the coast counties rose and answered
〃Hardy。〃
〃Anderson。〃
In broken English a fat Swede shouted； 〃Harty。〃
〃Ashton。〃
〃Hardy。〃 The word fell hesitantly from dry lips。 The man would have
voted for the Transcontinental candidate had he dared； but he was not sure
enough that the crucial moment was at hand and the pressure of his
environment was too great。
〃Bentley。〃
Three hundred eyes focused expectantly on the gaunt white…faced
legislator who rose nervously at the sound of his name and almost
inaudibly gulped the word 〃Frome。〃
A fierce tumult of rage and triumph rose and fell and swelled again。
Bentley became the center of a struggling vortex of roaring humanity and
found himself tossed hither and thither like a chip in a choppy sea。
It was many minutes before the clerk could proceed with the roll… call。
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When his name was reached James said 〃Hardy〃 in a clear distinct voice
that brought from the gallery a round of applause sharply checked by the
presiding officer。 Killen gave his vote for Frome tremulously and shrank
from the storm he had evoked。 Rawson could be seen standing on his seat；
one foot on the top of his desk； shaking his fist at him in purple apoplectic
rage； the while his voice rose above the tumult； 〃You damned Judas！ You
damned little traitor！〃
The presiding officer beat in vain with his gavel for quiet。 Not until
they had worn themselves to momentary exhaustion could the roll…call be
continued。
Miller and Pitts voted for Frome and stirred renewed shouts of support
and execration。
〃Takes one more change to elect Frome。 All depends on Reilly now；〃
Rawson whispered hoarsely to Jeff。 〃If he sticks we're safe for another
twenty…four hours。〃
But Reilly； knowing the decisive moment had come； voted for Frome
and gave him the one more needed to elect。 Pandemonium was loose at
once。 The Transcontinental forces surrounded him and fought off the
excited men he had betrayed who tried to get at him to make him change
his vote。 The culminating moment of months of battle had come and
mature men gave themselves to the abandon of the moment like college
boys after a football game。
When at last the storm had subsided Ashton； who had seen several
thousand dollars go glimmering because his initial came at the beginning
of the alphabet instead of at the close； in the hope of still getting into the
bandwagon in time moved to make the election unanimous。 His
suggestion was rejected with hoots of derision； and Frome made the
conventional speech of acceptance to a House divided against itself。
Jeff joined his cousin as he was descending the steps to the lower hall。
〃Don't blame yourself； old man。 It would have happened anyhow in a day
or two。 They were looking for a chance to desert。 We couldn't have held
them。 Better luck next time。〃
James found cold comfort in such consolation。 He was dissatisfied
with the part he had played in the final drama。 Instead of being the hero of
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THE VISION SPLENDID
the hour； he was the unfortunate whose blunder had started the avalanche。
Yet he was gratified when Rawson said in effect the same thing as Jeff。
〃And I'm going to have the pleasure of telling that damned little Killen
what I think of him；〃 the politician added with savage satisfaction。
〃Don't blame him。 He's only a victim。 What we must do is to change
the system that makes it possible to defeat the will of the people through
money；〃 Jeff said。
〃How are you going about it？〃 Rawson demanded incredulously。
〃We'll go after the initiative and referendum right now while the
people are stirred up about this treachery。 The very men who threw us
down will support us to try and square themselves。 The bill will slip
through as if it were oiled；〃 Jeff prophesied。
〃Oh； hang your initiative and referendum。 I'm a politician； not a
socialist reformer；〃 grinned Rawson。
James said nothing。
PART 2
If the years were bringing Jeff a sharper realization of the forces that
control so much of life they were giving him too the mellowness that can
be in revolt without any surrender of faith in men。 He could for instance
now look back on his college days and appreciate the kindness and the
patience of the teachers whom he had then condemned。 They had been
conformists。 No doubt they had compromised to the pressure of their
environment。 But somehow he felt much less like judging men than he
used to in the first flush of his intellectual awakening。 It was perhaps this
habit of making allowance for weakness； together with his call to the
idealism in them； that made him so effective a worker with men。
He was as easy as an old shoe； but people sensed the steel in him
instinctively。 In his quiet way he was coming to be a power。 For one thing
he was possessed of the political divination that understands how far a
leader may go without losing his following。 He knew too how to get
practical results。 It was these qualities that enabled him out of the
wreckage of the senatorial defeat to build a foundation of victory for
House Bill 77。
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To bring into effect Jeff's pet measure of the initiative and referendum
necessitated an amendment to the state constitution； which must be passed
by two successive legislative assemblies and ratified by a vote of the
people in order to become effective。 The bill had been slumbering in
committee； but immediately after the senatorial election Jeff insisted on
having it brought squarely to the attention of the House。
His feeling for the psychological moment was a true one and he
succeeded by a skillful newspaper campaign in rallying the people to his
support。 The sense of outrage felt at this shameless purchase of a seat in
the Senate； accented by a knowledge of its helplessness to avenge the
wrong done it； counted mightily in favor of H。 B。 No。 77 just now。 It
promised a restoration of power to the people； and the clamor for its
passage became insistent。
A good deal of quiet lobbying had been done for the bill； and the
legislators who had sold themselves； having received all they could
reasonably expect from the allied corporations； were anxious to make a
show of standing for their constituents。 Politicians in general considered
the bill a 〃freak〃 one。 Some who voted for it explained that they did not
believe in it； but felt the people should have a chance to vote on it
themselves。 By a large majority it passed the House。 Two days later it
squeezed through the Senate。
Rawson； who had been persuaded half against his judgment to support
the bill； lunched with Jeff that day。
〃Now watch the corporations dig a grave for your little pet at the next
legislature；〃 he chuckled； helping himself to bread while he waited for the
soup。
〃They may。 Then again they may not；〃 Farnum answered。 〃We are
ruled by political machines and corporations only as long as we let them。
I've a notion the people are going to assert themselves at the next
election。〃
〃How are you going to make the will of the dear people effective with
the assembly？〃 asked Rawson； amused。
〃Make the initiative and referendum the issue of the campaign。 Pledge
the legislators to vote for it before nominating them。〃
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