impossible to live in the atmosphere created by the men with whom I
associatedespecially at such a timewithout imbibing something of the
emotions animating them；even though I had been free from these emotions
myself。 I； too； had begun to be filled with a desire for revenge； and
when this desire was upon me I did not have in my mind a pack of
reformers； or even the writer of the article in Yardley's。 I thought of
Hermann Krebs。 He was my persecutor； it seemed to me that he always had
been。。。。
〃Well； I'll make speeches if you like；〃 I said to Dickinson。
〃I'm glad；〃 he replied。 〃We're all agreed； Gorse and the rest of us；
that you ought to。 We've got to get some ginger into this fight； and a
good deal more money； I'm afraid。 Jason sends word we'll need more。 By
the way； Hugh； I wish you'd drop around and talk to Jason and get his
idea of how the land lies。〃
I went； this time in the company of Judah B。 Tallant。 Naturally we
didn't expect to see Mr。 Jason perturbed； nor was he。 He seemed to be in
an odd； rather exultant moodif he can be imagined as exultant。 We were
not long in finding out what pleased himnothing less than the fact that
Mr。 Krebs had proposed him for mayor！
〃Dd if I wouldn't make a good one； too；〃 he said。 〃Dd if I wouldn't
show 'em what a real mayor is！〃
〃I guess there's no danger of your ever being mayor； Judd；〃 Tallant
observed； with a somewhat uneasy jocularity。
〃I guess there isn't； Judah；〃 replied the boss； quickly； but with a
peculiar violet flash in his eyes。 〃They won't ever make you mayor；
either； if I can help it。 And I've a notion I can。 I'd rather see Krebs
mayor。〃
〃You don't think he meant to propose you seriously；〃 Tallant exclaimed。
〃I'm not a dd fool；〃 said the boss。 〃But I'll say this； that he half
meant it。 Krebs has a head…piece on him； and I tell you if any of this
reform dope is worth anything his is。 There's some sense in what he's
talking； and if all the voters was like him you might get a man like me
for mayor。 But they're not； and I guess they never will be。〃
〃Sure；〃 said Mr。 Jason。 〃The people are dottythere ain't one in ten
thousand understands what he's driving at when he gets off things like
that。 They take it on the level。〃
Tallant reflected。
〃By gum； I believe you're right；〃 he said。 〃You think they will blow
up？〃 he added。
〃Krebs is the whole show； I tell you。 They wouldn't be anywhere without
him。 The yaps that listen to him don't understand him； but somehow he
gets under their skins。 Have you seen him lately？〃
〃Never saw him；〃 replied Tallant。
〃Well； if you had； you'd know he was a sick man。〃
〃Sick！〃 I exclaimed。 〃How do you know？〃
〃It's my business to know things；〃 said Judd Jason； and added to Tallant；
〃that your reporters don't find out。〃
〃What's the matter with him？〃 Tallant demanded。 A slight exultation in
his tone did not escape me。
〃You've got me there；〃 said Jason； 〃but I have it pretty straight。 Any
one of your reporters will tell you that he looks sick。〃。。。。
The Era took Mr。 Jason's advice and began to publish those portions of
Krebs's speeches that were seemingly detrimental to his own cause。 Other
conservative newspapers followed suit。。。。
Both Tallant and I were surprised to hear these sentiments out of the
mouth of Mr。 Jason。
〃You don't think that crowd's going to win； do you？〃 asked the owner of
the Era； a trifle uneasily。
〃Win！〃 exclaimed the boss contemptuously。 〃They'll blow up； and you'll
never hear of 'em。 I'm not saying we won't need a littlepowder；〃 he
addedwhich was one of the matters we had come to talk about。 He gave
us likewise a very accurate idea of the state of the campaign； mentioning
certain things that ought to be done。 〃You ought to print some of
Krebs's speeches； Judah； like what he said about me。 They're talking it
all around that you're afraid to。〃
〃Print things like his proposal to make you mayor！〃
The information that I was to enter the lists against Krebs was received
with satisfaction and approval by those of our friends who were called in
to assist at a council of war in the directors' room of the Corn National
Bank。 I was flattered by the confidence these men seemed to have in my
ability。 All were in a state of anger against the reformers； none of
them seriously alarmed as to the actual outcome of the campaign；
especially when I had given them the opinion of Mr。 Jason。 What
disturbed them was the possible effect upon the future of the spread of
heretical； socialistic doctrines； and it was decided to organize a
publicity bureau； independently of the two dominant political parties； to
be in charge of a certain New York journalist who made a business of such
affairs； who was to be paid a sum commensurate with the emergency。 He
was to have carte blanche； even in the editorial columns of our
newspapers。 He was also to flood the city with 〃literature。〃 We had
fought many wars before this； and we planned our campaign precisely as
though we were dealing with one of those rebellions in the realm of
finance of which I have given an instance。 But now the war chest of our
opponents was negligible； and we were comforted by the thought that；
however disagreeable the affair might be while it lasted； in the long run
capital was invincible。
Before setting to work to prepare my speeches it was necessary to make an
attempt to familiarize myself with the seemingly unprecedented line of
argument Krebs had evolvedapparently as disconcerting to his friends as
to his opponents。 It occurred to me； since I did not care to attend
Krebs's meetings； to ask my confidential stenographer； Miss McCoy； to go
to Turner's Hall and take down one of his speeches verbatim。 Miss McCoy
had never intruded on me her own views； and I took for granted that they
coincided with my own。
〃I'd like to get an accurate record of what he is saying；〃 I told her。
〃Do you mind going？〃
〃No； I'll be glad to go； Mr。 Paret；〃 she said quietly。
〃He's doing more harm than we thought；〃 I remarked； after a moment。
〃I've known him for a good many years。 He's clever。 He's sowing seeds
of discontent； starting trouble that will be very serious unless it is
headed off。〃
Miss McCoy made no comment。。。。
Before noon the next day she brought in the speech； neatly typewritten；
and laid it on my desk。 Looking up and catching her eye just as she was
about to withdraw； I was suddenly impelled to ask：
〃Well； what did you think of it？〃
She actually flushed； for the first time in my dealings with her
betraying a feeling which I am sure she deemed most unprofessional。
〃I liked it； Mr。 Paret；〃 she replied simply； and I knew that she had
understated。 It was quite apparent that Krebs had captivated her。 I
tried not to betray my annoyance。
〃Was there a good audience？〃 I asked；
〃Yes；〃 she said。
〃How many do you think？〃
She hesitated。
〃It isn't a very large hall； you know。 I should say it would hold about
eight hundred people。〃
〃Andit was full？〃… I persisted。
〃Oh； yes； there were numbers of people standing。〃
I thought I detected in her tone…although it was not apologetica desire
to spare my feelings。 She hesitated a moment more； and then left the
room； closing the door softly behind her。。。
Presently I took up the pages and began to read。 The language was simple
and direct； an appeal to common sense； yet the words strangely seemed
charged with an emotional power that I found myself resisting。 When at
length I laid down the sheets I wondered whether it were imagination； or
the uncomfortable result of memories of conversations I had had with him。
I was； however； confronted with the task of refuting his arguments： but
with exasperating ingenuity； he seemed to have taken the wind out of our
sails。 It is difficult to answer a man who denies the cardinal principle
of American democracy；that a good mayor or a governor may be made out
of a dog…catcher。 He called this the Cincinnatus theory： that any
American； because he was an American； was fit for any job in the gift of
state or city or government； from sheriff to Ambassador to Great Britain。
Krebs substituted for this fallacy what may be called the doctrine of
potentiality。 If we inaugurated and developed a system of democratic
education； based on scientific principles； and caught the dog…catcher；
young enough； he might become a statesman or thinker or scientist and
make his contribution to the welfare and progress of the nation： again；
he might not； but he would have had his chance； he would not be in a
position to complain。
Here was a doctrine； I immediately perceived； which it would be suicidal
to attempt to refute。 It ought； indeed； to have been my line。 With a
growing distaste I began to realize that all there was left for me was to
flatter a populace that Krebs； paradoxically； belaboured。 Never in the
history of American 〃uplift〃 had an electorate been in this manner wooed！
upbraided for expediency； a proneness to demand immediate results； an
unwillingness to think； yes； and an inability to think straight。 Such an
electorate deserved to be led around by the nose by the Jasons and
Dickinsons； the Gorses and the Griersons and the Parets。
Yes； he had mentioned me。 That gave me a queer sensation。 How is one to
handle an opponent who praises one with a delightful irony？。 We； the
Dickinsons； Griersons； Parets； Jasons； etc。； had this virtue at least；
and it was by no means the least of the virtues；that we did think。 We
had a plan； a theory of government； and we carried it out。 He was
inclined to believe that morality consisted largely； if not wholly； in
clear thinking； and not in the precepts of the Sunday…school。 That was
the trouble with the so…called 〃reform〃 campaigns； they were conducted on
lines of Sunday…school morality； the people worked themselves up into a
sort of revivalist frenzy； an emotional state which； if the truth were
told； was thoroughly immoral； unreasonable and hypocritical： like all
frenzies； as a matter of course it died down after the campaign was over。
Moreover； the American people had shown that they were unwilling to make
any sacrifices for the permanent better