making the total cost in the neighborhood of a million and a half。 Yet it was a small price indeed when the ultimate return was considered。 He planned to have his ordinance introduced by an alderman named Ballenberg； a trusted lieutenant； and handed thereafter to the clerk； who would read it； whereupon another henchman would rise to move that it be referred to the joint committee on streets and alleys； consisting of thirty…four members drawn from all the standing committees。 By this committee it would be considered for one week in the general council…chamber； where public hearings would be held。 By keeping up a bold front Cowperwood thought the necessary iron could be put into his followers to enable them to go through with the scorching ordeal which was sure to follow。 Already aldermen were being besieged at their homes and in the precincts of the ward clubs and meeting…places。 Their mail was being packed with importuning or threatening letters。 Their very children were being derided； their neighbors urged to chastise them。 Ministers wrote them in appealing or denunciatory vein。 They were spied upon and abused daily in the public prints。 The mayor； shrewd son of battle that he was； realizing that he had a whip of terror in his hands； excited by the long contest waged； and by the smell of battle； was not backward in urging the most drastic remedies。
〃Wait till the thing comes up；〃 he said to his friends； in a great central music…hall conference in which thousands participated； and when the matter of ways and means to defeat the venal aldermen was being discussed。 〃We have Mr。 Cowperwood in a corner； I think。 He cannot do anything for two weeks； once his ordinance is in； and by that time we shall be able to organize a vigilance committee； ward meetings； marching clubs； and the like。 We ought to organize a great central mass…meeting for the Sunday night before the Monday when the bill comes up for final hearing。 We want overflow meetings in every ward at the same time。 I tell you； gentlemen； that； while I believe there are enough honest voters in the city council to prevent the Cowperwood crowd from passing this bill over my veto； yet I don't think the matter ought to be allowed to go that far。 You never can tell what these rascals will do once they see an actual cash bid of twenty or thirty thousand dollars before them。 Most of them； even if they were lucky； would never make the half of that in a lifetime。 They don't expect to be returned to the Chicago City Council。 Once is enough。 There are too many others behind them waiting to get their noses in the trough。 Go into your respective wards and districts and organize meetings。 Call your particular alderman before you。 Don't let him evade you or quibble or stand on his rights as a private citizen or a public officer。 Threatendon't cajole。 Soft or kind words won't go with that type of man。 Threaten； and when you have managed to extract a promise be on hand with ropes to see that he keeps his word。 I don't like to advise arbitrary methods； but what else is to be done？ The enemy is armed and ready for action right now。 They're just waiting for a peaceful moment。 Don't let them find it。 Be ready。 Fight。 I'm your mayor； and ready to do all I can； but I stand alone with a mere pitiful veto right。 You help me and I'll help you。 You fight for me and I'll fight for you。〃
Witness hereafter the discomfiting situation of Mr。 Simon Pinski at 9 P。M。 on the second evening following the introduction of the ordinance； in the ward house of the Fourteenth Ward Democratic Club。 Rotund； flaccid； red…faced； his costume a long black frock…coat and silk hat； Mr。 Pinski was being heckled by his neighbors and business associates。 He had been called here by threats to answer for his prospective high crimes and misdemeanors。 By now it was pretty well understood that nearly all the present aldermen were criminal and venal； and in consequence party enmities were practically wiped out。 There were no longer for the time being Democrats and Republicans； but only pro or anti Cowperwoods principally anti。 Mr。 Pinski； unfortunately； had been singled out by the Transcript； the Inquirer； and the Chronicle as one of those open to advance questioning by his constituents。 Of mixed Jewish and American extraction； he had been born and raised in the Fourteenth and spoke with a decidedly American accent。 He was neither small nor largesandy…haired； shifty…eyed； cunning； and on most occasions amiable。 Just now he was decidedly nervous； wrathy； and perplexed； for he had been brought here against his will。 His slightly oleaginous eyenot unlike that of a small pighad been fixed definitely and finally on the munificent sum of thirty thousand dollars； no less； and this local agitation threatened to deprive him of his almost unalienable right to the same。 His ordeal took place in a large； low…ceiled room illuminated by five very plain； thin； two…armed gas…jets suspended from the ceiling and adorned by posters of prizefights； raffles； games； and the 〃Simon Pinski Pleasure Association〃 plastered here and there freely against dirty； long…unwhitewashed walls。 He stood on the low raised platform at the back of the room； surrounded by a score or more of his ward henchmen； all more or less reliable； all black…frocked； or at least in their Sunday clothes； all scowling； nervous； defensive； red…faced； and fearing trouble。 Mr。 Pinski has come armed。 This talk of the mayor's concerning guns； ropes； drums； marching clubs； and the like has been given very wide publicity； and the public seems rather eager for a Chicago holiday in which the slaughter of an alderman or so might furnish the leading and most acceptable feature。
〃Hey； Pinski！〃 yells some one out of a small sea of new and decidedly unfriendly faces。 （This is no meeting of Pinski followers； but a conglomerate outpouring of all those elements of a distrait populace bent on enforcing for once the principles of aldermanic decency。 There are even women herelocal church…members； and one or two advanced civic reformers and W。 C。 T。 U。 bar…room smashers。 Mr。 Pinski has been summoned to their presence by the threat that if he didn't come the noble company would seek him out later at his own house。）
〃Hey； Pinski！ You old boodler！ How much do you expect to get out of this traction business？〃 （This from a voice somewhere in the rear。）
Mr。 Pinski （turning to one side as if pinched in the neck）。 〃The man that says I am a boodler is a liar！ I never took a dishonest dollar in my life； and everybody in the Fourteenth Ward knows it。〃
The Five Hundred People Assembled。 〃Ha！ ha！ ha！ Pinski never took a dollar！ Ho！ ho！ ho！ Whoop…ee！〃
Mr。 Pinski （very red…faced； rising）。 〃It is so。 Why should I talk to a lot of loafers that come here because the papers tell them to call me names？ I have been an alderman for six years now。 Everybody knows me。
A Voice。 〃You call us loafers。 You crook！〃
Another Voice （referring to his statement of being known）。 〃You bet they do！〃
Another Voice （this from a small； bony plumber in workclothes）。 〃Hey； you old grafter！ Which way do you expect to vote？ For or against this franchise？ Which way？〃
Still Another Voice （an insurance clerk）。 〃Yes； which way？〃
Mr。 Pinski （rising once more； for in his nervousness he is constantly rising or starting to rise； and then sitting down again）。 〃I have a right to my own mind； ain't I？ I got a right to think。 What for am I an alderman； then？ The constitution。。。〃
An Anti…Pinski Republican （a young law clerk）。 〃To hell with the constitution！ No fine words now； Pinski。 Which way do you expect to vote？ For or against？ Yes or no？〃
A Voice （that of a bricklayer； anti…Pinski）。 〃He daresn't say。 He's got some of that bastard's money in his jeans now； I'll bet。〃
A Voice from Behind （one of Pinski's henchmena heavy； pugilistic Irishman）。 〃Don't let them frighten you； Sim。 Stand your ground。 They can't hurt you。 We're here。〃
Pinski （getting up once more）。 〃This is an outrage； I say。 Ain't I gon' to be allowed to say what I think？ There are two sides to every question。 Now； I think whatever the newspapers say that Cowperwood〃
A Journeyman Carpenter （a reader of the Inquirer）。 〃You're bribed； you thief！ You're beating about the bush。 You want to sell out。〃
The Bony Plumber。 〃Yes； you crook！ You want to get away with thirty thousand dollars； that's what you want； you boodler！〃
Mr。 Pinski （defiantly； egged on by voices from behind）。 〃I want to be fairthat's what。 I want to keep my own mind。 The constitution gives everybody the right of free speecheven me。 I insist that the street…car companies have some rights； at the same time the people have rights too。〃
A Voice。 〃What are those rights？〃
Another Voice。 〃He don't know。 He wouldn't know the people's rights from a sawmill。〃
Another Voice。 〃Or a load of hay。〃
Pinski （continuing very defiantly now； since he has not yet been slain）。 〃I say the people have their rights。 The companies ought to be made to pay a fair tax。 But this twenty…year…franchise idea is too little； I think。 The Mears bill now gives them fifty years； and I think all told〃
The Five Hundred （in chorus）。 〃Ho； you robber！ You thief！ You boodler！ Hang him！ Ho！ ho！ ho！ Get a rope！〃
Pinski （retreating within a defensive circle as various citizens approach him； their eyes blazing； their teeth showing； their fists clenched）。 〃My friends； wait！ Ain't I goin' to be allowed to finish？〃
A Voice。 〃We'll finish you； you stiff！〃
A Citizen （advancing； a bearded Pole）。 〃How will you vote； hey？ Tell us that！ How？ Hey？〃
A Second Citizen （a Jew）。 〃You're a no…good； you robber。 I know you for ten years now already。 You cheated me when you were in the grocery business。〃
A Third Citizen （a Swede。 In a sing…song voice）。 〃Answer me this； Mr。 Pinski。 If a majority of the citizens of the Fourteenth Ward don't want you to vote for it； will you still vote for it？〃
Pinski （hesitating）。
The Five Hundred。 〃Ho！ look at the scoundrel！ He's afraid to say。 He don't know whether he'll do what the people of this ward want him to do。 Kill him！ Brain him！〃
A Voice from Behind。 〃Aw； stand up； Pinski。 Don't be afraid。〃