The Ramrodders Part 37

"We prefer to see you in private."

"And I prefer to have you talk before a reliable witness. Mr. Thornton is such, and he is entirely in my confidence."

He did not invite them into his room.

"We represent the united temperance societies of this State," began the clergyman.

"I understand perfectly," put in the General. "And in order that we may thoroughly understand each other I will inform you that I know exactly what corporate interests are furnishing money to you and your campaign managers. I have been very careful to keep posted on these matters, gentlemen!"

For a moment Mr. Prouty was visibly taken aback.

"It is necessary to finance even righteousness," he said, at last.

"Beyond question," admitted the General. "I only ask you to meet me on the business basis where you belong. I'll not allow you to mask factional interests behind religion or a moral issue. I don't mean to be curt or disobliging, gentlemen, but you must get out in the open. You have something to ask me? Ask it. You'll receive a plain answer."

"Do you intend to enforce the prohibitory law?"

"I question your good taste, Mr. Prouty, in selecting one law and asking a prospective Governor whether he intends to do his sworn duty in regard to it."

"But other Governors have not done so. We propose to have pledges after this. We'll vote for no more nullifiers."

"Other Governors have had no direct power to enforce the law, sir. I had no power when I was Governor. But I'll a.s.sure you that if I am the next Governor I shall demand that power from the legislature, and I'll enforce that law with all the resources of the State treasury. If it's in the power of man to accomplish it, the sale of liquor shall be stopped in this State."

They plainly had not expected that. His att.i.tude toward them, his a.s.sociation with the nullifier Presson had suggested that he intended to carry out the usual "let it alone" programme. They applauded.

"One moment, gentlemen. That doesn't mean that I or any other man, or that the prohibitory law, as we have it, or any other mere law, can stop the drinking of liquor in this State. I'm speaking only of the open sale of it. I know perfectly well that my attempt to make men sober by law alone will fail miserably. As it is administered now, the law still caters to appet.i.te and public demand for privileges, and the public goes along without especial disturbance. But as I shall enforce the prohibitory law, conditions will be so intolerable in this State that the way will be paved for a common-sense treatment of the liquor question. I shall enforce in order to show how wrong the prohibitory principles are. They have not been shown up so far, for the law has not been enforced."

The delegates were disconcerted. The spokesman's face grew red.

"Do you dare, sir, as a candidate for Governor of a prohibition State, to stand up here before these representatives of the temperance societies and say you are opposed to prohibition?"

"I certainly do," declared the unruffled General. "For this State is not a prohibition State! It fatuously thinks it is when the citizens can get all the liquor they want without trouble. I merely propose to put it to the test of honesty."

"You declare yourself an enemy, then, do you?"

"Mr. Prouty, there you launch yourself into your usual intemperance! At the first word of another man's dignified difference of opinion you shout 'enemy' and prepare to fight! I want to ask you and your supporters here a question: Will you meet with representatives of all the interests concerned in this matter, including the liquor men and those who use liquor in its various forms, and endeavor to arrive at some compromise in this State which shall put a stop to what is practically civil war, in which we are expending all our energies without accomplishing any real betterment of conditions? Will you agree to some middle ground, if it can be shown that more men can be made sober and less men hypocrites?"

"I stand solely for the principle of prohibition, unswerving till death," announced the clergyman. His partisans applauded.

"You won't stop and listen to what may be for the actual best interests of our State, then?"

"I'll not license crime nor compound felonies with criminals."

"Mr. Prouty, as Governor I signed the first prohibition law pa.s.sed in this State. It was on trial. I was liberal enough to bend my own personal views to give it that trial. When I'm thinking of my State I don't insist that _my_ way is the _only_ way. Now, sir, if you knew that, as citizens, not mere partisans, we could all get together and frame something better than a law that has bred evils of political corruption through all the years without altering the appet.i.tes of the people--if you knew that, wouldn't you remould some of your opinions and help us bring about the best good for the whole of us?"

"I'll not abate my loyalty to prohibition one jot or t.i.ttle!"

"In your case and in the case of the kind of fanatics who train with you," declared the General, with disgust in tone and mien, "that word 'prohibition' is simply a fetish--a rally-call for a fight. It is you, sir, and such as you, who are holding this State back from real progress. I'm not discussing the liquor question alone. I haven't patience to discuss it with you. I'm referring to the spirit that actuates you. Your kind sat as judges in the Inquisition. Prohibition now offers an opportunity for your bigotry--that's why you cling to it.

You cling to it in spite of the fact that it has made more than drunkards--it has made liars and thieves and perjurers and grafters out of men who would not otherwise have been tempted. When men arise to tell the truth about it, you get behind your morality mask and accuse them of the basest motives and claim immunity for yourselves from attack in return. I fear I am a little severe, sir, but your att.i.tude showed that you came to me with appet.i.te for a quarrel."

"I'll see to it," declared Mr. Prouty, hotly, "that five hundred ministers in this State denounce you from their pulpits as an enemy to temperance."

"You don't know what temperance is!" General Waymouth brushed past them.

"Your definition slanders the word. I shall be glad to have your support, gentlemen, at the polls. But I am for the State, not for your faction or any other faction. I know you are not used to hearing a candidate tell you the truth--it has not been the style in this State.

If the truth from me has shocked you, blame the truth, not me."

He ushered Harlan before him and closed his door upon the delegation.

"It's a sad feature of public affairs in this State, my young friend,"

said he, when they were alone, "that so large a ma.s.s of the people, who naturally are sane and moderate, allow those paid agents of so-called reform to serve as popular mouth-pieces. Reform for reform's sake supersedes reform for the people's sake. Candidates have been afraid of those mouths. Such mouths as those outside there a.s.sert that they are talking for the whole people in the name of morality, but there are only a few mouths of that kind. It is time to test it out. I propose to see whether the people will not follow the real thing in honesty instead of the mere protestation of it."

On the way to the station the General preferred his request. It was that Harlan become his executive officer in the approaching campaign--his chief of staff, his companion, his buffer, protecting him from the a.s.saults of the politicians.

"Before the campaign really opens there will be three weeks or so in which you may attend to your own affairs. You remember that it was you that dragged me into this, young man!" It was the old jest, but it had taken on meaning within twenty-four hours. "You have seen with your own eyes, heard with your ears, how I stand alone between factions which are willing to sacrifice the State in order to win for their own interests.

I have planted my standard between 'em! I'll try to rally an army to it that will leave the extremists of both those sides hopelessly deserted by the rank and file of the honest citizens. I need you with me, for you have been with me from the start, and you have shown your fitness" (he smiled), "even to securing an audience with the Honorable Spinney. Is it yes, my young friend?"

"It is yes, General Waymouth. I question my ability--I know it is poor.

But of my loyalty there is no question."

The General grasped his hand. They were at the car steps. "It shall be 'Boots and saddles!' three weeks from to-day!"

Linton was in the parlors of the hotel with the Presson party when Harlan arrived, glowing with his new enthusiasm, confident in his new elevation in the affairs of men. In the affairs of women he was not quite as sure of his desires or his standing, but his mood was new, and he realized it. He went straight to Madeleine Presson. Twenty-four hours before the presence of Linton at her side would have held him aloof.

He put out his hand to the young lawyer, and Linton took it.

"I extend my congratulations rather late, but they are sincere. It was a n.o.ble speech. You put in words my own thoughts regarding a n.o.ble man."

"Perhaps you could have expressed those thoughts just as well as I did."

Linton was not cordial.

"No, sir, not with a woodsman's vocabulary, though with such a text I certainly should have felt the true inspiration."

"You'll have to claim considerable political foresight, even though you cast doubt on your eloquence," said Linton, rather sourly. "I'll confess that I jumped wrong. But I had my interests to protect. Let me ask you--is General Waymouth offended, very much so, because I withdrew my support this morning?"

"General Waymouth has not made any comments on the matter in my hearing."

"I know you can explain to him--"

Harlan broke in, impatiently:

"I am not cheeky enough to advise such a man about picking his political support. I beg your pardon, Miss Presson!" He bowed. He turned to Linton. "I hope you won't open this subject with me again, Mr. Linton. I am so loyal to General Waymouth that you cannot explain satisfactorily to me any reasons why you should have deserted him to-day! You will see now why the topic should not be referred to again between us."

Linton bristled.

"If you take such an unjust view of it as that, I certainly feel that the matter should be referred to again between us--at the proper time!"

"I'd advise you to take my hint," retorted Harlan.