"
"That was in the old days," protested Gantry, who was loyal to his salt.
"As the State has filled up, we've tried to meet the situation half-way,
as a straight business proposition. Fares and tariffs have been lowered
from time to time, and--"
"You are not making it simple enough by half," warned Blount
quizzically. "You are getting further away from my telegram every
minute."
Gantry paused to relight his cigar.
"I don't know how your telegram figures in it specially, but I do know
this: the legislature to be elected this fall in our State will be
chosen entirely without regard to the old party lines. There is only one
issue before the people and that is the Transcontinental Railway. The
'Paramounters,' as they call themselves, taking the name from the
assumption that it is the paramount duty of the voter to pinch any
business interest bigger than his own, would like to legislate us out of
existence; as against that we shall beat the tomtom and do our level
best to stay on top of earth."
"Naturally," Blount agreed, then half-absently, and with his eyes still
resting upon the merrymakers twirling like paired automatons in the
distant assembly-room: "And my father--how does he stand?"
"The idea of your having to ask me how the senator stands in his own
State!" exclaimed Gantry. "But really, Evan, I'd give a good bit of hard
cash to be able to tell you in so many words just where he does stand.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25