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"And I've stood by you against the prohibition ramrodders, who were foolish enough to think that rumshops ought to be shut up because the law said so; and I've stood with the corporations and I've stood with the politicians, and played the game according to the rules. From the minute you came into my dooryard to-day you've acted as though you thought I'd stirred this whole uproar in the State."
Then the ramrodders have got the law to hoorah about and read over in the parlor, and they'll go right past such a place as we saw down the street there and not know it's a rumshop. After they get all the law they ask for, it's a part of their game to say that the rumshops aren't doing business.
"Hold a proxy from the ramrodders, eh?" sneered the State chairman, thoroughly a rebel. "No, nor from the State rumsellers. If the people of his State want to have rum sold, let 'em vote to have it sold. But as it now stands, they can't enlist me to head the lawbreakers and shield the lawbreaking. I'm through playing the hypocrite!"
"That is mine," he stated, not flinching under the indignant protest. "If it's yours will you inform me what you intend to do with it?" "I intend to introduce it in the House at to-morrow's session and work for its passage." "He's got a bill there," roared the chairman, turning to the Duke, "that's written by the Devil himself! It makes old Waymouth archfiend of all the ramrodders in this State!
"No, but your scheme of honesty takes you right into the king-row of the ramrodders, and I can't train with the bunch that will flock to you. Your theory is good but the practice will break your heart just as sure as God hasn't made humans perfect! You'll be up against it!
"No, just tell me what the other side has done," commanded the Duke. "First place, they've got names in black and white of enough Republicans to down you in caucus. They've got 'em, them ramrodders have! I've hairpinned the truth out o' the cracks!
Reform in politics is popular just so long as it doesn't hit individuals." "There's teeth enough in the law now", remarked Harlan. "Oh, it's easier to put 'em in than it is to fight the mouths of the professional ramrodders who come down to the legislature. We put in the teeth right along and leave off the enforcement muscle. The old thing can't chaw!
He'll be excused by sentiment, you'll simply be branded as one of the common run of ramrodders who try to achieve the impossible with human nature a disturbing element in State politics and your career will be spoiled. Now I've delivered my message, and done what I promised your grandfather I'd do." She turned her horse, and started him back toward town. There was silence between them for a time.
"Between you and me, my boy," he said, getting back upon his old-time footing with Thornton's grandson, "the General has got both of my eyes put out, so far's his politics go. Did you hear him just rip into those ramrodders? And yet he's been stiffer and straighter than the worst of 'em since he struck this city. I'd like to know who in thunder he is playing with, anyway!
"It's high time we had less politics, then," cried Davis, "when politics lets the picked and chosen get rich selling rum or dodging taxes, and takes a poor man and pestles his head into the mortar till every cent is banged out of his pocket!" "Davis, I'm patient with ramrodders when they're having an acute attack like you're having.
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