the conflict-第12节

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The　girl　turned　away　her　gaze。　　She　did　not　wish　to　see　so　far　into　her　father's　soul。　　It　seemed　a　hideous　indecency。

‘‘So；　Jennydon't　trust　William；　but　look　after　your　own　property。''

‘‘Oh；　I　don't　care　anything　about　it；　popsy；''　she　cried；　fighting　to　think　of　him　and　to　speak　to　him　as　simply　the　living　father　she　had　always　insisted　on　seeing。

‘‘Yesyou　do　care；''　said　Hastings　sharply。　　‘‘You've　got　to　have　your　money；　because　that's　your　foundation　what　you're　built　on。　　And　I'm　going　to　train　you。　　This　here　strike's　a　good　time　to　begin。''

After　a　long　silence　she　said：　　‘‘Yes；　money's　what　I'm　built　on。

I　might　as　well　recognize　the　truth　and　act　accordingly。　　I　want　you　to　teach　me；　father。''

‘‘I've　got　to　educate　you　so　as；　when　you　get　control；　you　won't　go　and　do　fool　sentimental　things　like　some　womenand　some　men　that　warn't　trained　practically　men　like　that　Davy　Hull　you　think　so　well　of。　　Things　that'd　do　no　good　and　'd　make　you　smaller　and　weaker。''

‘‘I　understand；''　said　the　girl。　　‘‘About　this　strike　WHY　won't　you　give　the　men　shorter　hours　and　better　pay？''

‘‘Because　the　company　can't　afford　it。　　As　things　are　now；　there's　only　enough　left　for　a　three　per　cent　dividend　after　the　interest　on　the　bonds　is　paid。''

She　had　read　in　the　New　Day　that　by　a　series　of　tricks　the　‘‘traction　ring''　had　quadrupled　the　bonded　indebtedness　of　the　roads　and　multiplied　the　stock　by　six；　and　had　pocketed　the　proceeds　of　the　steal；　that　three　per　cent　on　the　enormously　inflated　capital　was　in　fact　eighteen　per　cent　on　the　actual　stock　value；　that　seven　per　cent　on　the　bonds　was　in　fact　twenty…　eight　per　cent　on　the　actual　bonded　indebtedness；　that　this　traction　steal　was　a　fair　illustration　of　how　in　a　score　of　ways　in　Remsen　City；　in　a　thousand　and　one　ways　in　all　parts　of　the　country；　the　upper　class　was　draining　away　the　substance　of　the　masses；　was　swindling　them　out　of　their　just　wages；　was　forcing　them　to　pay　many　times　the　just　prices　for　every　article　of　civilized　use。　　She　had　read　these　thingsshe　had　thought　about　themshe　had　realized　that　they　were　true。

She　did　not　put　to　her　father　the　question　that　was　on　her　lipsthe　next　logical　question　after　his　answer　that　the　company　could　not　afford　to　cut　the　hours　lower　than　fourteen　or　to　raise　wages　to　what　was　necessary　for　a　man　to　have　if　he　and　his　family　were　to　live；　not　in　decency　and　comfort；　but　in　something　less　than　squalor。　　She　did　not　put　the　question　because　she　wished　to　spare　her　fatherto　spare　herself　the　shame　of　hearing　his　tricky　answerto　spare　herself　the　discomfort　of　squarely　facing　a　nasty　truth。

Instead　she　said：　　‘‘I　understand。　　And　you　have　got　to　look　out　for　the　rights　of　the　people　who　have　invested　their　money。''

‘‘If　I　didn't　I'd　be　cheating　them；''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘And　if　the　men　don't　like　their　jobs；　why；　they　can　quit　and　get　jobs　they　do　like。''　　He　added；　in　absolute　unconsciousness　of　his　inconsistency；　in　absolute　belief　in　his　own　honesty　and　goodness；　‘‘The　truth　is　our　company　pays　as　high　wages　as　can　be　got　anywhere。　　As　for　them　hourswhen　_I_　was　working　my　way　up；　_I_　used　to　put　in　sixteen　and　eighteen　hours　a　day；　and　was　mighty　glad　to　do　it。　　This　lazy　talk　of　cutting　down　hours　makes　me　sick。　　And　these　fellows　that're　always　kicking　on　their　jobs；　I'd　like　to　know　what'd　become　of　them　and　their　families　if　I　and　men　like　me　didn't　provide　work　for　'em。''

‘‘Yes；　indeed！''　cried　Jane；　eagerly　seizing　upon　this　attractive　view　of　the　situationand　resolutely　accepting　it　without　question。

In　came　one　of　the　maids；　saying：　　‘‘There's　a　man　wants　to　see　you；　Mr。　Hastings。''

‘‘What's　his　name？　　What　does　he　want？''　inquired　Hastings；　while　Jane　made　a　mental　note　that　she　must　try　to　inject　at　least　a　little　order　and　form　into　the　manners　of　announcing　visitors。

‘‘He　didn't　give　a　name。　　He　just　said；　‘Tell　the　old　man　I　want　to　see　him。'　　I　ain't　sure；　but　I　think　it's　Dick　Kelly。''

As　Lizzie　was　an　ardent　Democrat；　she　spoke　the　name　contemptuouslyfor　Dick　Kelly　was　the　Republican　boss。　　If　it　had　been　House；　the　Democratic　boss　and　Kelly's　secret　dependent　and　henchman；　she　would　have　said　‘‘Mr。　Joseph　House''　in　a　tone　of　deep　respect。

‘‘Kelly；''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘Must　be　something　important　or　he'd　'a　telephoned　or　asked　me　to　see　him　at　my　office　or　at　the　Lincoln　Club。　　He　never　came　out　here　before。　　Bring　him　in；　Lizzie。''

A　moment　and　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　a　man　of　perhaps　forty　years　who　looked　like　a　prosperous　contractor　who　had　risen　from　the　ranks。　　His　figure　was　notable　for　its　solidity　and　for　the　power　of　the　shoulders；　but　already　there　were　indications　that　the　solidity；　come　of　hard　manual　labor　in　early　life；　was　soon　to　soften　into　fat　under　the　melting　influence　of　prosperity　and　the　dissipation　it　put　within　too　easy　reach。　　The　striking　features　of　his　face　were　a　pair　of　keen；　hard；　greenish　eyes　and　a　jaw　that　protruded　uglilythe　jaw　of　aggressiveness；　not　the　too　prominent　jaw　of　weakness。　　At　sight　of　Jane　he　halted　awkwardly。

‘‘How're　you；　Mr。　Hastings？''　said　he。

‘‘Hello；　Dick；''　said　the　old　man。　　‘‘This　is　my　daughter　Jane。''

Jane　smiled　a　pleasant　recognition　of　the　introduction。　　Kelly　said　stiffly；　‘‘How're　you；　ma'am？''

‘‘Want　to　see　me　alone；　I　suppose？''　Hastings　went　on。　　‘‘You　go　out　on　the　porch；　Jenny。''

As　soon　as　Jane　disappeared　Kelly's　stiffness　and　clumsiness　vanished。　　To　head　off　Hastings'　coming　offer　of　a　cigar；　he　drew　one　from　his　pocket　and　lighted　it。　　‘‘There's　hell　to　pay；　Mr。　Hastings；''　he　began；　seating　himself　near　the　old　man；　tilting　back　in　his　chair　and　crossing　his　legs。

‘‘Well；　I　reckon　you　can　take　care　of　it；''　said　Hastings　calmly。

‘‘Oh；　yes；　we　kin　take　care　of　it；　all　right。　　Only；　I　don't　want　to　do　nothing　without　consulting　you。''

In　these　two　statements　Mr。　Kelly　summed　up　the　whole　of　politics　in　Remsen　City；　in　any　city　anywhere；　in　the　country　at　large。

Kelly　had　started　life　as　a　blacksmith。　　But　he　soon　tired　of　the　dullness　and　toil　and　started　forth　to　find　some　path　up　to　where　men　live　by　making　others　work　for　them　instead　of　plodding　along　at　the　hand…to…　mouth　existence　that　is　the　lot　of　those　who　live　by　their　own　labors　alone。　　He　was　a　safe　blower　for　a　while；　but　wisely　soon　abandoned　that　fascinating　but　precarious　and　unremunerative　career。　　From　card　sharp　following　the　circus　and　sheet…writer　to　a　bookmaker　he　graduated　into　bartender；　into　proprietor　of　a　doggery。　　As　every　saloon　is　a　political　club；　every　saloon…　keeper　is　of　necessity　a　politician。　　Kelly's　woodbox　happened　to　be　a　convenient　place　for　directing　the　floaters　and　the　repeaters。　　Kelly's　political　importance　grew　apace。　　His　respectability　grew　more　slowly。　　But　it　had　grown　and　was　growing。

If　you　had　asked　Lizzie；　the　maid；　why　she　was　a　Democrat；　she　would　have　given　no　such　foolish　reason　as　the　average　man　gives。

She　would　not　have　twaddled　about　principleswhen　everyone　with　eyeteeth　cut　ought　to　know　that　principles　have　departed　from　politics；　now　that　both　parties　have　been　harmonized　and　organized　into　agencies　of　the　plutocracy。　　She　would　not　have　said　she　was　a　Democrat　because　her　father　was；　or　because　all　her　friends　and　associates　were。　　She　would　have　repliedin　pleasantly　Americanized　Irish：

‘‘I'm　a　Democrat　because　when　my　father　got　too　old　to　work；　Mr。　House；　the　Democrat　leader；　gave　him　a　job　on　the　elevator　at　the　Court　Housethough　that　dirty　thief　and　scoundrel；　Kelly；　the　Republican　boss；　owned　all　the　judges　and　county　officers。　　And　when　my　brother　lost　his　place　as　porter　because　he　took　a　drink　too　many；　Mr。　House　gave　him　a　card　to　the　foreman　of　the　gas　company；　and　he　went　to　work　at　eight　a　week　and　is　there　yet。''

Mr。　Kelly　and　Mr。　House　belong　to　a　maligned　and　much　misunderstood　class。　　Whenever　you　find　anywhere　in　nature　an　activity　of　any　kind；　however　pestiferous　its　activity　may　seem　to　youor　however　good　you　may　be　sure　that　if　you　look　deep　enough　you　will　find　that　that　activity　has　a　use；　arises　from　a　need。　　The　‘‘robber　trusts''　and　the　political　bosses　are　interesting　examples　of　this　basic　truth。　　They　have　arisen　because　science；　revolutionizing　human　society；　has　compelled　it　to　organize。　　The　organization　is　crude　and　clumsy　and　stupid；　as　yet；　because　men　are　ignorant；　are　experimenting；　are　working　in　the　dark。　　So；　the　organizing　forces　are　necessarily　crude　and　clumsy　and　stupid。

Mr。　Hastings　wasall　unconsciouslyorganizing　society　industrially。　　Mr。　Kellyequally　unconscious　of　the　true　nature　of　his　activitieswas　organizing　society　politically。　　And　as　industry　and　politics　areand　ever　have　beenat　bottom　two　names　for　identically　the　same　thing；　Mr。　Hastings　and　Mr。　Kelly　were　bound　sooner　or　later　to　get　together。

Remsen　City　was　organized　like　every　other　large　or　largish　community。　　There　were　two　clubsthe　Lincoln　and　the　Jeffersonwhich　well　enough　represented　the　‘‘respectable　elements''that　is；　those　citizens　who　were　of　the　upper　class。　　There　were　two　other　clubsthe　Blaine　and　the　Tildenwhich　were　similarly　representative　of　the　‘‘rank　and　file''　and；　rather；　of　the　petty　officers　who　manag