I never owned a penny in that
Fraserville brewery, for instance; but I've been pointed out as its
owner. They've got the idea here in Indiana that saloons are my chief
joy in life; but nothing is farther from the truth. When Mrs. Bassett
has been troubled about that I have always been able to tell her with a
good conscience that I hadn't a penny in the business. I've frankly
antagonized legislation directed against the saloon, for I've never
taken any stock in this clamor of the Prohibitionists and temperance
cranks generally; but I've stood consistently for a proper control.
Thatcher and I got along all right until he saw that the party was
coming into power again and got the senatorial bee in his bonnet. He's
got the idea that he can buy his way in; and to buy a seat he's got to
buy my friends. That's a clear proposition, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir; I haven't seen that he had any personal influence worth
counting."
"Exactly. Now, I don't intend that Ed Thatcher shall buy a seat in the
United States Senate if our party in Indiana has one to dispose of. I'm
not so good myself, but when I found that Thatcher had begun to build up
a little machine for himself, I resolved to show him that I can't be
used by any man so long as he thinks he needs me and then kicked out
when I'm in the way. And I've got some state pride, too, and with all
the scandals going around in other states over the sale of seats at
Washington I'm not going to have my party in the state where I was born
and where I have lived all my life lend itself to the ambitions of an Ed
Thatcher.
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