About half the Democratic
candidates for state office were elected, but even more surprising was
the rolling-up of a good working majority in both houses of the General
Assembly. If Thatcher had knifed Bassett men or if Thatcher men had been
knifed at Bassett's behest, evidence of such perfidy was difficult to
adduce from the returns. Harwood was not sure, as he studied the
figures, whether his party's surprising success was attributable to a
development of real strength in Thatcher, who had been much in evidence
throughout the campaign, or whether Bassett deserved the credit. He was
disposed to think it only another expression of that capriciousness of
the electorate which is often manifested in years when national success
is not directly involved. While Thatcher and Bassett had apparently
struck a truce and harmonized their factions, Harwood had at no time
entertained illusions as to the real attitude of the men toward each
other. When the _entente_ between the leaders was mentioned among
Thatcher's intimates they were prone to declare that Ed would "get"
Bassett; it might take time, but the day of retribution would surely
come.
As a candidate for the lower house in Marion County, Harwood had been
thrust forward prominently into a campaign whose liveliness belied the
traditional apathy of "off" years. On the Saturday night before the
election, Thatcher and Bassett had appeared together on the platform at
a great meeting at the capital--one of those final flourishes by which
county chairmen are prone to hearten their legions against the morrow's
battle.
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