If
Donnelly won this time, it would mean years of Democratic rule in an
essentially Republican town. McQuade must be broken, his strong
barricades toppled; and now that there would be no surprise for the
public, the majority of the delegates began to look doubtfully upon
what they called the senator's coup. They wanted the City Hall, and
they did not care how they got there. Warrington was a fine chap, and
all that, but his acquaintanceship was limited. He could not go about
shaking hands like Donnelly, who knew everybody, high and low. The
laboring man knew nothing about Warrington, save that he was famous
for writing plays they had not seen, nor would have understood if they
had. Warrington was a "swell"; he had nothing in common with the man
who carried the dinner-pail.
"And there the matter stands, my boy," concluded the senator, shifting
his cigar from one corner of his mouth to the other. "If I can swing
the convention the rest will be plain sailing, once you start
speech-making. Oh, McQuade is clever. He knew that by exposing my hand
he would lessen your chances. But you tackle the newspapers and see
what can be done.
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