ublic affairs, what
balderdash! Who could be more fit than this educated, high minded man,
of large private means, willing to devote himself to the public service
instead of drinking himself to death or doing nothing at all. You
would have felt, as you looked at Davy and listened to him, that it was
little short of marvelous that a man could be so self-sacrificing as to
consent to run the gauntlet of low mudslingers for no reward but an
office with a salary of three thousand a year. And you would have been
afraid that, if something was not done to stop these mudslingers, such
men as David Hull would abandon their patriotic efforts to save their
country--and then WHAT would become of the country?

But Victor and his associates--on the platform, in the paper, in
posters and dodgers and leaflets--continued to press home the ugly
questions--and continued to call attention to the fact that, while
there had been ample opportunity, none of the candidates had answered
any of the questions. And presently--keeping up this line of
attack--Victor opened out in another. He had Falconer, the League
candidate for judge, draw up a careful statement of exactly what each
public officer could do under existing law to end or to check the most
flagrant of the abuses from which the people of Remsen City were
suffering. With this statement as a basis, he formulated a series of
questions--"Yes or no? If you are elected, will you or will you not?"
The League candidates promptly gave the specific pledges. Sawyer
dodged. David Hull was more adroit. He held up a copy of the list of
questions at a big meeting in Odd Fellows' Hall.

"Our opponents have resorted to a familiar trick--the question and the
pledge." (Applause. Sensation. Fear lest "our candidate" was about
to "put his foot in it.") "We need resort to no tricks. I promptly
and frankly, for our whole ticket, answer their questions. I say, 'We
will lay hold of ANY and EVERY abuse, as soon as it presents itself,
and WILL SMASH IT."

Applause, cheers, whistlings--a demonstration lasting nearly five
minutes by a watch held by Gamaliel Tooker, who had a mania for
gathering records of all kinds and who had voted for every Republican
candidate for President since the party was founded. Davy did not again
refer to Victor Dorn's questions. But Victor continued to press them
and to ask whether a public officer ought not to go and present himself
to abuses, instead of waiting for