t, dot's a great atwantitch to
der oders. Dot iss what iss ruining der gountry und der peobles iss
commencement to take notice. Efer'veres in oder towns der iss
housecleaning; dey are reforming und indieding, und pooty soon dot
mofement comes here--shoo-er! If we intent to holt der parsly in
power, we shoult be a leetle ahead off dot mofement so, when it shoult
be here, we hef a goot 'minadstration to fall beck on. Now, dere iss
anoder brewery opened und trying to gombete mit me here in Canaan. If
dot brewery owns der Mayor, all der tsaloons buying my bier must shut
up at 'leven o'glock und Sundays, but der oders keep open. If I own
der Mayor, I make der same against dot oder brewery. Now I am pooty
sick off dot ways off bitsness und fighting all times. Also," Mr.
Farbach added, with magnificent calmness, "my trade iss larchly
owitside off Canaan, und it iss bedder dot here der laws shoult be
enforced der same fer all. Litsen, Choe; all us here beliefs der same
way. You are square. Der whole tsaloon element knows dot, und knows
dot all voult be treated der same. Mit you it voult be fairness fer
each one. Foolish peobles hef sait you are a law-tricker, but we know
dot you hef only mate der laws brotect as well as bunish. Und at such
times as dey het been broken, you hef made dem as mertsiful as you
coult. You are no tricker. We are willing to help you make it a glean
town. Odervise der fightin' voult go on until der mofement strikes here
und all der granks vake up und we git a fool reformer fer Mayor und der
town goes to der dogs. If I try to put in a man dot I own, der oder
brewery iss goin' to fight like hell, but if I work fer you it will not
fight so hart."

"But the other people," Joe objected, "those outside of what is called
the saloon element--do you understand how many of them will be against
me?"

"It iss der tsaloon element," Mr. Farbach returned, peacefully, "dot
does der fightin'."

"And you have considered my standing with that part of Canaan which
considers itself the most respectable section?" He rose to his feet,
standing straight and quiet, facing the table, upon which, it chanced,
there lay a copy of the Tocsin.

"Und yet," observed Mr. Farbach, with mildness, "we got some pooty
risbecdable men right here."

"Except me," broke in Mr. Sheehan, grimly, "you have."

"Have you thought of this?" Joe leaned forward and touched the paper
upon the table.

"We hef," replied Mr. Farbach.