Why the devil should he? It's his party, isn't it,
that puts him on the job?"
"It's the majority of the people that do it, if he's elected."
"Don't get fooled on this 'people' idea, Harlan. The people are no good
without organization--and organization _is_ the party. I don't want to
discourage you, son. You'll see some opportunities where you can grab in
and turn a trick for the general good of all hands. But you can't dump
your friends. You've got to stand by your own party first. You do
anything else, and you'll simply get the reputation of being a kicker
and an insurgent. And then you can't spin a thread. Your own party
doesn't want you and the other side is afraid of you. _Ideals_ are
blasted good in their way, but in politics cut out the _I_ and attend to
the _deals_. It's the only way you'll get anywhere."
Harlan sat alone for a while and thought. Rebellion seethed in him. But
it was rebellion against something vague--protest that was more instinct
than actual understanding. He still lacked the prick of party
enthusiasm; party, as he had seen its operations, stood for some pretty
sordid actualities.
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