His face grew as white as his hair. There
were deeper lines in his countenance than mere old age had tooled across
the skin. One after the other the men of the two branches of the
legislature came before him at his summons. He did not entreat of them.
There was no more of that suave political diplomacy in the executive
chamber, after the fashion of the old days of easy rule. This Governor
declared himself to be the mouthpiece of the people of his State. He
showed to the legislators their path toward absolute honesty. He ordered
them to follow it. One or two of the first ones who were called upon the
carpet dared to refuse--attempted to evade. He promptly issued
statements to the press, holding those men up to the people of their
State as traders and tricksters. Voters had always understood that
trades and tricks were in progress in the legislature, and had never
bothered their heads much about the matter. But this incisive showing up
of individuals was new and startling and effective. It afforded no
opportunity for the specious reasoning along mere political lines which
had excused dishonesty in the past.
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