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Show j - . . When The Governor Left The State s An Historical Story, by M. F. Cun- Vj E "" ningham. i i I Chapter I. I Anticipation ran riot in tlic capital of tlic empire state of the west. Tlic I President of the United States, the idol of the west, was to be the guest ' of the city. Already tlic blare of the horn and the explosion of the cracker gave promise of what was to come. J Everywhere there was bustle and rush and excitement. In the armory - members of the guard were burnish- , ing their trappings. In a thousand ' homes fair daughters were arming for the conquest. , There was to be a parade in the i morning, and such a parade 1 Few "T since the beginning of time would compare with it. The soldiers from J the fort, the national guard, the gov- - : ernor and his staff, the fire depart- j ment, the police department, the ! civic organizations, all were to be j in line. But best of all, casting all ' . else into the shadow, the Rough Rid ers, the cowboys and the Bannock Indians were to swoop down upon the city. From the ranches, the hills and the plains within a radius of a . hundred miles they were coming in countless numbers. O, it was to be glorious! All the stores were to close. Citizens were to be packed to the point of suffoca-', suffoca-', tion for blocks and blocks on Main street. Flags, banners and colored . lights were already in place. The I President in an open carriage "" was to ride the full length of the line of march that all loyal citizen might greet him with a cheer. Even on the day before the reviewing re-viewing stand in front of the state house was gorgeous with the national nation-al colors. There the school children, twelve thou d strong, were to be banked in ti j form of colors of the American flag, and there they were to sing "America" for their Presl-! Presl-! dent. There also, in an open spaci in font, the Rough Riders, the cow-' cow-' boys and the Bannocks were to give i their President an exhibition of wild ! T life on the plains. v In the afternoon but this was not on the printed programme the Presi- dent was to steal away for a sur- rcptitious mad dash with the Rough I. Riders through the country. The j dinner at the home of Senator Keith's ' was to be exclusive. The party was to include but twenty of the leading men and women of the state. In the evening the great auditorium was to be jammed to the doors the President Presi-dent was to speak. The great organ was to belch forth "Hail to the Chief" at the opening of the meeting, and th , whole great audience was to join in the "Star Spangled Banner" at the j 'close. Little sleep for the capital this nightl Already Governor Sharp and j staff in full uniform, accompanied by the members of the supreme court, all the state officials and all the partv leaders were on the way to meet the President and escort him to the city. Thousands had assembled at the station sta-tion to yell God speed as the special train pulled out. Bulletins were to be sent back reporting progress. Waiting patriots were to know the exact ex-act minute when the President and the Governor elapsed hands in Cheyenne; Chey-enne; booming cannon were to announce an-nounce the entrance of the President into the state; pandemonium was to greet the President on his arrival. Mayor Roylancc, who never made a speech in his life, was to present the President with a key to the city made of solid gold. Perfect weather wjas guaranteed. On the surface not a speck threatened threat-ened to mar the glory of the coming great day. And yet, even in human affairs, it is the unexpected that so often happens. Chapter II. The special train bearing Governor Sharp .and his party was still plunging plung-ing eastward over the barren stretches stret-ches of Wyoming when Judge Warwick War-wick J. Oliver and Challis Randolph met on the principal street corner of the capital. It would be difficult to present a stronger physical contrastthe con-trastthe judge grizzled, dry and refined; re-fined; Randolph rough, burly and out-spoken. The men were still exchanging ex-changing greetings when they were joined by Lawrence O'Ncil. From light talk the tree drifted into earnest earn-est discussion. Calhoun of the Times, on the opposite op-posite side of the street, had his attention at-tention called to the discussion. "There's a hen on here," he confided to himself. "When Oliver, the statesman states-man out of a job; Randolph, president presi-dent of the state senate; and O'Neil, the state chairman of the Opposition, Opposi-tion, get their heads so dose together there is trouble in the air for someone. some-one. I'll just keep an eye on that trio." When the three politicans passed down the street and entered the Royal Roy-al the newspaperman followed them. They were seating themselves at a table in a retired nook and still in an earnest whispered discussion as he entered. He took a seat near the door. "Hello, Cal; you're around early. What will it be today?" this from a young fellow in a white apron who stepped up. "Hello, yourself, Joe," was the response. re-sponse. "What will I have? Well now, between you and me, Joe, what I would like better than anything else in this world just at this minute would be to know what the three guys in the corner are talking about. "O, it's some little political game I expect. Just as I .came by I heard Larry say to Randolph: 'Well, you could appoint him if you had the nerve. " Appoint him if he had the nerve! Appoint who? Appoint to what office? of-fice? What power of appointment did Challis Randolph possess? True he was still president of the state senate, but what did that amount to? Long and hard did Calhoun puzzle over this while his coffee grew cold and friends passed in and out unnoticed. un-noticed. Then like a flash came an inspiration. He ran for his den in the Times office and pulled out his copy of the state statutes. lie was right. There it was, not in the statutes stat-utes but in the state constitution: "In case of the death of the governor, gov-ernor, or his imncachment, remove! 'rom office, inability to discharge the duties of his office, resignation or absence from the state the power and duties of such office shall devolve de-volve upon the secretary of state un-itl un-itl the disability shall cease, or until un-til the next general election, when the vacancy shall be filled by election. If, during the vacancy in the offici-of offici-of governor, the secretary of the state resign, die or become incapable of performing the duties of the office, or be displaced, or be absent from the state, the president protemporc shall act as governor until the vacancy vacan-cy be filled or the disability cease." Challis Randolph was govcrnpr of the state with power to appoint a United States Senator to fill the vacancy! va-cancy! Calhoun broke into a cold perspiration perspir-ation as the full significance of this dawned upon him. Governor Sharp and Secretary of State McLennon were both out of the state, thus affording af-fording the Opposition an opportunity opportuni-ty for a coup that would upset his j-arty in the state, and throw a complete com-plete wet blanket on the reception to the President. Still greater things were at stake. The tariff bill was hanging in the balance in the senate in Washington and one vote added to the Opposition at this time might mean a complete rout for the national administration. Calhoun knew that it was these things that Oliver, Randolph (and O'Ncil were discussing in the Royal. He knew, too, that action would not be long delayed. These 'were not the men to let such an opportunity slip. The circumstances leading up to this crisis were not to the credit of the Opposition. It had an overwhelming overwhelm-ing majority in the previous legislature legisla-ture as a result of the silver issue. A United States Senator was to be chosen. Oliver, the judge; Prince, the orator, and McGraw, the mining magnate, were the leading candidates. The party split into three factions. Neither would agree to caucus and a deadlock followed. The last day but one of the session came; McGraw had 31 votes on joint ballot and-,32 would elect. The air was full of the talk of bribery, and after the reading of the journal the explosion came. Lawrence of Cache county arose to H a question of personal privilege and gave the details of an attempt to H bribe him. Then there was an up- H roar; investigation was demanded, H and the upshot of it all was that the H legislature adjourned without elect- H ing a senator. H Calhoun was familiar with all this. H He was also familiar with the gov- H cmor's reasons for not filling the va- H cancy. One of these was political; H the other was personal. The vacan- H cy, so long as it existed, would ad- H vcrtisc the incompetency of the Op- H position; the governor's own chances H for a scat in the senate would be H doubled if there were two scats to H be filled at the end of his term as H chief executive. fl No better party man lived than H Horace P. Calhoun. He recalled the H fight that Chall:s Randolph, as prcsi- H dent of the senate, made to secure M the election to the United States M Senate of Judge Warwick J. Oliver. M He knew of the close relations ex- M isting between the two men. He saw M it all. The appointment of Oliver M now would carry consternation into M the ranks of the party in power. It M would also give Randolph and Oliver M sweet revenge ojn the factions in M (Continued on page 15.) M i WHEN THE GOVERNOR LEFT ?. THE STATE. Ri (Continued from page 3.) jm their own party that had fought them M so bitterly. SjML All this passed through Calhoun's jS mind in less time than it takes to tell II it. Quick action, he knew, must be M taken if the game was to be blocked. I He acted promptly and with prcci- Jn sion. Kj Chapter III. "Great God, Lut here's a state of things 1" H This cry fell from the lips of Gov- I cmor Jerome Y. Sharp. lie held in 3 his hand an open telegram and there n was a black scrowl on his brow as he looked around him. lie was m standing on the platform of the rail- I way station at Cheyenne, lie and I his party were about to embark in I carriages- for a ride over the city r when the message was handed him. His train from the west had arrived W ten minutes before, and it would be la some hours before the President, special pulled in from the cast. Members of the governor's party crowed about him to ascertain the cause of his excitement. "Where's McLcnnon?" he demanded demand-ed brushing aside their anxious inquiries. in-quiries. He was told that the secretary sec-retary of state had just whirled away in an automibile to visit his brother's ranch five miles in the country. The language that followed this announcement announce-ment was strong even for a governor, lie passed the telegram around. It read: "Randolph acting governor. Is appointing ap-pointing Oliver senator. You or Mc-1 Mc-1 I.cnnon must go bcx at-oncf. CALHOUN." , A hurried council of war followed on the platform while the carriages stood awaiting. There was but one j thing to be done the governor must 3 beat a hasty retreat. This attack ih the rear must be met. -In the shortest possible time an engine with one car attached was at the sation headed for the west. "Can you get me to Junction City by 4 o'clock," the governor asked the engineer. . "Junction City or hell," was tne j res-onse of Engineer Tom Sturgis, and the start was nnde. To this diy slow? the line of the Union Pacific ' they tell of that wild run. At Rock Springs the special was held up twenty minutes waiting for the Over- I. laud, and all this time the governor paced the platform like a tiger in leash. From Rock Springs to Green River the track was clear. The single sin-gle car swayed and jumped after the snorting engine. A strong smell of brimstone mingled with the smoke that floated back over the track as At the governor reviewed the situation. He was well aware of what the suc cess of this coup of the Opposition meant to his party, not only at home ,. butwJn Washington as well. . At Green River ji freight was side tracked for an hour to let the gov- 1 - ornor- pass, Here a- message was dispatched to Calhoun and the flight was resumed. Tom Sturgis announced announc-ed the special ahead of time and the governor began to whistle "Annie Laurie." He whistled too soon. At Echo he was informed that just ahead freight cars were derailed, and that it would be impossible to get through for three hours. Three hours! Three hours meant defeat! Again the governor fumed. Dan Kelly, the section boss, ventured a suggestion his handcar. Handcar, yes! Anything under heavens to get -to Junction City, thirty miles away ten dollars for eacli man of the crew if the trick were turned. Within three minutes the handcar with the governor gov-ernor aboard was flying down grade from Echo. A final spurt at Junction City lauded the governor on the 4 o'clock train for the capital. At the capital he was across the platform and in the car Calhoun had waiting for him before the train came to a full stop. "God bless you, Cal; but are we in time?" was the hurried greeting. "Afraid it's all off Governor; but we'll try for it," and away they flew through the city in utter disregard of the speed limit. Chapter IV. Leaning back in his easy chair in the office of the secretary of state Co'.. George B. Thomas was dream, ing, dreaming of the morrow, when as marshal of the day, astride of his prancing charger, with his red sash across his breast and his sword clanking at his side, he would direct the parade in honor of the President. Presi-dent. Pictures of Phil Shccridau in the Shenandoah Valley and John A Logan at Atlanta persisted in floating float-ing through his brai.i. Then came the rude awakening. Challis Randolph, Judge Warwick T. Oliver and Larry O'Neil filed into the office. "Colonel," said the leader of the trio in his deep voice and with much dignity; "in the absence from the state of Governor Jerome Y. Sharp and Secretary of State James T. McLcnnon Mc-Lcnnon it devolves upon me as president presi-dent pro tempore of the senate to assume the duties and 'responsibilities of chief executive. You are no doubt familiar with the law on this point Then by virtue of the authority vested vest-ed in mc by the constitution of my sovereign state I have this day appointed ap-pointed Judge Warwick J. Oliver, here present, to represent this state in, the Senate of the United State?. All that remains to be done is to attach the seal of the state to' the certificate of appointment a mere formality. I ask you now to attach the seal here where I have indicated," The colonel gasped. "I don't think I understand," he managed to say. "It's mighty aisy td understand put in Chairman O'Neil; "hand me that book at your elbow." The volume was passed over while . the colonel looked from one to the other of his visitors. His motto in office and out was "Party right or wrong." He did not like the looks of things but he read the lay pointed out to him. "You need have no uneasiness, Colonel," Judge Oliver assured him. "We arc not acting hastily in a matter mat-ter of such grave importance as this We have gone into the law with great care and are sure of our ground. Governor Randolph has the same power now that . Governor Sharp would have were he here. You have nothing to do in the premises but to comply with the wishes of your superior sup-erior in office." Still Colonel Thomas fought for time. It was ncaring 5 o'clock, the hour for closing the office, and he thought that if action could be deferred de-ferred till the following day something some-thing might transpire to turn the cards in favor of his party. He was lawyer enough to know that he was beaten as the case stood. He raised technicalities. He tried to consult the attorney general over the telephone tele-phone knowing at the time that that official was in Cheyenne. He called attention to the law governing the custody of the seal he was not sure that he had the right to place the seal on any document in the absence of the secretary of staic. "Let mc ask you a question on that point," said Judge Oliver who was growing impatient; "last summer Secretary McLcnnon was absent for a month. Who had the custody of the seal then?" "I did," was the colonel's reply. "And you attended to the placing of the seal on all legal papers?" "I did." "You arc chief deputy here, and m the absence of the secretary you have all the power the law gives him?" The colonel was silent. "Let us have done with all this foolishness," Randolph said in some heat. "Colonel Thomas," he continued; con-tinued; "I take you to be a man oE sense. I have seen you looking at the clock a half dozen tinics in tlii last few minutes. You arc wishing for s o'clock to come, That will not help you because there is no time fixed by law for the closing of this office, and I purrose to stay here till midnight if necessary "to complete this appointment. I now make a formal demand on you for the seal 'of the state." 1 The colonel surrendered. "All right," he said. "Your blood be on your own heads. I call your special attention to that clause of the law which says the illegal use of the sell is a felony." With this rafting shot Colonel Thomas retired into the vault to s-v sure the seal. Just at this moment when the three politicians were congratulating con-gratulating themselves on their victory vic-tory tl'C door leading from the olfic of the governor to that of the secretary sec-retary of state opened and Governor ' Slurp entered. He was in the best of humor, "Hello, Judge," he 6aid in his heart- iest manner coming forward with out- stretched hand; "I haven't seen you in aires. And here is Randolph. I'm H right glad to sec you, Challis; in H from the ranch to honor the Prcsi- dent, of course. And Larry O'Neil, too, here gentlemen; this begins to look like politics." All were silent while Judge Oliver folded his bogus commission mid placed it in his breast pocket. Tlr; faces would have made a good study for an aitist." "Well, Governor," finally blurted H Randolph; "I guess I'd better abdi- cate in your favor. You have blocked our game, and that i3 all '.here is to it. We understood that both you and McLcnnon were out of the state. In that event it would not do for mc to neglect my duty to my state. I had .uts-t appointed Judge Oliver United Slates Senator, and we were here to have the seal of the state at- . tached to his commission." "I! ut how the divil did you get here?" demanded Chairman Larr O'Neil after again reading his tele- gram from the mayor at Cheyenne. The governor winked at Calhoun who had taken in everything but who had not uttered a word. "That," said the governor in reply to O'Neil," is unwritten history. Cal here may be able to tell us something about that in the Times in the morning." "After all this excitement, gentle- men," said Judge Oliver;-"I am very hungry and very dry. I am satisfied MM also that the joke is on mc. It you H will do mc the honor to accompany mc to the Atlas Club we'll have the VBH best in the way of a dinner the house affords, and this includes Calhoun and the colonel." The reception in honor of the Pres- ident the following day was a rousing M success. It was a red letter day' m the history of the empire state of the west. |