Neither will O'Brien. Between
them they've made a mess of things."
"I don't know that it is their fault, except indirectly. One of
those populistic waves swept over the city."
"Why didn't they know what was going to happen? Why didn't they
let me know? That's what I pay them for."
"A child could have foreseen it, but O'Brien wouldn't believe his
eyes. He's been giving Verden an administration with too much
graft. The people got tired of it."
"What were Merrill and Frome up to? Why did they permit it?"
demanded Powers impatiently.
"They were looking out for their franchises. To get the machine's
support they had to give O'Brien a free hand."
"If necessary you had better eliminate Big Tim. Or at least put
him and his gang in the background. Make the machine respectable
so that good citizens can indorse it."
James nodded agreement. "I've been thinking about that. The thing
can be done. A business men's movement from inside the party to
purify it. A reorganization with new men in charge. That sort of
thing."
"Exactly. And how about the state?"
"Things don't look good to me."
"Why not?"
"This initiative and referendum idea is spreading.
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