Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/342



Some of his lieutenants left him, among them Jonathan Bourne, Jr., a man we must know. He is now a United States Senator from Oregon. You have heard of black sheep? Well, Jonathan Bourne was the black ram of a rich old New England family. After a wild time at Harvard University and a wilder time "about town," he went West and had the wildest time of all. I think U'Ren will not charge him up to conditions; I've heard him say that Bourne was improved by age. Bourne learned his game from Mitchell, who learned his from Quay in Pennsylvania, whence Mitchell came (after a change of name). And the lesson of the Quay school of politics was not to organize like Tammany for the year around, but to "let her rip" till just before a campaign, then make a new "combine."

When Mitchell made his gold "combine," Bourne made his new silver combine and U'Ren joined Bourne. Mitchell didn't have the three Pop votes. U'Ren found that his delegation was solid, and ready to trade. All they wanted was (1) the initiative and referendum, (2) a good registration law (Ed. Bingham s), and (3) Pop judges and clerks of elections. Bourne wanted to be Speaker. He was willing to swing his delegation to the Pop bills in return