He commonly chose an off year
in politics for the consummation of his business deals. But he had
chosen to push his bill this year for the reason that he wished to be in
a position to buy out the sub-companies cheaply. The community was
pressed for ready money, and many men who would be slow in prosperous
times to extract gas shares from their tin boxes and stockings would be
glad to avail themselves of a reasonable cash offer. Elton was a
Republican on national issues. His experience had been that the
Republican Party was fundamentally friendly to corporations, in spite of
occasional pious ejaculations in party platforms to the contrary. He had
a Republican candidate for Governor in mind who would be faithful to his
interests; but this candidate was put aside in the convention in
deference to the sentiment that only a man of first-rate mental and
moral calibre could command the allegiance of independent voters, whose
co-operation seemed essential to party success. The Republican state
convention was held three weeks prior to the date fixed for that of
their opponents. Within twenty-four hours subsequent to the nomination
of Hon. John Patterson as the Republican candidate for Governor, while
the party organs were congratulating the public on his selection, and
the leaders of the party were endeavoring to suppress the murmurs of the
disappointed lower order of politicians who, in metaphorical phrase,
felt that they were sewed up in a sack for another two years by the
choice of this strong citizen, one of the most widely circulated
democratic newspapers announced in large type on its front page that
Hon.
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