‘I own it—and I own it with sorrow. But I am here on business. I have a proposition to make.’
‘What is that?’
‘That you arbitrate.’
‘I am quite willing; but the question is, how to arbitrate, and that is rather a difficult one.’
‘Not at all; it is the easiest thing in the world. Get a public meeting, admit an equal number of the supporters of each candidate, and abide by the result.’
‘Which, if there has been fair play—if one party has not taken a mean advantage of the other—will leave matters just as they are.’
‘Well, then, let the meeting be an open one, and let the best man win.’
‘That won’t do. The richer man will be sure to pack it with his supporters.’
‘Well, then, refer it to a London committee.’
‘A committee of wealthy men, who are sure to favour the wealthiest candidate, with whom, possibly, they may be on friendly terms; and a rich man, with the deceitful returns of his paid canvassing, can always make out a more plausible case than a poor man. I have a plan,’ continued the speaker, ‘which might solve the difficulty.’