“'How long have you been uncle Nate Gowdey?'
“And he'd answer; and I'd say,—
“'How long do you calculate to be uncle Nate?'
“And he'll tell; and then I'll say,—
“'Enough: I see you have all the qualifications for office. You are admitted.' That is what I would do.”
I groaned. But he kep' on complacently, “I am goin' to help the ones that elect me, sink or swim; and I calculate to make money out of the project,—money and honor. And I shall do a big work there,—there hain't no doubt of it.
“Now, there is political economy. I shall go in strong for that. I shall say right to Congress, the first speech I make to it, I shall say, that there is too much money spent now to hire votes with; and I shall prove it right out, that we can get votes cheaper if we senators all join in together, and put our feet right down that we won't pay only jest so much for a vote. But as long as one man is willin' to pay high, why, everybody else has got to foller suit. And there hain't no economy in it, not a mite.
“Then, there is the canal question. I'll make a thorough end of that. There is one reform that will be pushed right through.”
“How will you do it?” says I.
“I will have the hull canal cleaned out from one end to the other.”