Het met them in the back rooms of saloons, on Sundays and Saturdays at political picnics, at election councils and conferences, for as a beneficiary of the city's largess he was expected to contribute not only money, but advice.

Curiously he had developed a strange political wisdom.

He knew a successful man or a coming man when he saw one.

So many of his bookkeepers, superintendents, time-keepers had graduated into councilmen and state legislators.

His nominees--suggested to political conferences--were so often known to make good.