precious to be jeopardized by legislation which the corporations
did not want. The Governor argued, pleasantly and cheerfully. The
organization balked sullenly. The corporations grinned knowingly.
They had plenty of money with which to kill the bill, but they
did not need to use it. The machine was working smoothly in their
behalf. The bill was introduced and referred to a committee, and
there it lay. No amount of argument and persuasion that the
Governor could bring to bear availed to bring the bill out of
hiding. So he sent in a special message, on almost the last day
of the session. According to the rules of the New York Assembly,
when the Governor sends in a special message on a given measure,
the bill must be reported out and given consideration. But the
machine was dazzled with its own arrogance. The Speaker would not
have the message read. Some one actually tore it up.

This was more than a crime--it was a blunder. The wise ones in
the organization realized it. They had no desire to have the
Governor appeal to the people with his torn message in his hand.
Roosevelt saw the error too, and laughed happily. He wrote
another message and sent it over with the curt statement that, if
it were not read forthwith, he would come over and read it
himself. They knew that he would! So the Speaker read the
message, and the bill was reported and hastily passed on the last
day of the session.

Then the complacent corporations woke up. They had trusted the
machine too far. What was more, they had underestimated the
Governor's striking power. Now they came to him, hat in hand, and
suggested some fault in the bill. He agreed with them. They asked
if he would not call a special session to amend the bill. Again