肯尼思在上次开完会之后倍感沮丧。沃尔森告诉他，霍普金斯不适合做这个区的议员，出台一项制止乱涂抹商业广告的法令远比一处处地删抹取得的成效高得多。并且参政可以让肯尼思摆脱目前单调的生活。肯尼思在沃尔森的劝说下决定与霍普金斯展开一搏……
"This man Hopkins gets on my nerves，"said Mr.Watson，a week or two after the eventful meeting in the school—house.He was at the breakfast table opposite Kenneth，and held up a big，glaring post—card which was in his mail.
"What is it now？"asked the boy，rousing himself from a ？t of abstraction.
"An announcement offering himself for renomination at the primariesa.It's like a circus advertisement.Isn't it a shame to think that modern politics has descended to such a level in our free and enlightened republic？"Kenneth nodded，stirring his coffee thoughtfully.He hadlost his spirit and enthusiasm since the meeting，and was fast relapsingb into his old state of apathyc and boredom.It grieved Mr.Watson to note this.
"Hopkins isn't ？t to be the Representative for this district，"observed the old gentleman，with sudden energy.
The boy looked at him."Who is Hopkins？"he asked.
"His mother once kept a stationery shop in town，and he was stable boy at the hotel.But he was shrewd and prospered，and when he grew up became a county—clerk or tax—collector；then an assessor，and finally he ran last term for State Representative from this district and was elected by a mightysmall majority.""Why small？"asked Kenneth.
"Because he's a Democrat，and the district is strongly Republican.But Thompson ran against him on the Republican ticket and couldn't win his party vote.""Who's Thompson？""The general store keeper.He has a reputation for short weights and measures."The boy sipped his coffee thoughtfully.
"Tell me，sir；how did you happen to know all this？"he asked.
"I've been looking up Hopkins's record.I have disliked the man ever since he treated us so shabbilya on the night of the meeting.""Never mind him.We've done with him."Mr.Watson shifted uneasily in his chair."I wonder if we have？"he said.
"Why not，sir？"
"Well，Kenneth，we have to reside at Elmhurst，which is Hopkins's district.Also I believe Elmhurst to be the most important estate in the district，and you to be the largest taxpayer.This man wishes to go to the State Legislature and make laws for you to obey.""Well？""Well，it's our duty to watch him.If he isn't a ？t man it's our duty to prevent him from representing us."The young man nodded somewhat dreamily.
"Some of these country yokelsa must represent us，"he observed."It doesn't matter much whether it's Hopkins or someone else.""Except that you，being a prominent man，owe it to thecommunity to protect its interests，"added the lawyer.
"Do you want me to mix in these petty politics？"asked the boy，irritably.
"Oh，do as you like，my boy.If you can shirkb your duties with a clear consciencec，I've nothing to say."For a time the young man was silent.Finally he asked："Why isn't Hopkins a good Representative？""He's what is called a 'grafterd'；a term signifying that he is willing to vote for any measure that he is paid to vote for，whether it bene？ts his constituents or not.""Oh.Is he singular in this？""By no means.The 'grafter'is all too common in politics."Again the boy fell into a thoughtful mood.