Original subtitles

♪♪

Yeah!

♪♪

♪♪

Well, here it is... Another Fourth of July.

I heard a fella say, "I reckon John Springfield...

will be making another speech."

Well, I reckon here it is.

Independence.

Independence is more than speeches...

and the shape of Ben Franklin's spectacles.

Independence Day is the celebration...

of liberty's birthday.

And I think you folk here in the Wyoming territory...

will have something else to celebrate soon.

We are on our way to becoming a state.

May the next Fourth of July find our star...

among the galaxy on that proud banner!

Standing up here, looking down at your faces,

I see many youngsters who've grown up...

since I was first elected to the territorial legislature.

It's a long time for a man to be in one job. Much too long.

Makes me feel older than I am.

I'm not ready yet for a shawl and a rocker.

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to tell you here and now,

I would rather sit and rot for the rest of my life...

than put up for one more day with those destructive twins...

Private interest and public indifference.

I am tired of being pressured.

I am tired of being pushed and pulled...

while you folks here at home sit on your hams,

not knowing or caring what goes on in the capital of this territory.

You elect a man to a job...

and then let somebody else tell him what to do.

Well,

I have had my last bill watered down,

my last piece of legislation cut to ribbons.

That is why...

That is why, ladies and gentlemen, I am handing in my resignation.

Find yourselves another man.

I have asked the governor...

to call a special election six weeks from today.

You folks pick yourselves a pair of candidates,

and I hope, for his sake, the winner will have a deaf ear and a tough skin.

And that...

is my declaration of independence.

Thank you.

I say Tobe Larkin's our man!

Let's send Tobe Larkin to Cheyenne!

Tobe Larkin's our man! We want Tobe Larkin!

Now, thank you very much.

Thank you, but, uh,

I don't think this is the time or the place to talk about that.

Right now we ought to pay our respects to a fine man,

a great man... John Springfield!

And now, ladies and gentlemen, Tobe Larkin!

Tobe! Tobe!

♪♪

Well, John Springfield's done a lot for us in the legislature.

He wants to quit, he must have a good reason.

Yes, but the way he did it... without a word of warning to any of us.

Well, you know John Springfield.

He's nothing if not his own man, and that's that.

Well, I'm not so sure about that either.

Tobe Larkin jumped in there awful quick.

Are you saying John set it up for him?

Well, your foreman was out there.

He can tell you how Larkin's friends...

called out his name right away to stir up the crowd.

Lou White and Denny Otis didn't waste any time.

White. That's the new lawyer in town.

Yeah, Otis works for him. I guess he keeps the flies off.

Tobe is after that nomination. He is hot after it.

Well, even if he gets it, that's no guarantee he'll be elected.

Do you want that boy to represent you in Cheyenne?

I'm not gonna hold his age against him.

Yeah, well, don't discount age, not in this election.

There are lots of young folks in Medicine Bow gonna be voting for the first time.

And then, too, lots of others will cotton to the idea...

of a good-looking young fella with a pretty, young wife.

And he is Seth Larkin's son. That still counts for something.

I never knew Seth Larkin.

From what I hear, he was some kind of a hero. In the Indian Wars.

And Tobe has done well for himself, too,

expanding his leather goods business.

He is a go-getter,

and people like that in a politician,

especially the new people from back East,

townspeople who don't understand this territory...

and what we've had to go through all these years to make it what it is.

The danger is that he has the popularity to win the vote...

unless he's stopped.

That's why several of the responsible people around this town...

have gotten together and formed a special committee...

A citizens' group...

To put up our own candidate to run against him in this election.

Who's in this citizens' group?

Well, I've talked to the sheriff already and several other men.

They're all good men, all of them.

Well, if you came here to ask me to join,

I'll be happy to consider it, Ben.

Well, I didn't come here to ask you to join.

I came here to ask you to run for office.

The territorial legislature? Yes, sir!

You are the man who can win.

Tobe Larkin wouldn't stand a chance against you.

Well. I...

I can't say I'm not flattered, but I've got my ranch to run.

What's the matter with you?

You'd be a good candidate. You're interested in politics.

Oh, no. Only as an amateur.

Besides, my ranch is not in as good shape as yours.

That is really a full-time job.

No, Clay, you are the man. We need you.

Now, hold on.

What... Del Wardlow!

He's done a good job on the town council. What's the matter with him?

That's just where he's needed. He holds that council together.

Frank Harley. He's a good administrator.

No, I don't think he's the man for the job.

Well, there must be somebody else. We don't want somebody else.

We want Clay Grainger.

Now, you turn us down, you are sending Tobe Larkin straight into the legislature.

Ben, I'll be glad to help you any way I can, but not as a candidate.

I-I just can't do it! Talk it over with your foreman, will you?

He can run your ranch for you while you're running your campaign.

Tobe Larkin is an opportunist,

and we're counting on you to defeat him.

Well, don't.

Good night. I know my way out.

Now, wait a minute! We've got to settle this right here and now.

Clay, what more do I have to say?

If Tobe Larkin gets elected, he's going to destroy everything...

that John Springfield has worked for all these years.

Now, you know you don't want that to happen.

Good night, Clay, and thanks.

For what?

I haven't agreed to anything!

Can you see me involved in politics?

The question is, can you?

Well, that's just the way I feel about it, gentlemen.

There's a whole new world up ahead... the 20th century.

And Wyoming's gonna be coming into it as a state.

A young state needs young ideas...

Up-to-date, shiny new ways to think.

Now, here in the territory of Wyoming,

we have a section of land, quite a big parcel,

just to the west of Medicine Bow.

And they're planning to give it away.

If I was in the legislature, I'd know what to do with that land...

because I've been giving it a lot of thought.

Your shot. Huh?

Eight ball over there behind the nine. Gentlemen.

I'd introduce a bill into the territorial legislature...

granting that land to the town of Medicine Bow.

We'd divide it up into parcels, sell it off...

and use the profits to spruce up this town of ours...

and get it ready for the 20th century.

Long as they're giving that land away, may as well give it to us.

It makes a lot of sense. We're the nearest town.

We could take care of all the administration, the parcels and the deeds.

Just offhand, I can't think of a better use for that land.

I can.

Territorial government promised that open range to the Arapaho.

I think they need it bad.

Yeah. Well, the Arapahos... This is town business, cowboy.

I don't believe this concerns you.

Well, I was just thinking about those Indians.

I don't think much of stealing their land to fix up this town.

Stealing?

You call taking land from Indians stealing?

When it's their land, I do.

Well, it ain't their land yet. Not yet it ain't.

The government already granted it to 'em.

What for? Is that some kind of reward for all the blood they spilled around here?

Is that a bonus for all the people in Medicine Bow they murdered?

Now, Denny, I can't hold with that kind of talk.

You know the Indian Wars are over and done with.

Yeah, well, they ain't forgot, and they never will be.

So you just watch it, Trampas, with all that "poor, needy Indian" talk.

Denny. Denny.

Don't pay him no mind, Trampas.

You know Denny's quick to rile.

And personally, I've got nothing against the Arapahos.

They just might, as you say, have some need for that land.

I happen to believe, though, that Medicine Bow needs it more.

Now, the way it's set up, the Indians won't be granted that land...

if we lay claim to it in a new bill before the territorial legislature.

I intend to introduce such a bill, and I know that I can get it passed.

- Makes sense to me. - Yeah.

Well, excuse me.

But John Springfield wrote a bill promising that land to the Arapahos.

I happen to think a promise like that should mean something.

Mr. Grainger, it's good to see you, sir. I'd be delighted if you'd join the debate.

I didn't come in here to debate.

Trampas, I'm through at the bank. Let's go.

Well, I'd sure appreciate it if you'd stay a minute, sir.

I was just explaining to these gentlemen my plans...

for bringing Medicine Bow up to date.

If those plans include financing with that open range-land, you can leave me out.

I'm in favor of the territory turning it over to the Arapahos.

I can't see forcing 'em to renege for any reason.

That just about puts us on opposite sides of the political fence.

Yes. I guess it does.

Tobe, you've got a campaign to run.

Well, I don't know about the rest of you

gentlemen, but I'm just about dry as a bone.

So I want all of you to order up.

The drinks are on Medicine Bow's next representative...

to the territorial legislature... me.

♪♪

♪♪

Oh! Busy, huh?

Well, I'm nearly finished. Come on in.

You making candles again?

I can get all those things we need in town for a penny apiece.

I can't see burning up money.

Besides, I like tallow candles.

I grew up with the smell of them.

I won't argue about the smell.

Would it be the smell of politics that's bothering you, by any chance?

I'm afraid so.

Oh, Clay. I know that's been worrying you lately,

but to me it's very simple.

Medicine Bow needs a good man to represent it fairly,

and you are the very best man I know.

And I have a lot of other arguments beside love to back that up.

I've been having several arguments with myself the last couple of days,

and I keep coming back to Tobe Larkin's scheme...

for taking land that was promised to the Arapahos...

so Medicine Bow can have some nice new storefronts.

And that's not the worst of it.

There are still a lot of people who think the only good Indian's a dead one.

Larkin's playing on that feeling.

Clay, that's why you have to be in this...

and why we have to see it through to the very end.

Well, it's gonna mean a big change in our lives, Holly.

If I get elected, a big change.

Gonna have to be away from Shiloh an awful lot of the time.

I'll either have to take you with me, or you'll have to stay here.

You wouldn't be happy away from here.

I'd be miserable in it without you.

But I have survived floods and tornadoes and blizzards,

so I think I can live through a political campaign.

How do you like it? I like it fine. I think it's real nice.

Do you think my name's large enough?

If it were any bigger, it wouldn't fit.

It's the largest print Walt Ziller could find.

The last time he used it was for a cattle sale.

I had him run me off a hundred posters.

A hundred? That's enough to cover every tree and wood fence from here to Cheyenne.

I want my name out there so folks can see it...

from now until election day,

whether they're walking or riding or going past in a rig.

That way, they won't forget who I am and what I want.

What we want.

Hey, Lou! Come here.

I want you to see something. Look at this.

Ain't that fancy?

Maybe I ought to had him run off more than a hundred. Maybe you oughta.

What's wrong, Lou?

Ben Poole's been bragging around the saloon how

he's got somebody gonna beat you in the election.

Aw, well. We'll take on all comers, be they large or small.

Right, honey? This one's on the large side... Clay Grainger.

Grainger?

Looks like we're in for a real fight.

Well, that doesn't bother me too much.

I've got a prime campaign issue.

I've got people all over town talking about that Indian land.

Yep. They're already planning how to spend the money.

You keep them thinking about that, Tobe.

Keep 'em looking to the future...

and let 'em know, in no uncertain terms, that Clay Grainger is part of the past.

Huh?

Coming.

Coming.

Yep. Hello, John.

Oh, Clay. Come right on in.

Hope it's not too late for a call. Always glad to see you.

I was just trying to get some books up on the shelves,

make this old house a little more lived in. Oh?

Make yourself comfortable. Sit down there. Thank you.

Oh, here. Let me get that out of your way.

I'll never make the housekeeper that Vinnie was, God rest her.

Now, can I offer you something to drink? No, no, no. No, thank you.

Well, I...

I suppose you've heard the news around town.

That you're planning to run for office? Yes. I've heard it.

But I can't for the life of me figure out why.

Well, somebody has to do it.

That is a phrase you hear a lot of in politics.

You're learning fast, Clay.

There's one thing I'd like to know right off, John.

Yeah? What's that?

As far as I'm concerned, you're doing a wonderful job.

I can't think of a better man for the office.

Why do you want to quit? Why?

Because I found myself fighting alone.

Even Don Quixote grew weary of the battle when he had no one to back him up,

no one to take his side.

I was always on your side. Were you, Clay?

I've got a nice plot of land on the edge of town.

I thought it might be a nice time of life to start a little farming.

Oh? Did you ever read Dean Swift on that subject, Clay?

He certainly really knew what he was talking about, that old boy.

"Whoever would make two ears of corn or two blades of grass...

"to grow on a plot of ground where only one had grown before,

"would deserve better of mankind...

"and do more essential service than all the politicians...

in the world."

Come on now, John. You didn't quit to take up farming.

No. I did not.

Now, what can I do for you, Clay?

Tobe Larkin's planning to have the legislature set aside your bill...

giving the open range-land to the Indians.

Now, I'm very much in favor of keeping that bill,

and, naturally, I'd appreciate your support.

I'm afraid I'll have to sit this one out.

As the retiring legislator, I don't think it would be right for me...

to put my seal of approval on my possible successor.

Besides, I don't think it would help very much anyway.

I can promise you one thing though...

I promise not to interfere one way or the other.

And that's the only blessing I can bestow on you, Clay.

Now, if you want some advice...

from an old campaigner, that's another thing again.

Well, I'd appreciate anything.

I'm like the fella who jumped in the lake to cool off,

then remembered he couldn't swim.

Well, if you want the vote, you get out and fight for it.

You make speeches from the backs of wagons, from tree stumps...

Anyplace where you can get two or more people...

who are curious enough to come out and listen.

But for the love of heaven, have something to say to them.

They know all the platitudes.

If you think the truth won't hurt,

why, go right ahead... Tell 'em the truth.

Take a tip from Honest Abe...

Don't be afraid to show 'em your warts.

Just bear in mind they have warts of their own.

Well, thank you...

and Mr. Lincoln.

I'll keep that in mind. When are you making your first campaign speech, Clay?

Uh, I don't know just when.

You... You mean Ben Poole...

hasn't laid out a schedule for you?

Ben Poole? He's the one who talked you into running, isn't he?

Yes, he is.

When he first approached me about it, I thought he was out of his mind.

Hmm. Well, I expect he knew what he was doing.

He most generally does.

Is there anything else on your mind, Clay?

Yes, there is, John. I'd like to ask you one more question.

Go ahead.

Did Tobe Larkin know in advance...

you were going to make your retirement announcement July 4?

Did he know about it in advance?

Mm-hmm. Yes, maybe he did.

I didn't take any particular pains to keep it a strict secret.

Then he could have prepared for it.

Oh, offhand, I would say he had... in spades.

Thank you, John. Good night.

Good night, Clay.

Let me say right on top...

that I've got the highest regard for Clay Grainger.

He's meant a lot to Medicine Bow in the past, but let's look to the future.

And like it or not, friends, that's where we're headed.

Now, we've got a chance to make something out of it...

for this town and for our families.

And speaking of families...

Jenny, come on up here.

Come here, honey.

Give these people something pretty to look at while I'm talking their ears off.

Now, don't be shy, darlin'. You know these are our friends and neighbors.

Now, here's what I was saying.

We have a choice...

Medicine Bow's future can be just as cut-and-dried as beef jerky,

and Shiloh beef at that.

Or it can be as bright and shiny as a $20 gold piece...

if we use the money from the sale of that public land.

The Arapahos are land poor.

Why, you've seen 'em on cattle drives,

living from hand to mouth along the trail.

But did you ever see one of 'em beg? Huh?

They're a proud people.

Well, we have our pride, too,

and one of the things we should be proud about is to keep our word!

Did you ever see a man who was worth a nickel who couldn't keep his word?

How do we know the government's not trying to saddle the poor Arapaho...

with some awful burden?

What are they gonna do with all that land?

They don't farm. They don't raise cattle.

They hunt and they fish, but most of all,

they sit around their campfires talkin' about the good old days...

when buffalo used to run wild right where you're sitting now.

It makes me wonder if Clay Grainger wouldn't be happy...

to see buffalo grazing right out on the streets of Medicine Bow.

Like some of you here, I fought the Arapahos.

I've still got a chip of arrowhead in that left leg...

to remind me they're anything but lazy.

No, they work at hunting and fishing,

just as Tobe Larkin works at selling saddles,

although lately he hasn't sold much of anything but a bill of goods.

I will say this about his saddles though...

They carry more weight.

We all stand to gain something by the sale of that land.

All of us! Every one of us here in Medicine Bow.

Now, what I want to know is,

what does Clay Grainger have to gain...

by not letting us sell it?

Why is he so anxious, with that big Shiloh spread of his,

to see that land turned over to a ragtag tribe of Indians?

Hear! Hear!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you very much.

Thanks, Sam, all of you. Thank you.

Appreciate it. Appreciate it. Appreciate it.

Thank you, folks. Thank you for coming.

I sure appreciate it. Well, we'll see, won't we?

Thank you. Thanks very much.

Good night. Yeah. Well, we'll see.

Thank you again for coming. Thank you very much.

Good night.

Good night!

Oh, my!

I know what you mean. Oh.

All those poor folks... I had them surrounded right in my own parlor.

They couldn't leave, and they had to listen, didn't they?

Oh, no. Now, you did real fine. Those men were impressed.

And their wives too. Well, I hope so.

I think I'm losing my voice.

I'll make you some hot lemon and honey.

How about you, Bennett? Would you like something, medicinal or otherwise?

No, thanks, Holly.

You know, this husband of yours is a born politician.

You must be very proud of him.

I always have been.

Excuse me, please.

You know, I'm serious about that, Clay.

You have a natural talent for politics.

Yeah. Well, I may get the hang of it eventually.

You know, I was thinking, when I was talking with those people in here,

most of 'em were friends of mine.

And even if they weren't, they wouldn't have come to my house...

unless they were pretty sure of what I was going to say and go along with it.

Nevertheless, these get-togethers are important.

You've got to spread the word.

Yes, but it's... it's even more important to reach the other side.

I'd like to get together with Tobe Larkin.

Maybe we could debate the issues in front of the whole town maybe.

Now, I don't know about that.

I remember Mr. Lincoln's debates with Douglas.

He certainly got 'em to thinking.

Why couldn't we do the same thing on a smaller scale right here in Medicine Bow?

Clay, I just can't go along with you on this.

I don't think it would work out to your advantage.

Well, why not? I'm on the right side of the issues.

Yes, you are, but there are always gonna be people who don't agree with you,

and we want to appeal to them too, don't we?

That doesn't make sense to me. Clay, that's just politics.

You've got to feel your way along nice and easy.

And right now, a debate would be the wrong way to go, definitely.

You're not afraid Tobe would talk rings around me, are you?

Of course not. I think I can hold my own in most talk-fests.

And I hope I have something worthwhile to say.

Yes, you do, and I want you to say it.

But let's concentrate on getting some of that farm vote, shall we?

Let me set up some places for you to speak to them.

Clay, I have had some little experience in this kind of thing.

Just go along with me, will ya? I know everything is gonna work out fine.

It's gonna be fine. Now, I'm gonna run along, but you get plenty of rest.

We've got a lot of traveling to do. Yeah.

Good night, Clay. Good night, Ben.

Evening, Mark. Well, evening.

What brings you into town on a weeknight...

The promise of free beer and entertainment?

Why, is somebody throwing a party?

There's a big political party going on down at the Rocky Mountain Saloon.

Don't you care to see the boy wonder of Medicine Bow in action?

No, thanks.

I came in to see Doc Spaulding about a couple of ribs. What happened?

I tangled with a steer a while back. Doc wants to check 'em out.

I got another patient ahead of me, so I thought I'd stop over and say hello.

I'm sure glad you did.

I haven't seen anyone from Shiloh for quite a while.

I guess Clay Grainger's keeping pretty busy campaigning and all.

I've hardly seen him myself the last few days.

When you do see him, wish him the best of luck for me. Tell him I'm all for him.

I guess he knows that,

seeing as how you and the rest of the citizens' group asked him to run.

What citizens' group is that?

Didn't Ben Poole talk to you about joining some sort of special committee?

No. I couldn't. I'm an elected official.

That'd be in violation of the town charter.

We're gonna have to make some repairs on those line shacks.

That last wind didn't do us any good, you know.

Well, whatever you need.

That chuck wagon with the broken axle...

I'm not sure it's worth fixing, but I hate

to buy new equipment this late in the summer.

What do you think? Well, it can't be helped.

What else? Any other problems?

Yeah. I, uh...

I ran into the sheriff last night in town.

How is he? He's all right.

We got to talking politics,

and he told me he's not a member of that special citizens' group.

Mark? I was under the impression he was.

I got the same impression at the same time from Ben Poole.

Well, it's possible we were both mistaken.

I remember very clearly... Mr. Poole said he'd spoken to Mark about it.

Mark says he didn't.

And another funny thing... Doc Spaulding's not in that group,

and he's a good friend of yours too.

Well, I've got other friends in that group.

Anybody besides ranchers?

What's that got to do with it?

I don't know. It's just a feeling I have.

Makes me wonder why only certain citizens were invited to join...

and why Poole wants you to think otherwise.

What are you driving at?

As far as I can see, they're all ranchers... big ranchers like Ben Poole.

- And me. - I know why you decided to run for office.

I'm just not sure why they picked you.

- Maybe because they thought I could win! - Clay!

I'm not in this horse race to favor the cattlemen or any other special bunch.

I need votes from everybody to win, and I intend to get 'em.

You're taking this all wrong, Mr. Grainger.

Well, that's the way I'm going to take it!

Now, have you got any other problems to discuss about the ranch?

No, sir. None at all.

Clay Grainger! If that coffee's still hot, I'll have another cup.

I've got a long day ahead of me.

You about ready? We don't want to keep those church ladies waiting.

I have to fix my hair. Well, don't take too long.

They're having this special meeting just for us.

How can I get dressed if you do that?

You know, honey, I'm lucky to have you.

I could have married some homely old gal who wouldn't be any help at all.

They're not gonna vote for you because they think I'm pretty. Oh, no?

Well, there are all kind of funny reasons why people vote the way they do,

so I wouldn't be sure about that.

Never hurt for a candidate to have a pretty wife with a trim figure.

Now, stop. Mmm.

You know, honey, you're gonna love Cheyenne. I just know you will.

It's gonna make all the difference in the world.

We'll be happy. You'll see.

Tobe, what would happen if you weren't elected?

I will be.

Well, I know, but... but if you weren't elected, would it make a difference?

There's no reason to talk about that.

Now, listen. You hurry up and finish your hair.

I've gotta go down and take care of a couple of things with Lou White.

Hurry up now, honey.

Jenny will be down in just a moment.

Something bothering you, Lou? Clay Grainger.

He's going after that farm vote, and we need a big slice of it to win.

Let's get us a big slice. What's Grainger up to?

Well, along about noon, he's gonna be stumpin' at Eb Smalley's place.

Smalley's president of the farmers' alliance.

If Grainger gets his support... Yeah, I see what you mean.

Question is, what can we do about it?

Well, I've been thinking about that too.

Ain't no use in lettin' Grainger get ahead of us.

Now, if I was to ride out and speak to Smalley first...

That's a good idea, Lou. Hey, that's good thinking.

Listen, you go on out there and talk to him.

And thanks a lot. Got to get you elected, Tobe.

Then you can thank me...

in Cheyenne.

I know who my friends are, and I won't forget.

Tobe? I'm ready.

How do I look? Awful pretty.

Just about perfect. Well, let's go out there and charm those ladies.

They got the vote in Wyoming, bless 'em.

Well, afternoon, boys.

How are ya?

- Is Mr. Smalley around? - He is.

Yeah. So is Mr. White.

Well, Mr. Smalley, I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity...

to say a few words this afternoon.

Uh, over here be all right?

I'm Clay Grainger, in case there's any doubt about it.

I'm a cattle rancher.

In years past, there were times if I stood up here and said that,

it would be an invitation to a fight.

I hope our differences have been settled.

Now, first, I wanna say that I intend to see that everybody...

gets equal representation...

in the territorial legislature.

What about water rights?

Will we have equal representation there too?

That has been one of our disputes in the past, yes,

but John Springfield has drawn up a bill...

to guarantee the fair use of every stream and every river in the whole territory,

and I intend to introduce that bill and to fight for it.

That's easy to say before the election.

Maybe what I have to say will remove some of your doubts, Mr. Smalley.

Not my doubt, Mr. Grainger.

John Springfield always treated us fair and square.

But then he didn't have any reason not to.

Are you saying I do?

I'm saying you're not the farmers' candidate.

We didn't put you up to running for office.

We sure didn't!

I admit that, but that's not going to stop me from being impartial.

A beef rancher? That'll be the day!

You are the cattlemen's candidate, Mr. Grainger.

What kind of a shake do you think you're gonna give us farmers in Cheyenne?

A fair shake.

Well, maybe a cattleman's idea of "fair" is different than ours.

We can recall having our crops trampled by stampeding steers,

having our wells dynamited and our barns burned to the ground...

by fair-minded cattlemen trying to drive us out!

That was a terrible time, yes.

I wasn't in the territory then.

But you're here now, mister,

and I don't believe a single word coming out of your mouth!

And neither do any of the rest of us!

Maybe you would believe if you'd stop to listen. To what?

Your big talk about equal rights in the legislature?

Don't do us any favors, cattleman.

We are your equals,

both in the law courts and in the sight of God Almighty!

We don't want you here! Now get on out!

Hey! Hey!

Hey!

Back off.

All right, boys. Let's go home.

Go on back to your ranch and stay there!

If you're counting on our votes, you sure ain't going to Cheyenne!

Thanks for your hospitality, Mr. Smalley.

Makes a fella want to come back and visit sometime.

Thank you, John.

Now that you've had your baptism, now that you've been heckled from the floor,

how did it feel? Terrible.

The first time it happened to me, I swore nothing in this world...

could ever make me stand up before a crowd again.

I almost feel that way.

Clay, when people stop asking and start telling you what to do,

that's the time to quit... At least it was for me.

Who started telling you, John?

You mean you don't know that by now?

Not Ben Poole?

Well, who was it that asked you to be his candidate?

Well, he said it was a citizens' group wanted me to run.

And naturally, you didn't ask any questions.

Clay, you're just too all-fired honest to suspect anybody's motives.

Ben Poole knew that Tobe Larkin would make an issue out of that open range-land.

And he certainly knew where you stood.

He made a good match of it. I'll give him credit for that.

Well, what possible difference could it make to Ben Poole...

whether the town or the Indians get that land?

You are not only trusting and honest,

you believe in the infallibility of government.

I don't follow that.

Men make mistakes, and men run the government.

That bill of mine giving the open range-land to the Indians...

It has a loophole.

What kind of loophole? One big enough to drive a herd through.

Seems the Arapaho are given the right to hunt, to fish, to live on the land...

and farm the land if they want to.

But in the present version of that bill, nothing...

Not one single word is said about grazing rights.

Oh. So anybody with a ranch nearby could make use of it.

Could indeed.

And Ben Poole's ranch adjoins that range-land.

His and probably others in that citizens' group.

John, how on earth did you ever let a bill like that go through?

That is the question I was waiting for.

How did I let it go through?

The Springfield Bill.

Well, Clay, that loophole didn't just happen.

It was built in. Oh, not by me. I fought it tooth and nail.

But along came Ben Poole and others like him,

and they pressured and they gouged my fellow legislators...

Many of them cattlemen.

Oh, I made a stand. I swore that that bill would not be watered down.

I wrote letters. I wrote a letter to everybody in Medicine Bow...

inviting them to attend the open hearing.

Uh, begging them to attend.

I wrote you a letter, Clay.

I don't know when that was, but I probably couldn't get away from the ranch.

Yeah. That was the general response.

Well, I lost that fight,

and that weak excuse of a bill was passed with my name on it.

And that is when... That is why I decided to quit.

John, do you think Tobe Larkin knows...

of Poole's involvement with the land bill?

He's smart. He's ambitious. He's a good campaigner.

It's very likely.

Then why hasn't he used it against me?

He will, in time.

Clay.

Ben Poole is outside.

He says he wants to see you, if it's not too late.

Let him in. But I...

Let him in.

Ben. Thank you, Holly.

Clay. I'm not disturbing you, am I? No, you're not.

I just got in from Cheyenne.

I about ruined a good horse getting back

here because I didn't want to miss anything,

but, uh, sure looks like I did, didn't I?

That business out at Smalley's place...

Why didn't you tell me about the grazing rights...

being open on that Indian land grant?

Now, Clay...

What galls me is how close to the truth Eb Smalley really was.

With you standing over me pulling the strings,

I couldn't give those farmers an even break.

Clay, now just go easy.

We have different opinions on some things, but we can iron that out.

Basically, we're in agreement.

- We want to get you elected. - Why?

So you can have a reasonable man in Cheyenne,

somebody who doesn't see you through the eyes of John Springfield?

Yes, and that so-called citizens' group...

backing me so you can call the turns.

I wish to heaven I'd never agreed to be your candidate.

Just like that, huh?

Well, I can't say I didn't expect it.

I guess that was a risk I took picking you to run for the office.

And lying to me.

Yes, that, too, because we needed a winner.

Clay Grainger is a good name in Medicine Bow.

We thought you could get the vote.

That's why I worked so hard to get you to be the candidate.

And what do I owe you for that, Ben? Loyalty?

- Oh! - Sorry.

That's a coin I only pay to friends.

And you took yourself out of that category when you came to me in deceit!

Well, then who are you loyal to?

Pig farmers and townspeople?

This is cattle country, Clay!

Cattle is the power that runs this territory,

and you do owe your loyalty...

to every rancher who ever broke his back trying to turn a few miserable head...

into a proud-sized herd of good cattle!

We came in here and fought the Indians. We opened up this land!

Sure, I lied to you.

We wanted someone in Cheyenne who was gonna stick up for us!

Not John Springfield with his fair water bills...

and his giving away our good pasturage to land-hungry Indians!

We wanted a cattleman!

Even when you knew how I stood on the issues?

Even now, Clay, because you're a cattleman.

And sooner or later, you're gonna come around to our way of thinking.

You're gonna have to make that choice.

And what if my choice is pointing you to the door...

and telling you to get out of my house?

Well, then you can just count yourself right out of this election...

because, without me, you don't stand a chance.

If that's the case, I'd rather lose it.

Get out!

Come in.

I saw your light from the house. Come in. Sit down.

Thank you.

Your instincts were right about Ben Poole.

I should have looked into that citizens' group a little more thoroughly.

And I should have realized you were hired to be the foreman of this ranch...

because you're supposed to be pretty smart.

That was a bad lapse of memory.

I owe you an apology.

Well, I haven't exactly been stewing about it,

but thanks, Mr. Grainger.

I'll accept that. Good.

Well, that's it.

Good night. What are you gonna do about the election?

What am I going to do? I'm gonna win it.

What about Ben Poole?

In spite of Ben Poole.

I'm gonna debate the issues with Tobe Larkin.

I'm gonna let the people know the whole truth.

And I'm gonna let 'em know my door is closed to Ben Poole.

I'm gonna represent all the people... or none.

He's picking up votes, Tobe. He's picking votes up right and left!

He had them people listening to him at those picnic grounds till nearly midnight.

We don't even have Ben Poole to use against him anymore.

He's getting the town voters, and, even worse, he's getting the farm vote.

If Grainger gets enough of that farm vote, we can forget about Cheyenne.

We got a situation started here. Let's make use of it.

Smalley spoke out against Grainger.

Everybody in town knows he threw Grainger off his place.

Smalley's a thorn in Grainger's side.

I don't see how that can help us. It just might help us.

It just might, depending on what happens next...

Like some kind of accident maybe.

Now, wait a minute.

You want to win, don't you, Tobe?

I didn't engineer this campaign just for the legal fees...

for the dividing up of that range property.

I'm after something bigger, and so are you.

Now, unless you want to turn your back on that ambition...

Lou,

you're talking about something that I didn't agree to.

Grainger can swing that whole election in that debate tomorrow night.

Now, we gotta do something. We gotta do it right now.

How would you, uh, go about arranging something like this?

Denny Otis, he's a good boy. He knows how to take orders.

He'll do anything I say... Anything you say, Tobe.

What do you say, Tobe?

Look, why don't you...

go ahead and tell Denny to just...

do whatever he's supposed to do.

Jenny?

I don't know what she heard.

That's all right. I'll talk to her. You go ahead and find Denny.

Oh, Jenny, don't do that. It's not like it sounded.

Do you want it that much? Do you?

Jenny.

Yes.

I want it that much and more.

My pa put me to work down in that shop when I was just a little boy,

barely high enough to reach the counter.

He said to me I had to learn how to make a living and never mind what I wanted.

Telling me over and over, "You got to earn your way, boy.

You got to earn your way!"

And my ma begging him to leave me alone...

until the day she died.

And on that day,

he finally agreed to let me go away to school.

And then I was free of him and everything that was his.

I was me. I was somebody!

I was not the hero's son. I didn't have to live up to anything.

Oh, Jenny.

The books I read.

The joy of learning something...

without him standing over me all the time.

And I had to come back to all that was his.

I had to make my life from his leavings.

Until Lou White came to town and offered me a way out.

The territorial legislature! The first step, he said.

And I knew right then that that was the way that I was meant to go.

And that's how much I want it, Jenny.

I want it more than anything else in this world.

More than you want me?

- Jenny. - You said it was for us, Tobe... us!

And all the time you were only thinking of yourself.

That's not so.

I don't know what terrible things you agreed to downstairs,

but don't say it was for me, because that's a lie!

I don't want it!

Oh, please say no, Tobe. Please.

Before it's too late.

Do that much for me.

Then go to Cheyenne alone!

I don't want to live there with you,

and I don't want to be a legislator's wife!

Oh, Jenny.

Oh, Tobe.

Tobe.

Who'd do a thing like that?

Burn a man's barn and his livestock and then club him?

Smalley never saw the man. He was jumped from behind. How is he?

Doctor says he's coming along fine, but he

won't be able to work that farm for a while.

And that barn was a big loss to him.

Doesn't he have any idea at all who did it?

Yes. As a matter of fact, he does.

You're looking at me.

You mean Eb Smalley thinks I bushwhacked him, then set fire to his barn? Why?

Something you said to him about coming back.

Clay, I hate to say this, but he feels that Trampas was just following orders.

Smalley told you I had him attacked and burned out?

He seems to feel that you had something against him for something he said...

when you were trying to get votes.

Well, Trampas was with you at the time.

- There it is. - Do you believe it?

Nope. No, I know you too well for that.

Besides, there's not a shred of evidence that points in that direction.

Yeah. All right then.

Trouble is there's no evidence says you didn't.

So all we got left is talk, an awful lot of talk.

Some people will believe it in spite of everything.

Yeah, if they want to.

And they'll want to when Tobe Larkin gets his say at the debate tonight.

Well, I'm beginning to see daylight.

Where you going? To talk to Eb Smalley.

It won't help him much, but I'll feel a whole lot better when he sees the truth.

I doubt if Mr. Smalley will be able to see anything today.

Any harder, and that blow would have cracked his skull.

You'd be making a mistake to go anywhere near him.

Well, I can't let him go on thinking it was me that burned his barn.

Well, was it you?

If you'll excuse me, Mr. Springfield,

I think I'll go back to work and forget you said that.

Clay. Mark. How are you?

John.

Well, Clay, I think I'll be running along.

Something I can do for you? There is something you can do.

You can find the man that attacked Smalley and burned his barn.

Whoever it was, it wasn't one of my men.

One of your men, Clay, might have thought he was doing you a favor.

I don't hire men with a distorted sense of loyalty, John.

Is that what you came here to find out? No, no, no, no.

I came here to keep this thing from spreading.

Clay, when we had the trouble between the cattle ranchers...

and the men who started the farmers' alliance,

the beatings and the barn burnings were the least of it.

Now after seven years of uneasy peace, somebody's put a fuse to the powder keg.

- And they're blaming you. - That doesn't mean I am to blame. I'm not.

Well, then it was done to turn them against you.

It could very easily turn all the small landowners...

against all the big cattle ranchers.

Do you realize what I'm trying to say?

We could be on the thin, crumbling edge of a range war.

All because of an election!

People have gone crazy. What is it?

Power. The promise of power.

It can be a driving force, and it can be terrible.

And it will be terrible unless we do something to stop this.

I'll get my men to leave their guns at home.

Good. I'll contact as many ranchers as possible...

and get them to do the same.

Fine. And I'll have a talk with the farmers' alliance.

Maybe we can get them to cooperate.

Maybe we can nip this thing in the bud.

But if we can't, a range war could break out of that meeting tonight,

And if it does happen that way,

then may God have mercy on us all.

I'll be going now.

Jenny, did you hear me? What?

Well, I'd better go on down to the debate.

I don't know how late I'll be, so you, uh,

go ahead and get some rest.

Hey, you know what?

We gotta start thinking about what kind of house we want to live in...

when we get to Cheyenne.

I'd like something big with a lot of rooms.

No more living up over a shop.

I'd like a dining room with a crystal chandelier...

and fireplaces in every room.

Big, elegant. I...

Well, that won't be at first,

but I just know we can make it, Jenny.

If I win this election, I'll rise to the top like sweet cream.

I guess I'll go on down there now.

You know, Lou wants me to get down there early...

so I can shake hands with everyone.

I'll tell you all about it in the morning.

You get some sleep now.

Bye.

Oh, Tobe.

Clay?

We'd better be leaving.

Didn't you say that the debate was scheduled for 8:00?

Hmm? Yes. Yes, I did.

I did.

Uh, stand up.

I want to take a look at you.

What's the matter?

I don't know.

Something isn't just right.

This is the suit you laid out for me.

No, the suit's fine.

The hat?

The hat's fine. Well, then what's wrong?

It's your face.

Get that woebegone expression off of your face.

That's better.

Now I know why a politician should be married.

He deals with so many schemers, fixers and double-dealers...

that he needs somebody close to him who is sweet and reasonable.

I'm not always so sweet, and I'm not always reasonable,

but I am close, and I am going to stay close.

Well, it might not be so pleasant there tonight.

It might be terrible, in fact.

Well, all the more reason to walk in there with a smile on your face.

Somehow I have the feeling things would've been better...

if you'd have been the candidate instead of me.

Imagine a woman in politics.

Unless you think a woman's place is in the home.

I think no such thing.

I think a woman's place is wherever she wants to be,

and I want to be with you.

How do I look now? Fine, Mr. Grainger. Just fine.

Time you got here. How's it going?

Good. Real good. Where's Jenny?

I left her home. I thought it might be best.

You're probably right. Hello!

Good evening, Fred. Hi. How you doing?

You better get a seat. Looks like it's filling up.

Mr. Grainger, I'd like to wish you all the best, sir.

I've already felt the extent of your wishes for me.

Good evening, Mr. Larkin.

Mrs. Grainger.

I don't see why we have to wind up this campaign with hard feelings.

If you don't see it, there must be something radically wrong with your vision.

Shall we take our seats, Clay?

I should have left you home.

May I remind you that the women have the vote in the territory of Wyoming.

We may also attend political rallies with our husbands.

I hope this political rally doesn't turn into a shooting match.

Smile, Mr. Grainger.

I don't feel like smiling.

There's a sight that may cheer you up.

Tobe. Good evening.

John. Ah, it's...

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

As you all know, we are gathered here this evening...

to listen to the final political speeches...

of our two candidates for office.

And that is the only reason we are here.

Now, if any of you have come to this meeting with any other thought in mind,

I would ask you, please, to put it aside.

And I would ask you also to please keep an open mind.

Tomorrow... Tomorrow, you'll cast your vote.

Now, that sounds like a small thing, almost insignificant.

Two men, and all you have to do is pick one of them.

Now, what could be simpler?

Why, you could almost do that with the flip of a coin.

Come to think of it, that might make a whole lot more sense...

than choosing with your eyes closed...

Blinded by prejudice and emotion.

I would ask you instead to rely on reason and intelligence.

Now, all of us have lived through violent days,

and I beg of you, let us put this violence out of our lives now and forever.

Learn to live in peace with our neighbors.

Oh, I know. I know.

The democratic processes can be painful,

almost unbearable at times.

Hard feelings have been stirred up.

Charges have been made and counter-charges.

All I'm asking is that you wait and listen.

Think and then choose carefully.

Now, let's get on with the debate.

Mr. Grainger has already agreed to let his opponent be the first to state his case.

Therefore I call on Mr. Tobias Larkin.

Thank you, Mr. Springfield.

My distinguished opponent, ladies and gentlemen.

I caught a phrase just now...

that seemed appropriate to what I'm about to say.

"The democratic processes can be painful."

Mr. Springfield's right about that.

Look at this campaign.

We started out with one issue,

and we ended up with another...

The right of a man...

to speak out for what he believes in without fear of reprisal...

Painful reprisal at the end of a club.

That's right!

There's some people who are so big,

they think that no voice can be raised against them.

Well, I'm raising my voice right here and now.

And I'm telling these big people...

that there are others to be heard from!

Now wait a minute! Wait a minute. You don't have to take my word for it.

I'll let you hear it firsthand.

Here's a man who can tell you the price of speaking his own mind!

I'm talking about the president of the farmers' alliance... Mr. Eb Smalley!

Hasn't this gone far enough, Larkin?

Do you know what you're doing?

I'm giving up my time to let a man speak the truth.

Go on, Eb. There's nobody gonna stop you now.

What happened to me...

Well, I wouldn't have believed it a little while ago.

I wouldn't have believed that Clay Grainger...

could be responsible for a thing like that.

Clay Grainger didn't do it.

You know that better than anybody, Tobe.

You and Lou White.

Oh, it was his idea, but you let him go ahead with it.

You told him to do whatever had to be done...

to get you elected.

Jenny, don't do this.

Lou White said that Denny Otis would do it.

He said that Denny was a good boy,

and he would do what he was told,

and he was told to beat up Eb Smalley and set fire to his barn.

Lou?

You said nobody was gonna find out.

You swore it. Shut up, Denny.

Look, I only did it for Tobe Larkin.

Lou, he said that's why we was gonna do it.

That's what he said!

Sorry, Tobe. We nearly made it.

That would have been something.

Now, please, wait a minute. Listen to me.

If you'll just listen, I can explain to you how all of that happened.

Now you listen to me! Listen to me!

Oh, Jenny.

Why'd you do that?

Why?

I did it for us, Tobe. For us.

I'm sorry, Mr. Grainger.

And I know when Tobe's had time to think about it, he'll be sorry too.

He's not all that bad.

It was the wanting.

All right. Let's settle down, folks.

Well... All right, let's...

Let's simmer down, folks. We've got a lot of unfinished business to attend to.

Let's... Wait. Wait till I'm finished.

This is not an election speech.

When Tobe Larkin walked off of this platform,

he took himself out of the race.

Now, I was sorry to see that happen.

Sorry for a lot of reasons,

but one of 'em is it left you with only one candidate.

And the way I see it, an election with only one candidate is no election at all.

A choice... That's the important thing.

That's what democracy's all about.

Now, those folks who... who differ with me on certain points...

will have no way to be counted and no place to go.

We could have an election tomorrow, yes.

We could go through the motions.

But I doubt if anybody would be completely satisfied with the results,

and that includes me.

Now, the way things stand, it just wouldn't be fair...

to all the voters of this district...

if I were to assume the office.

That's why I'm going to ask that my name be withdrawn as a candidate.

Now, you're probably thinking, "Well, that leaves us with no one at all."

Well, you're wrong.

It leaves us with the one man best qualified...

and with the most experience for the job,

the man who holds it now.

He offered his resignation as a matter of principle.

And we made the mistake of taking him up on it.

Well, that was just one of our mistakes.

He can tell you about a few more.

And he can set you straight on that Indian land business, too,

just the way he set me straight.

And he can tell you why government is everybody's business...

and why we shouldn't leave it up to some other fella to take care of for us.

Oh, yes.

Yes, he's an expert in his field.

And he bothered to learn because he cares.

You all saw tonight how much he cares.

Well, if we can show him how much we care,

I'm betting he'll change his mind and stay on as our territorial representative...

until the end of his term.

And I'm gonna ask you for a vote of confidence for John Springfield!

Thank you. Thank you, thank you.

I'm very grateful, and I accept.

But first, let me warn you.

Next year, you'd better be ready with two good candidates,

and one of them had better be Clay Grainger.

Since there won't be an election tomorrow, let's make it a holiday.

Then I won't have to wait for the Fourth of July...

to make one heck of a speech!

You had it won, and you gave it away.

Is that an observation or a wifely criticism? Neither one.

That's simply a thank-you from a satisfied voter.