All language subtitles for The Virginian S08E04 - The Power Seekers

♪♪

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.