The Truth Wagon

The story opens with a ball at the residence of George Ross, Republican candidate for governor. When the activity of the evening is at its height the men are not to be found. The women become the victims of disagreeable lassitude. The ball is a failure. In the meantime the men are the guests of John Ross, the practical joker. They deserted the allurements of the ballroom to attend an amateur prizefight held on a barge, young Ross's newest idea. When John Ross returns home, "four sheets in the wind" and piloting Jim, the victor of the fight, his reception by his family is not what might be termed friendly. They are weary of his pranks and one after another deliver the broadside, "Why don't you tell the truth and go to work." George Ross, his father, is in no sense dishonest but is a pliant tool in the hands of Henry Drew, Republican State Chairman. Drew comes to an understanding with Francis Sullivan, the Democratic power in the state, to the effect that the Democratic votes will be cast for Ross and that in payment for this, political favors will be handed out to Sullivan. George Ross, however, is ignorant that he is being used as a tool. Neither will he believe his son, who tells him that he is being used as a plaything. Helen Dean, a reporter on "Truth," a fast-dying newspaper owned by William Dean, her father, seeks out John Ross to get a story concerning his newest joke. Like those of his family, she is impressed by his idleness and asks him why he does not tell the truth and go to work. He takes up a copy of "Truth" which she has laid upon the table and gets an idea. He learns that the newspaper is for sale and a moment later when his father takes him to task for his uselessness, he makes the startling announcement: "I'm going on the Truth Wagon for ninety days. I'm going to buy the 'Truth' and go to work." And he does. He buys the newspaper and begins to wage a bitter war against crooked politics. He refuses to sell out to Tammany and when his father will not cut loose from Drew and Sullivan, he begins to fight him. He retains Helen Dean and her father to aid him in his campaign and goes so far as to have the elder Dean nominated for the governorship to run against his father. Sullivan brings libel suits against young Ross and holds him practically a prisoner in his office. When these means fail and when John Ross succeeds in getting incriminating evidence against Sullivan and Drew, Sullivan gets his strong-arm-men together and instructs them to stop