Changes

[[United States Senate|Senator]] Sam Foley is dead—and as far as his colleague, Senator [[Joseph Paine]] ([[Claude Rains]]) and Paine's party boss, Jim Taylor ([[Edward Arnold]]), are concerned, his death couldn't have come at a worse time. Because at the time of his death, Senators Foley and Paine were seeking to extract a five-million-dollar Federal appropriation for the construction of a [[dam]] in their State, and they and their three colleagues in the [[United States House of Representatives|House]] had recently managed to have their appropriation attached as a legislative rider to a pending "Deficiency Bill" when Foley died. Therefore, the dilemma for Mr. Taylor and Senator Paine was obvious: whoever replaced Mr. Foley in the Senate must ask no questions, and follow the voting instructions given by Senator Paine and, through him, Mr. Taylor.

[[United States Senate|Senator]] Sam Foley is dead—and as far as his colleague, Senator [[Joseph Paine]] ([[Claude Rains]]) and Paine's party boss, Jim Taylor ([[Edward Arnold]]), are concerned, his death couldn't have come at a worse time. Because at the time of his death, Senators Foley and Paine were seeking to extract a five-million-dollar Federal appropriation for the construction of a [[dam]] in their State, and they and their three colleagues in the [[United States House of Representatives|House]] had recently managed to have their appropriation attached as a legislative rider to a pending "Deficiency Bill" when Foley died. Therefore, the dilemma for Mr. Taylor and Senator Paine was obvious: whoever replaced Mr. Foley in the Senate must ask no questions, and follow the voting instructions given by Senator Paine and, through him, Mr. Taylor.

Faced with this, Paine suggests to Taylor that the proposed Willett Creek Dam project be postponed to the next session of Congress, or scrapped altogether. Taylor refuses, saying that a cancellation might trigger an investigation, which would reveal that Taylor and his friends have been holding the land that would be sold to the government under false names. Best to go through with the project before anyone even thinks to question it, says Taylor. Taylor also takes offense at Paine's suggestiong that Taylor would do anything to present a "risk" to Paine's career, especially when Taylor has already planned a campaign to promote Paine's name at the national party convention, in an effort to have Paine nominated for the office of [[President of the United States]]. So Paine gives his assent to the appointment of one Horace Miller, a "born stooge" who would gladly take orders.

Faced with this, Paine suggests to Taylor that the proposed Willett Creek Dam project be postponed to the next session of Congress, or scrapped altogether. Taylor refuses, saying that a cancellation might trigger an investigation, which would reveal that Taylor and his friends have been holding the land that would be sold to the government under false names. Best to go through with the project before anyone even thinks to question it, says Taylor. Taylor also takes offense at Paine's suggesting that Taylor would do anything to present a "risk" to Paine's career, especially when Taylor has already planned a campaign to promote Paine's name at the national party convention, in an effort to have Paine nominated for the office of [[President of the United States]]. So Paine gives his assent to the appointment of one Horace Miller, a "born stooge" who would gladly take orders.

However, [[Governor]] Hubert "Hap" Hopper ([[Guy Kibbee]]) has another problem: the citizens of his State have begun a raucous movement in protest to the corruption, the graft, and the political favoritism by which Jim Taylor controls virtually every industry, and government at every level except the Federal, in their State. So when Jim Taylor tries to order Hap to appoint Horace Miller as Sam Foley's replacement, the outraged citizens will not hear of it. They even have their own candidate to suggest: one Henry Hill, whom Taylor and his associates regard as a "crackpot" and a "longhair."

However, [[Governor]] Hubert "Hap" Hopper ([[Guy Kibbee]]) has another problem: the citizens of his State have begun a raucous movement in protest to the corruption, the graft, and the political favoritism by which Jim Taylor controls virtually every industry, and government at every level except the Federal, in their State. So when Jim Taylor tries to order Hap to appoint Horace Miller as Sam Foley's replacement, the outraged citizens will not hear of it. They even have their own candidate to suggest: one Henry Hill, whom Taylor and his associates regard as a "crackpot" and a "longhair."