Chapter V Summary and Analysis

It is 1955 and time for the latest Democratic Mayor, Martin Kennelly, to go. He was a weak token but had served his purpose. It was is now time for power to return to the office. Kennelly is sure they will change their minds—he can convince them. He makes a personal appeal before the committee. A few days later, word gets around that Daley has been drafted to run for Mayor.

The Republicans decide to run quite a good candidate, Alderman Robert Merriam. He is intelligent, good-looking, a great orator and a progressive Republican. Merriam goes on the attack, hammering away at corruption in the Police Department and the Machine. Merriam exposes signs of voter fraud on the Democratic side even before the election. The Machine-controlled election board finds in favor of Daley. But the newspapers had a...