Jim Taylor [when Smith is announced as the newly appointed Senator]
I want you to let the ballyhoo boys loose, plan a celebration, and declare a holiday.
Played by Edward Arnold 
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) · 36 quotes
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) · 36 quotes
4th most-quoted character in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): in 6 of its 36 quotes
A line from Jim TaylorIf he even starts to convince those Senators, you might as well blow your brains out, you know that, don't ya? This is the works, Joe! Either we're out of business or we're bigger than we ever were before. We can't miss a trick. We can't stop at anything until we've smashed this yokel and buried him so deep...
More lines from Jim Taylor
3 quotes Jim Taylor Jim Taylor Well what do you want me to do? Stand around like you chumps and let that drooling infant wrap that Willet Creek Dam appropriation around my neck! Not me, ha, ha, ha. Either he falls in line with us and behaves himself or I'll break him so wide open they'll never be able to find the pieces.
Jim Taylor Our steam-roller methods are getting too hard for your sensitive soul. Is that it? The Silver Knight is getting too big for us. My methods have been all right for the past twenty years, Joe. Since I picked you out of a fly-specked hole in the wall and blew you up to look like a Senator. And now you can't stand it.
Scenes with Jim Taylor
2 scenes Jim Taylor Anything that benefits the state is mighty important to me. Owning a lot of its industry, newspapers, and other odds-and-ends. Now if I felt that you had the welfare of the state at heart like I have, I'd say you were a man to watch. Now what do you like? Business? If you like business, you can pick any job in the state and go right to the top. Or politics? Huh? If you like being a Senator, there's no reason why you can't come back to that Senate and stay there as long as you want to. [Smith rises slowly and confronts Taylor eye-to-eye.] If you're smart. Now you take the boys here, or Joe Paine. They're doing all right. They don't have to worry about being re-elected or anything else. They're smart. They take my advice.
Jim Taylor Why yes. Joe Paine has been taking my advice for the past twenty years.
You're a liar.
He can raise public opinion against us - if any part of this sticks...
Jim Taylor Aah, he'll never get started. I'll make public opinion out there within five hours! I've done it all my life. I'll blacken this punk so that he'll - You leave public opinion to me. Now, Joe, I think you'd better go back into the Senate and keep those Senators lined up.
