When Matt Dillon sends a few too many cowhands home with their egos sore, the biggest rancher in the area - Vance - tells Matt that he won't be bringing his cattle or cowhands into Dodge anymore. He brings a lot of business to the stores and saloons in Dodge, so the business men of the city decide to hold and meeting and tell Matt that he needs to soften up on the cowhands, and be a bit more lenient. Matt knows it's a mistake, but he lets the men have their way. It won't be long before they're back to ask for his help again. In the meantime, they've appointed the meekest man as the new constable of Dodge.