The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-11-15

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his plan AM; sccing much help in it for
the men. He knew where he could get
some good tables from an abandoned
eating house at one of the stations down
the road. and he saw how the coffee ar
rangement could be made a very at
tractive feature The men had respond
ed even better than he anticipated, and
the whole thing could not help being a
great benefit to them.
He took up the routine of his work
with glow Of satisfaction. After all,
he wanted to do as Jesus would. he said
to himself.
1t was nearly 4 o'clock when he
opened one Of the company's long envel-
opes which he supposed contained Or
ders for the purchasing Of stores. He
ran over the first page of typewriter
matter in his usual quick, businesslike
manner before he saw that he was read
ing what was not intended for his Office,
but for the superintendent Of the freight
department.
he turned over q page mechanically,
not meaning to read what was not ad-
dressed to him. but before he knew it
he was In possession Of evidence which
conclusively proved that the company
was engaged in a systematic violation
OF the interstate commerce laws of the
United States. It was as distinct and
unsquivocal breaking of law as if a pri-
vate citizen should enter q house and
rob the inmates. The discrimination
shown in rebates was in total contempt
OF all the statutes. Under the laws of
the state 1t was also distinct violation
OF certain provisions recently passed by
the legislature to prevent railroad
trusts. There was no question that he
held In his hand evidence sufficient to
convict the company of willful, intelli-
gent violation Of the law Of the COM
mission and the law Of the state also.
He dropped the papers on his desk as
II they were poison, and instantly the
question flashed across his mind, "What
would Jesus dor" He tried to shut the
question ont He tried to reason with
himself by saying it was none Of his
business. He had supposed in a more or
less indefinite way, as did nearly all Of
the officers Of the company, that this
had been going on right along in nearly
all the roads BE was not in q position.
owing to his place in the shops, to prove
direct. and he had regarded it
all as q matter which did not concern
him at all. The papers now before him
revealed the entire affair. They had
through some carelessness in the address
come into his hands. What business of
his was it9 II he saw q man entering
his neighbor's house to steal, would it
not be his duty to inform the officers of
the lawf Was railroad company such
Q different thingf Was it under diff
ferent rule Of conduct. 80 that it could
rob the public and defy law and be un-
disturbed because it was such a great
organizations What would Jesus dor
Then there was his family. Of course
II he took any steps to inform the COM
mission 1t would mean the loss of his
position. His wife and daughters had
always enjoyed luxury and good place
in society. If he came out against this
lawlessness as witness. it would drag
him into courts. his motives would be
and the whole thing
would end in his disgrace and the loss
OF his position. Surely. it was none of
his business He could easily get the
papers back to the freight department
and no one be the wiser. Let the iniuuity
go on Let the law be defied. What was
1t to himr He would work out his plans
for bettering the conditions Just about
him. What more could a man do in
this railroad business. where there was
30 much going on anyway that made it
impossible to live by the Christian
But what would Jesus do if
he knew the facts? That was the ques-
tion that confronted Alexander Powers
as the day wore into evening.
The lights in the office had been
turned on. The whir of the great en-
CINE and the crash of the planer in the
big shop continued until 6 O'Clock.
Then the whistle blew, the engines
slowed down. and the men dropped
their tools and ran for the blockhouse
Alexander Powers heard the familiar
click. click. of the blocks as the men
filed pass the window Of the blockhouse
just outside. He said to his clerks:
"l'm not going just yet. l have some
thing extra tonight" He waited until
he heard the last man deposit his block.
The men behind the block case went
out. The engineer and his assistants
had work for half an hour. but they
went Oat at another door.
AT o'clock that evening any one
who had looked into the superintend-
ents office would have seen an unusual
sight He was kneeling down, and his
face was buried in his hands as he
bowed his head upon the papers on his
desk