Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-30

years: they were well liked and respected
in the neighborhood, and the sentiment OF
the people was In their favor. but every
one advised them to give in and sell the
place.
Rockefeller has million dollars for ev-
cry ten dollars you can raise" said they.
You can't beat him"
''All right said Melin, his big jaw set
ting firmly; 'fll try it, anyway"
The Anti-Saloon League took up the case
against Melin, and it was tried in White
Plains. 1t cost him $500 to defend the case,
but he won, and John Me1in's inn opened
again. 1t has been open ever since. It's
popularity has increased locally, but of the
hundreds of men employed on the Rookie
Teller estate none buys his beer there. IT Is
generally understood that patronage of Me-
efeIier employ Still, the innkeeper did a
good business, and was satisfied. His
chance to get back at his rich neighbor
came last mouth.
The Rockefellers take great interest in
road building. John d. and his brother
William have built at their own expense
many miles of roadway for the public good.
1t is important to their interests that the
with them. They did not like the road
commissioner, William Hutton. and Sc
cured the nomination of one of their own
workmen, named Rosa. Hutton, though a
o
a stanch republican. One day he came into
Meln's place. much detected:
The Rockefellers are going to beat me,
john" he said.
Don't let Them said Melin. flight 'em,
same me-"
Whats the use?" said Hutton; They've
got all their workmen's votes"
"All right" said Melin; eff you won't
fight 'em, I'll fight 'em for YOU
Hard, but a Fair Fight.
He threw himself heart and soul into the
campaign. There was nothing at stake for
him, but he wanted to beat John D. Rookie
Teller. Night and day he worked. At 6
o'clock in the morning he was on the road,
and often would be still at work at mid
| night. His wife looked after the inn while
| ne Travelled around getting votes for Hut
| ton. Meanwhile the Rockefelers were
working hard for their man. No doubt they
could, by judicious use of money have
Teller is not man who does that sort Of
thing. 1t was a fair fight and hard one.
The Rockefeller wagons carried the Rookie
| feller laborers to register, and afterward
to vote. But when the count was over
John D. Rockefeller's man was beaten by
twenty-four votes.
when Hutton got the news" says Melin,
in relating his victory ''he come to NV
place an he throw his arms 'roun' me an
l throw my arms 'roun' him, an he says,
John, you did it; you can have anything I
got an say, L don I want II, an we both
dance on the floor
Wasn't He Happy.
Probably Melin was the happiest man in
the township that night. For several days
following the Inn was sort of ratification
hall. The successful candidates lost no
| time in congratulating Melin, not only be-
cause he had been the one man who had
brought victory to them, but also because,
| in their election, he had brought to him
any of them. He had beaten John D.
| Rockefeller. To the prejudiced minds OF
| many of these partisans Melin's victory
| took on a gigantic significance and they
| talked in large phrases of the humble citi-
| zen who had defeated the aims of the most
powerful Standard Oil trust. Melin, to
them, was the modern st. George, who
single handed and alone, had chopped OFF
! the grasping tentacles of the Pocantico
hills dragon and had forced it to fee from
| the limits Of the Mount Pleasant corpora
| ton.
| But Melin himself has no such notions
| He understands how much the Rockefellers
have done for the community. Now that
| he has won his fight he is thinking of CIV
| ing up the place. He talks Of this entirely
| without rancor. His view is that 1t has
been a give-and-take, fair fight between
| himself and Rockefeller, and he harbors nc
| resentment at the thought that in the end
| his millionaire neighbor will get his place
| Il work here for seventeen years inside, "
| he says, and l get very tired. Maybe
| sell out after while, and then ROCKEFELLER
get my place. Maybe 1 go back to Sweden
then for visit, l don't know. Anyhow,
ton. and 1 got sick, too, but win the
fight"