The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-28

home is to make de price of living come
within de means of folks of moderate
incomes. like me-" OATS de song he
sung, put L cops it right dat WhiskerS
fdkes on an even hundred thousand,
wolhlns TWO days a year cutting de
fringe off bonds.
What Is your plan. Paul?" he says.
Tell me quick so as I can have a taste
OF heaven even before I die"
1t is dis" says Mr.. Paul. I'm go
ing 10 form de Island of Manhattan
Amusement Company. Unlimited. De
capital VIII be a few million. but when
L set fort me suspicious I'll have IN use
a hammer to discourage subscribers r
sha get a franchise for me
to fence in Manhattan Island, and
charge admission. In retoin for de
franchise de company will pay de city
all de long green needed to run de moa-
eyclpal govment. 1t won't be much,
as de comnany will do most of de woik
now done by de city: run de Police and
Fire Departments. clean de streets. paw
de office holders. and"
Hold on" say Whiskers. IF your
company pays for running all dose de-
partments. why would it have TO ma
de city anyting?"
Sir says Mr.. Paul, deere are soften
expenses in connection wit gov'ment
which II is not polite to discuss in mix
ed company. For particulars. L refer
you to me friends Platt, Croker and
Company. Dis plan was suggested to
me on a ~poissonally conducted tour
about town, wit ChameS to guide me,
today. L found dat at de present rate
of progress New York, in a little time.
will be sOlidly built up of teeatres and
hotels De business is badly in need
of organization,'-say dat is a bold
of a woid-What?-"Of organization. 1t
should be run IN a community of in
tereSt. Here is teeatreS being built all
over de lot. wit hotels stuck in be-
tween. n no general plan, no como
my competition instead of co-opera-
ton, and millions of graft going to
waste because nobody has taut of me
PLAN
But what has fencing in de Island
got to do with it?" Whiskers asks.
Oats de starting point" says Mr..
Paul. You couldn't keep Americans
wit gold to melt out of New York II
you threatened EN- wit small pox and
Calling guns. It's de cinchiest graft
dat ever went to waste since Noah for
got to charge admission to de Ark. We
has de goods. and de people won't be-
happy until dey has EN-. Make EN- pay
to get into de shop, and den pay for
what dey gets dere. After paying all
de expenses we now meet by de foolish
trick of taxing ourselves. me
will still have all de profits of de shop
for velveteen. See?"
1T sounds big" says Whiskers.
But It's bigger dan it sounds" says
Mr.. Paul. Its de graftiest graft dat
ever grew out of DOORS" he a using
some read ~langwudge. which he can,
when he wants to ak straight.
Listen" he says. "On me trip wit
ChameS today, I seen a undred
buildings, costing a hundred million
dollars, going I'm. DER hundred, sepa-
rate foolish owners is paying all kinds
of foolish Doodle for the land, for build
ing material, for labor, and for every
thing. OATS what de hundred little
steel companies, and de dozen steam
ship companies paid before dey got to-
gedder. What is dey paying now, I
asks you?"
Paying dividends" says Whiskers.
beginning to get ont de graft.
Exactly. sir. Let US stop dis foolish
game Of building a teeatre here. a hotel
dere, a palm room somewhere else, and
a row of banjo flats in between. Let us
get together; let us organize; let us
get on to de game. and stop playing
long shots. just because dey is long,
and play noting but cinches, wit de
money handed out to us as soon as we
pickles our favorite. without waiting for
de horses to be run. De whole island
will be covered by a twenty story
building, and as fast as q new teeatre,
a hotel, a restaurant. a mile of flats, OF
any odder old kind of a joint is want
ed, part Of de building will be finished
to suit tenants. De fixes de
rent-without competition. Is it a
dream WHAT he says.
Say, isn't Mr.. Paul q fancy hneSeerE
But listen: I lit de pipe dat started
dat dream. and I'll come in for a rake
off on de Doodle, and wear me Sunday
close all de time, n drink noting but
real wine, whenever I has toist on me-"