Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1903-12-19

SOONSlLLOR NUMBER SEVEN.
private interests; like clergymen and
ministers, who SO long as people are
willing to pay for religion are quite
ready TO preach it; and, in short. like
every one else who is not absolutely a
fool-our flrst consideration, in the
conduct Of whatever business the nub-
lie think fit to entrust to us, is, not
to put too fine a point upon it, to
feather our own nests. 1t is quite true
that there are many men and women
working in connection with these as
sociations and societies who, thers il
no denying, are honest and dIs;n,er-
ested: and very good deeoy ducks they
are too. TO bring the money in. But
such men and wpr1e en-, though they do
not suspect r., are simply our tools.
we are rot, of course, such fools as
to spop our own game by killing the
goose that lays the golden eggs. But
10 our case the game is a very easy
, one to play. If an attempt-success
full or unsuccessful-upon the life OF
some hated monarch or unpopular
statesman, the blowing up of a palace
or prison, or similar demonstration.
did not occur every now and then, our
| subscribers would begin to think that
they were getting nothing for their
money, and supplies would cease But
though much of the enormous power
which Is given to US by the complete
| control of all these societies, leagues.
n &C n,,A
for political purposes, we do not hesi-
tate to use this same power in the
| interests OF our own pockets. For in
stance, IL we heard that large sums
| OF money or other valuables were be-
ing conveyed from one place to an
other, or were secreted In any partic-
| ular building, and We could avail our
| selves OF the power which we have
at our control to secure that sum OF
money for ourselves. we should not
hesitate about putting the machinery
into motion Do you remember the
mysterious robbery at the duchess Of
Doncaster's?''
why. yesi" gasped Number Seven.
for once genuinely surprised. "One
hundred thousand pounds In Jewels
| and hard cash disappeared. no one
| knew where"
Precisely" said the chairman cool
ly. 'rhey did not realize so much as
that, however, although, owing to the
fact that we have agents in most of
the continental cities, we have ex-
ceptional facilities for the disposal of
valuables.
That now. as a case in point could
never have been negotiated success
fully but for the intricate machinery
which We have it in our power to set in
| motion. No ordinary 'conveyor'-if 7
may use the term-could have carried
that bit of business through TO a sue
cessful issue, even with the assist
ance of sbillful confederates."
And the proceeds of that haul. do
l understand that they were divided
among the seven councillors?" asked
Councillor Number Seven, with glitter
ing eyes.
Precisely. 1t was benefit perform
ance. You are still DESTROYS of assumo
ing the-shall we say-responsibilitje
of councillorship?"
Need you ask2"
And when would you like to com.
mence the duties?"
This minute"
Good. Well, as / have tod Won we
90 not when we elect a new member
to the council. exact any solemn oath
or secrecy from him. The rule-the
lnYariable rule-which we have adopt
ed in place of any such meaningless
eXaction is this. Whenever q new
member is elected, that member has
To qualify himself, so TO speak, by
carrying out personally the first re-
moVaf which may be decreed by the
council We do this az much for our
own protection as for any other reason.
me TACT that member is equally
committed with ourselves and has
rendered himself liable to the same
legal penalties, is the best guarantee
OF his loyalty that we could possibly
have. Do you follow?"
Il follow" replied the new council
lor, doggedly.
We'll, this is the situation. We re-
Gently elected to place on the council
to the very place you now fila
new member. He had taken life on
more than one occasion, and we
thought we were sure of our man, OF
we should not have invited him to
| join us. But we have since discovered
1t is the one and only mistake of the
sort we have made--that we have been
misled in him. Not that he is not fully
as eager to accept responsibility-even
| the most DANGEROUS responsibilitv-
as any Of US. On that ground we have
no cause for complaint. But the fact
is that when he joined us he was under
the impression that our motives were
| entirely disinterested and patriotic.
The discovery that we were not al
together uninfiuenced by personal
considerations was a shock to him,