Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-04-30

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 fusing this request for business con
 sultati0n. Moreover. Guilford Duncan
 felt himself under double responsi
 bility. He felt that he must not only
 guard and promote the interests ot
 those who had employed him to study this question, but that he was also un.
 der obligations to consider carefully
 the interests involved on the other side
 His function, he felt, was essentially
 Judicial one. He knew one side of
 the case. It was his duty to hear the
 other, and Tandy was the spokesman
 of that other.
 Duncan's reception was most gra-
 cious, and Napper Handy came at
 once to the subject in hand
 | I'm more than glad, Duncan" he lyingly said, that these financial peo-
 pie have asked you to examine and re-
 port upon this scheme of extension.
 You are so heartily in sympathy with
 every enterprise that looks to the de | velopment of our western country, and
 your intelligence is so superbly well informed, that of course project like
 this appeals to you"
 ''It does not appeal to me at all, Mir.
 Tandy," said Duncan frankly. T do | not think well of the extension. It. Pardon me for interrupting," inter- 1 posed Handy in fear that Duncan
 might commit himself beyond recall
 against the scheme. Pardon me for interrupting but you must see that the
 Redwood mines, in which, under stand, you own 15 per cent
 T own 9 per cent, for I have put
 my savings into that enterprise" an swered Duncan.
 Well, so much the better. You must see that the Redwood mines, in which
 you own 25 per cent, will benefit as
 much as the Quentin mines do by this extension of the railroad. It will give us two markets for our coal instead of one. We can play one market against the other, you see, and"-
 That isn't the question that I am employed and paid to answer" inter- rupted Duncan. You have other and vastly greater interests than those f the mines that would be served by the extension of the railroad. But the financiers who are asked to put their money into this project will be in no wise benefited either by the increased earnings of your coal mine and ours or by the development of your other and far greater interests that are de- pendent upon this extension. So when they employ me to report upon the project I am not free to consider any of these things. I must consider only their interests. 1 must ask myself whether or not it will pay them to undertake this extension. know that it will not. I know that the extended line cannot within a generation to come pay even operating expenses, to say nothing of interest on the cost of construction. 1 am bound to set forth those facts in my report. They pay me to tell them what the facts are. Of course, I shall tell them truly. Other wise should not be an honest man. I should be swindler, taking their mon- ey as pay for deceiving them and in- ducing them to undertake a losing en- terprise."
 '.Oh, that's all right. But you might be mistaken, you know. You've form ed a judgment after a brief trip through the country. That country seems poverty stricken just now, but that's because it hasn't enjoyed the stimulating influence of a railroad. It is better country than you think, as I can convince you if you'll let me take you through 1t in a carriage. We can start at once-tomorrow morning-run out to the mines by rail and there take a carriage and drive through the coun- try. I've ordered the carriage, with abundant supplies. from Chicago. want to show you the resources of the country. I'll convince you before we get back that the country will build up as soon as the railroad penetrates 1t and that there will be an abundant traffic for the road"
 Pardon me" answered Duncan. i've already been through that region. I've questioned every farmer as to his crops. I've questioned every merchant in every village as to his possible ship ments by the railroad and as to the amount of goods he hopes to sell if the railroad Is built. Their replies are bo,aiassi,. disoo,rouip. Tat;,r tbat~ outside estimates as certain, there can not be enough traffic over such line for twenty years to come to pay operat- ing expenses. In the meantime the men whom you are asking to build the road must lose not only the interest on their investment, but the investment itself. I know all the facts that bear upon the case"
 "All but one" answered Tandy.
 What is that oneT'
 That a favorable report from you means a check. right now and here, tonight, payable to bearer for s10.- DoO. Ny check Is supposed to be good for all it calls for. You can have 1t | now, and it will he cashed tomorrow | Here it is. Payable to bear er as 1t is. you needn't indorse 1t, and | you need not be known in the matter l in any way. I'm talking business now"
 Duncan scanned the face of his in- Ierlocutor for an instant Then he rose from his seat. and with utterance ,hoked by emotion managed to say:
 '.I quite understand. You would Dribe me with that check. You would lire me to betray the confidence of the