The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-11-22

ploycJ. owing TO alterations o. over
production and no production ut all
I saw my work ready for my hand
| And now we are bringing order out
OF chaos. This man Walters. useful up
| to n certain point. has become insolent
4 corrupt. "A stumbling block I'm our way"
Here n. pressed the button OF his cleo.
trio bell.
| NJ.
WHEN A MAN * NOT A MAN.
| Walters entered. lie was one OF the
great railway presidents. was univer-
sally regarded as n power. though I. OF
course. knew that he. like SO many
other presidents OF railways. OF indi-
vidua' corporations. OF banks. OF In
surance companies. and high political
officials I'm cities. states and tho ma
ton. was little moro than figurehcad
put up and used by the inside financial
ring As no shifted from leg TO leg.
holding his hat and trying TO steady
his twitching upper lip. he looked M
one of his smallest section bosses would
have looked. IL called up for n wigging.
Rocbuck shook hands cordially with
him. responded to his nervous glance
at me with: "Blacklock IL practically
In our directory" We all sat. then Roe
buck began I'm his kindlicst tone:
We nave decided. Walters. that wa
/ must give your place To n stronger
man. Your gross receipts. outside OF
coal. have fallen rapidly and steadily
| for the past three quarters. You wcre
put into the presidency To bring them
| up. They have shown no change be-
yond what might have been expected
In the natural fluctuations OF freight.
We calculated on rcsuminE dividends
year ago. We have barely been able
! To meet the Interest on our bonds"
But. Mr.. Roebuck." pleaded WAL
ters. you doubled tho bonded indebted
charge"
Tho money went into improvements.
Into increasing your facilities. did II
mott? inquired Roebuck. his paw as
soft as a playful tigers.
Part OF IT," said Walters. But you
remember the rcorganizing syndicate
got i've millions. and then the CON-
| tracts for the new work had tn be Civ
en- TO construction companies In which
| directors OF the road were silent part
ners. Then they arc interested I'm tho
supply companies from which ] must
buy. You know what oil that means.
Mr.. Rocbuck."
mo doubt" said Rocbuck. still
smooth and soft. But IL there was
| waste. you should have reported"
ITO whom?" demanded Walters.
Every one OF our directors. Including
yourself Mr.. Rocbuck. Ia n stakeholder
| OF those companies
Have you proof OF this. Walters"
asked Rocbuck. looking profoundly
shocked. ITS very grave charge--a
criminal charge"
Proof" said Walters. You know
how that is The real books of all big
companies are kept In the memories
OF thu . dlrsG,or, ,,. mighty ,rcaeher.
nervous laugh. 'As for the holdings of
directors In construction and supply
companics-most OF those holdings arc
In other names-all OF them are dis
guised where the connection is direct"
Roebuck shook his head sadly. you
admit. then. that you have allowed
millions Of the roads money TO DO
wasted. that you made no complaint.
no effort To stop the waste: and your
only defense In that you suspect the
directors az fraud. And you accuse
them to excuse yourself-accuse them
with no proof. Were you I'm any VI
those compnnics. Walters"
NO" no said. his eyes shifting.
Rocbuck's face grew stern. you
bought 100000 OF tho last issue OF
government bonds. they tell me. with
your two years profits from the West
ern Railway Construction company"
Il bought no bonds" clustered WAL
tiers. What money ] have I made out
VI rPtNhistAilE in TITO OF my rO&lu
ON legitimate inside Information"
Your uncle In Wilkesbarre. meant"
pursued Rocbuck.
Walters Redeemed. looked straight ut
Roebuck without speaking.
DO you still deny" demanded Roo
| buck.
Il saw everybody - everybody -
| grafting.' said Walters boldly. and I
thought ! might IA well take my share.
| It's part of the business. Then ne
added cynlcally: That's the way II IL
nowadays. The lower ones see the
higher ones raking of. and they rake
| of, too--down Ia conductors and brake
men. We caught some trackwalkers In
a conspiracy To dispose OF the dis
carded tIcs and rails the other day"
lie laughed. I'VE Jailed them"
| III you can show that any director
has taken anything that did not belong
To him. " you can show that a single
| contract you Let To n con-
struction or supply company
| except. Of course. the contracts you
! let To- yourself-of them I know
nothing. suspect much--if you can
| show one Instance OF these criminal
doings, Mr.. Walters. I shall back you
/ up with all my power In prosecution"
"of course I can't snow e." cried
! Walters. III l tried. wouldn't they ruin
and disgrace me. perhaps send me To
| the pcnitcntiary? Wasn't the ono
| that passed OH and signed their con-
/ tracts? And wouldn't thcy--wouldn't
| you. Mr.. Rocbuck-have fired mo IL I
! had refused tn sign?'
4 lCant,nued Nat vV>>lN