Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-12-21

der that seeks to make business O
synonym for crime"
Thornley, was Of the type that was
dominant In our commercial life be-
fore the "fnanciers" came-jut as
song birds we're common in our trees
until the noisy, brawling, thieving
sparrows drove them out. His Oldest
son was about to marry Joe's daugh-
ter-Alva. Many Q Sunday l have
spent at his place near Morristovl
"a charming combination Of city COM
fort with farm freedom and fresh air.
l remember. one Sunday, saying to
him, after he had seen his wife and
daughters OF to church: why
haven't you looked out for establish
ing these boys and girls Of yoarsr'
Il don't want my girls to be sought
for money said he, Il don't want my
boys to rely on money. Perhaps I've
seen too much Of wealth, and have
come to have a prejudice against t.
Then, too, I've never had The cAsaos
to get rich"
l showed that | thought that 10
vas simple testing.
Il mean It," said he, locking It ne
With eyes as straight a. . well
brought-up girls. How could my
mind be judicial II | we're personally
interested in the enterprises people
look to me for advice about!"
And not only did he keep himself
clear and his mind judicial but also
he was, like all really good people.
exceedingly slow to believe others
guilty of the things he would as soon
have thought Of doing as he would
have thought Of slipping into the
teller's cage during the lunch hour
and pocketing Q package OF bank
notes. He gave me his motto-a Gu
rious one: Believe In everybody;
trust in nobody"
only . thief wishes to be trusted"
he explained, land only a foool trusts.
I let no one trust me; l trust no one.
But believe evil Of no man. Even
when he has been convicted, | see the
mitigating circumstances"
How Thornley, did stand BY me!
And for no reason except that it was
~ necessary for him to be fair and
Just as to breathe. | shall not say
he resisted the attempts to compel
him to desert me-they simply made
no impression on him. I remember
when Roebuck himself, a large stock.
holder in the bank. left cover far
enough personally to urge him to
throw me over. he replied stead
lastly:
III Mr. Blackjack is guilty Of cir.
culadng false stories against CONNER
dal enterprises, as his enemies allege.
the penal code can be used to stop
him. But as long as | stay at the
head Of this bank, no man shall use
1t for personal vengeance. It isa
chartered public institution, and all
have equal rights to its facilities. [
would lend money to my worst enemy
IL he came for 1t with the proper Sc
curity. | would refuse my best friend.
II he could not give security. The
funds Of bank are q trust fund. and
my duty is to see that they are EN-.
ployed to the best advantage. II you
wish other principles to prevail here.
Tea must get another president"
That settled it. No one appreciated
more keenly than did Roebuck that
character is as indispensable in its
place as is craft where the situation
demands craft-and is far harder to
get.
| shall not relate in detail that cam
pagn against me. 1t failed not SO
much because | was strong as because
IL was weak. Perhaps, II Roebuck
and Langdon could have directed it
In person, or had had the time to
advise with their agents before and
after each move, 1t might have sue.
ceeded. They would not have let ex-
asgeradon dominate 1t and venom
snow upon its surface; they would
not have neglected to follow I'D ad.
vantages, would not have persisted
IN lines OF attack that created public
sympathy for me. They would not
have so crudely exploited my uncon.
marriage and my financial
relations with old Ellersly. But they
dared not go near the battle field:
they had to trust to agents whom their
orders and suggestions reached BY the
most roundabout ways; and they
were buster with their enterprises
that involved immediate and great
gain or loss of money.
When Galloway died, they learned
that the Coal stocks with which they
thought | was loaded down we're part
OF his estate. They satisfied them.
selves that l was In fact as impreg.
nable as | had warned Langdon. They
reversed tactics; Roebuck tried to
make 1t up with me. IF he wants to
see me-" was my invariable answer
to, the limitations of his emissaries,
let him come to my Office, Just IS I
would go TO his. II I wished to see
him"
HE Is big man-a dangerous big
man." cautioned joe
"Big-yes. But strong only against
his own kind" replied |. One mouse
can make q whole herd Of elephants
Squeal for mercy"
ut isn't nrudent N isn't nrudart