The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1906-10-11
II.
IN THOSE DAYS AROSE KINGS.


Imagine yourself back two years and
q half before Wild Week, back at the
time when the kings of finance had
Just completed their apparently ANAL
conquest of the industries of the coun-
try. when they were seating themselves
upon thrones encircled by vast armies
OF capital and brains, when all the gov
ernnlents of the mathematician, state
and city-were prostrate under their
iron heels.
You may remember that l was a not
!~nconspicuous figure then. OF all their
financial agents. l was the best Known.
the most trusted by them. the most
believed in by the people. l had a mag
nificent suite of offices in the building
that dominates Wall and Broad streets.
Boston claimed ME also, and Chicago;
and in Philadelphia. New Orleans, st.
Louis, San Francisco. in the towns and
rural districts tributary to the cities,
thousands spoke of Blackjack as their
trusted adviser in matters of finance.
My enemies-and I had them. numer-
Gus and yenomous enough to prove
me d man worth while-my enemies
spoke of me as the biggest bucket
shop gambler In the world"
Gambler I was-like all the other ma
nipl lators OF the markets, But "bucs ct
shop" I never kept. AS the kings of
fnance We're the representatives of the
great merchants, manufacturers and
80 NhSoA ~ ~ 49, ~ ~ .
of the masses, of those who wished
their small savings properly invested.
The power Of the big fellows was
founded upon wealth and the brains
wealth buys or bullies or seduces into
its service; my power was founded
upon the hearts and homes of the peo-
pie, upon faith in my frank honesty.
How had | built up my power? By
recognizing the possibilities of public
ity, the chance which the broadcast
sowing of newspapers and magazines
put within the reach of the individual
man to impress himself upon the whole
country, upon the whole civilized world.
The kings of finance relied upon the
assiduity and dexterity of sundry paid
agents, operating through the stealtl1y.
clumsy, old fashioned channels for the
exercise of power. I relied only upon
perhaps traitorous, understrappcrs;
through the megaphone of the press I
spoke directly to the people.
My enemies charge that l always
have been unscrupuiouS and dishonest.
So2 Then how nave I lived M thrived
all these years in the glare and blare
OF publicity?
1t is true, 4 have used the methods
OF the charlatan" in bringing myself
into wide public notice. The just way
to put It would be that / have used for
honest purposes the methods of pub
tlSlty lAIdl 1ItsttsoW raw HSllGM0A
appropriated, because by those means
the public can be most widely and most
quickly reached. Does good become
evil because hypoerites use it as d
cloak? 1t is also true that l have been
.suildignified.. Let the stupid cover
their stupidity with dignity" Let the
swindler hide his Screenings under
dignity" I am a man of the people,
not afraid to be5saen Al the human be-
Ing that i am. I laugh hen ] feel like
III! Ihave no sense of jar when people
call me Matt I have a good time
and I shall stay young as long as ]
stay alive. Wealth hasn't made me 9
solemn ass, fenced In and unapproach-
able. The custom of receiving obedi-
enca and fiattery and admiration he
not made me a turkey-cock. Life isss
joke; and when the jokes on me,
laugh as heartily as when its on thu
other fellow.
1T Is half-past three o.clockson 9 Ma,
afternoon; adisMal, dreary rain Is be
ing Whirled through the streets by al
nasty a. wind as ever blew out of TIL,
eaSt. SSnu are In the private Office O.
that king Ssakings." Henry J. Hoe,
buck. philanthropists eminent church
man, leading citizen and-in business
as corrupt creature as ever used tn,
dcfnino Of responsibility. That Offlcesf
OeNssthe twelfth foor OF he Power Trus
bHtldtng-ana h Power Trust II Roe
shnck and Roebuek is the Power Trust
He ~ seated at his desk md. hinktnl