Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1907-05-03


world With condescending confidence he
told me many tales of Ais earlier days;
and as he had been everywhere, his con- |
versation was naturally most interesting. |
Dinner was over mad the table cleared |
before the President seemed inclined for |
serious conversation. Then he said sud-
denly:
"Mr. Martin, this country Is in peril
GUS condition"
Your excellency," said 1, do you refer
to the earthquake" (There had been a
slight shock a few days before.)
mo, sir" he replied, ito the finances.
The harbor works have proved far more
expensive than 1 anticipated. hold in
my hand the engineers certificate that
100000 has been actually expended on
them, and they are not finished-not by
any means finished"
They certainly were not; they were
hardly begun.
Dear me-" 1 ventured to say, "that
seems a good deal of money, considering
what there is to show for it"
You cannot doubt the certificate, Mr..
Martini" said the President.
1 did doubt the certificate, and should
have liked to ask what fee the engineer
had received. But 1 hastily said it was,
of course, beyond suspicion.
Eyes" said he steadily, quite beyond
suspicion. You see, Mr.. Martin, in my
position 1 am compelled to be liberal.
The government cannot set other employ
ers the example of grinding men down by
low wages. However, reasons apart, there
is the fact. We cannot go on without
more money and I may tell you, in con-
fdence, that the political situation makes
1t imperative we should go on. Not only
my personal honor pledged, but the oppo-
sition, Mr.. Martin, led by the Colonel, is
making itself obnoxious-yes, may say
very obnoxious"
1.-THE Colonel, sir" said I, with a free
dom engendered of dining, sis beast"
"Well," said the President, with a toll
Grant smile, the Colonel, unhappily' for
the country, is no true patriot. But he
is powerful he is rich; he is, under my
self alone N command of the army. And,
moreover, l believe he stands well with
the Sgnorina. The situation, in fact,
is desperate. I must have money, Mr..
Martin. Will your directors make me
new loan?"
l knew very we'll the fate that would
attend any such application. The direc-
tors were already decidedly uneasy about
their first loan shareholders had asked
awkward questions, and the chairman had
found no small difficulty in showing that
the investment was likely to prove either
safe or remunerative. Again, only fort
night before, the government had made
formal application to me on the same sub
ject. l cabled the directors, and receiv-
ed a prompt reply in the single word,
"Tootsums," which in our code meant,
"Must absolutely and finally decline to
entertain any applications" / communi-
Gated the contents of the cable to Senior
Don Antonio de la Casabianca, the min
lister of finance, who had, of course, com
municated them in turn to the President.
l ventured to remind his excellency of
these facts. He had heard me with silent
attention.
81. fear" 1 concluded, therefore, that
1t is impossible for me to be of any assist
ance to your excellency."
He nodded, and gave a slight sigh.
Then, with an air of closing the subject,
he said:
II suppose the directors are past rea-
son. You occupy very responsible po-
sition here for so young a man, Mr.. Mar
tin-not beyond your merits, am sure
They leave you pretty free hand, don't
they?"
replied that as far as routine bust
ness went did much as seemed good il
my own eyes.
"Routins business? including invest
ments, for instance?" he asked.
YES" said l ; Investments in the or
dinarv course of business-discountin
bills and putting money out on loan anC
mortgage over here. / place the money
and merely notify the people at home Of
what l have DONE"
"a most proper confidence to repose il
you," the President was good enough t.
say. Confidence is the life of business
YOU must trust n man. 1t would be alb
' surd to make you send home the bills
and deeds, and certificates, and what not
; OF course, they wouldn't do that"
r Though this was a statement, somehow
) 1t also sounded like a question, so l an
swered:
/ "As rule they do me the compliment
of taking my word. The fact is, they are
as your excellency says, obliged to trus
e somebody"
t Exactly as 1 thought. And you some
r times have large sums to placer"
r At this point, Notwithstanding my re
d spect for the President, 1 began to smel
1; a rat.
o "Oh, no, sir" 1 replied, usually yer
|, small. Our business is not so extensiv
u as we could wish"
d whatever" said the President, lool
ing me straight in the face, ''whateve
e may be usual, at this moment you have
O large sum-a very respectable sumo
n money in your safe at the bank, waitin
| for investment"
10 How do you know that?" 1 cried.
It MIR. Martin 1t is no doubt my fault
l. 1 am too prone to ignore etiquette; br