Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-10-14

DlllllODS IMAM ne mao dreamed he cOulu
ever be, bat still he was unsatisfied.
He became money mad. He wanted
to be richer still. to be the richest man
in the world, the richest man the world
had ever known. And the richer he got
the stronger the idea grew upon him
with all the force of a morbid obses-
sion.
Yet this commercial pirate, this Ma
poleon of finance, was not a wholly
bad man. He had his redeeming quail
ties, like most bad men. His most pro-
nounced weakness. and the one that
had made him the most conspicuous
man of his time, was an entire lack of
moral principle. No honest or honor
able man could have amassed such stu
peudous wealth In other words, John
Ryder had not been equipped by IA
ture with a conscience. He had no
sense OF right or wrong or justice
where his own interests were concern
ed He was the prince of egoists. On
the other hand. he possessed qualities
which. with some people, count as
virtues. lie was pious and regular in
his attendance at church. and. while he
had done but little for charity, he
was known TO have encouraged the Civ
ing of aims by members of his family,
which consisted of d wife. whose timid
voice was rarely heard, and son JEFF
fersOn, who was the destined successor
of his gigantic estate.
Such was the man who was the real
power behind the Southern and Trans
continental railroad. More than any
one else Ryder had been aroused by
the present legal action, not so much
for the money interest at stake as that
any one should dare to thwart his will.
1t had been a pet scheme of his, this
purchase for Il song when the land was
cheap of some thousand acres along the
line, and it is true that at the time of
the purchase there had been some idea
of laying the land out as a park, but
real estate values had increased in as
tonishing fashion, the road could no
longer afford to carry out the original
scheme and had attempted to dispose
of the property for building purposes,
including Il right of way for branch
road. The news, made public in the
newspapers, had raised storm of pro-
test. The people in the vicinity claim,
ed that the railroad secured the land
on the express condition of park be-
ing laid out, and in order to make a
legal test they had secured an injunc-
ton, which had been sustained by
. Judge Rossmore of the United States
circuit court
These details were hastily told and
retold by one clerk to another as the
babel of voices in the inner room grew
louder and more directors kept arriv-
ing from the ever busy elevators. The
meeting was called for o'clock. An
other five minutes and the chairman
would rap for order 4 tall, strongly
built man with white mustacLe and
kindly smile emerged from the direc-
tors room and, addressing one Of the
clerks, asked:
HAS Mr.. Ryder arrived YETI"
The alacrity with which the en-
ployee fastened forward to reply would
indicate that his interlocutor was a
person of more than ordinary impor-
lance.
NO, senator, not yet. We expect
him any minute" Then with a defer
entail smile he added, MIR. Ryder usu-
ally arrives on the stroke, sir.f
The senator gave a nod of acquies-
cence and, turning on his heel, greeted
with a grasp of the hand and affable
smile his fellow directors as they pass
ed in by twos and threes.
Senator Roberts was in the world of
politics what his friend John Burkett
Ryder was in the world Of finance-a
leader of men. He started life in Wis
consin as an errand boy. was educated
in the public schools and later became
clerk in a dry goods store, finally go
ing into business for his own account
on large scale. He was elected to
| the legislature, where his ability as an
organizer soon gained the friendship
! of the men in power. and later was
| sent TO congress, where he was quickly
initiated in the game of corrupt poll
| tics. In 1885 he entered the United
| States senate. He soon ~became the
| acknowledged leader of a considerable
| majority of the Republican senator's,
and from then on he was a figure to
be reckoned with. A very ambitious
man, with great love of power and
few scruples. it is little wonder that
only the practical or dishonest side of
politics appealed to him. He was in
| politics for all there was in it, and he
saw in -Ais lofty position only a SPLEEN
did opportunity for easy graft.
He did not hesitate to make such
alliances with corporate interests seek
ing influence at Washington as would
enable him to accomplish this purpose,
and in this way he had met and form
ell a strong friendship with John Bur
kett Ryder. Each, being a master in
his own field, was useful to the other.
Neither was troubled with qualms Of
conscience, so they never quarreled. If
Ryder Interests needed anything in the
senate. Roberts and his followers were
there to attend to it. lust now the