The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-12-20

The man with the quiterecent derby
bat vas telling it you may talk as
much as SON like about the opDres-
siveness and arbitrary behavior OF
corporations. railroad corporations IN
particular he said, but can tell
you that in nine cases out Of ten-rH
90 as far as to say IN ninety-nine cases
out of a hundred-you have yourself
entirely to blame for any difficulty you
have with them. "A corporation isn't
any worse than an individual as far as
having a sense Of Justice goes.
I've known an individual to have a
good deal Of a sense Of justice, said
the man who had been speaking Of
rebates
80 have I, said the man with the
new headgear. Even in business.
That's what / am contending. You'll
find individuals who will respect your
rights and youl fnd corporations that
win. too, but you've got to let 'em
both know what your rights are. You
don't want to sit down and wait for
them to find out Then. when you've
asserted your rights, you want to in
sist on having them. Insist and keep
on insisting. Let EN- know that you
don't intend to be trihed with. Adopt
a firm tone. Not necessarily a buster
ing tone, but firm one. Look at this
hat"
Il see It" said the other man. Il
don't like the brim. It curls too much.
Otherwise it's a fairly decent lid"
"The G. & J. P. w. railroad paid for
that hat" said its wearer. "It's six
dollar hat. The reason the railroad
company paid for it is simply that it
spoiled my old one. / got out of the
train the other morning and started
to walk to the gate and just as
passed the engine the engineer turned
cock or touched the throttle valve
or something and let out a spout Of
steam and SCOT and lubricating oil that
absolutely ruined the hat / was wear
ing. Simply ruined it.
Now, what would you have done
in a case like that? ! know without
your telling me. You would have said
something in an undertone and that
would have been the last of it. You
would have gone away nursing a sense
Of injury and you would have let that
rankle in your breast forever You
would have said to yourself. Wait till
they get me on a jury in case in
which that railroad company is de-
fendant.' But you wouldn't have as
serted your rights and given the COM
pany chance to square itself with
you. You would have said: What's
the use?' Want to know what I
did?"
"Well what did you do? I'll bite"
said his friend.
Il walked right up to the general
Offices and asked to be directed to the
claim department. Is the claim agent
inT I asked the young man at the
desk in a firm. decided tone Of voice
He quailed beneath the firm look
/ gave him and took in my card. In a
few moments he returned and said
the agent would see me. | stepped
into the little room he indicated and
saw a man bending over his desk,
very much occupied to all appear
ances. He waved me to a chair with
out looking up, but I spoke right up.
wasn't going to take any bluff. |
said
I'm firm tone?'
Tn firm tone, Kindly look at this
hat
HE looked at it. 7 want you to tell
me what your company proposes to
do about It. said
"I don't think the company con
templates any action he said Would
you mind telling me as briefly as pos
sible why the dickens It should do
anything?"
"Tn tell you with pleasure l an
swered. An engineer in your employ
/ turned a geyser OF warm axle grease
and muddy water on it as I was peace
ably going by him. It was the S:12
train from Cedarbourne, where I re-
side, and I have three highly respected
fellow commuters to testify to the
truth of my statement. I don't want
any trouble, but If you invite It shall
not shrink from it. ! want you people
to buy me a new hat for the one that
you have spoiled If you do it promptly
you will avoid a suit for damages
said this quietly, but very firmly.
} 'He looked at me a moment to see
II was in earnest Then he said Go
/ buy you hat and send the bin to
/ this Office and will see that 1t is
paid. I'm busy now and I haven't time
to inquire into the truth of your state
ment, but I have no idea that you are
doing anything but trying to work US.
az object to that insinuation and
, call upon you to withdraw it. said
firmly.
Anything you Ike, he said. III
withdraw If you will I'm busy Send
your bin and / win see that It is paid
Good day.
. 80 I went and bought the hat, and
they paid the bill, and I want to tel
you that what have told you is the
exact truth. ! haven't added to Of
taken away a word from the converse