The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-03-26
The Richmond Palladium and Sun-TeIegram.


through the charter next winter
I don't see that anything can be
done" said Eds lawyer. old Judge
Barclay. who was at the consultation
1T means big rake-off for Dunkirk
Politics is on a money basis nova
days. That's natural enough, since
there is money to be made out of it.
/ don't see how those in politics that
don't graft, as they call it. are any
better than those that do. Would
they get Office If they didn't help on
the jobs of the grafters? / suppose
we might buy Dunkirk on"
What do you think, Harvey,"
asked Ed, looking anxiously at me.
We've got to tight the devil with fire,
you know
l shook my head. Buying him OF
isn't fghting-its surrender. We
must fight him-with fire"
1 let them talk themselves out,
and then said: We'll. I'll take IL to
bed with me. Perhaps something will
occur to me that can be worked up
into a scheme
In fact, l had already thought of q
scheme, but before suggesting 1t
wished to be sure it was as good as
1t seemed. Also, there was a funda-
mental moral obstacle-the road
would be public benefit; 1t ought to
be built. That moral problem caused
most of my wakefulness that night,
simple though the solution was when
IT finally came. The first thing Ed
said to me, as we faced each other
alone at breakfast, showed me how
we'll spent those hours were.
About this business of the new
road" said he IF l were the only
party at interest, I'd let Dunkirk go
ahead, for it's undoubtedly good
thing from the public standpoint
But I've got TO consider the interests
of all those I'm trustee for-the other
share holders in the Ramsay COM
pany and in our other concerns here"
Yes" replied l." but why do you
say Dunkirk intends to build the road?
Why do you take that for granted?"
Hes all ready to do 1t, and it'd be
a money maker from the start
But" l went on. you must as
sumo that he has no intention Of
building, that he is only making an
cldUO1d te Dlun I1OW 10 you hHOW
but that he wants to get this right of
way and charter so that he can black
mail you and your concerns. not mere
ly once, but year after year? You'd
gladly pay him several hundred thou
sand year not to use his charter and
right Of way, wouldn't your"
Il never thought of that" ex-
claimed Ed II believe you're right,
Harvey, and you've taken a weight
or my conscience. There's nothing
like a good lawyer to make a man see
straight. What an Internal hound old
Dunkirk Isl"
And" went on. "if he should
build the road, what would he do
with It? Why, the easiest and big
gest source of profit would be to run
big excursions every Saturday and
Sunday, especially Sunday, into FIRE.
donia. He'd fill the place every Sun
day frora May tin November, with
ro1suerIng rougns from the Sums OIL
Chicago. How'd the people like
that?"
He wouldn't dare" objected Ram.
say, stupidity insisting on leaning
backward in his determination to
stand straight. Hes a religious hyp.
ocrite. He's afraid"
LAS Deacon Dunkirk he wouldn I
dare 1 replied. But as the Chi.
cago & Fredonia Short Line he'd dare
anything. and nobody would blame
him personally. You know how that
is"
Ed was looking at me in dazed ad.
mir
are the retail merchants of Fredonia
Has it ever occurred to them, in
their excitement in favor of this road,
that it'll ruin them? Where will the
shopping be done if the women can
get to Chicago in two hours and a
half?"
You're right, you're right" ex.
claimed Ed, rising to pace the floor
in his agitation. Bully for you,
Harvey. Well show the people that
the roadll ruin the town morally and
financially
But you must come out in favor
of it." said |. I'VE mustn't give Dun
kirk the argument that you're fighting
it because you'd be injured by it. No.
you must be hot for the road Per-
haps you might give out that you
were considering selling your prop
erty on the lake front to a company
that was going to change 1t into a
brewery and huge pleasure park. As
the lakes only few hundred yards
wide, with the town along one bank
and your place along the other WHY
/ think thatd rouse the people to
their peril
That's the kind Of fire to fight the
devil with said he, laughing Il
don't think Mr.. Senator Dunkirk will
get the consent of Fredonia"
But there's the legislature" said l.
His face fell. I'm afraid he'll do
us in the end, old man"
I thought not, but / only said:
We'll, we've got until next winter
if we can beat him here"
Ed insisted that I must stay on and
help him at the delicate task of re-
versing the current of Fredonia SEN
timent. My share of the work was
important enough. but, as 1t was con-
fined entirely to making suggestions,
it took little of my time. / had no