Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-29

and dollars a year Any profit over
fifty thousand was to so to him"
Most generous, | call it," young
Mrs. Trafford commented.
And yet the Old man refused It"
Traficrd said, with short laugh.
Why?" Paula asked, trying to keep
up with her cousins explanations.
"Why?" he echoed. Because those
whom the gods wish to destroy they
first make mad. Old Roger Winship
thought he could pit himself against
the man whose financial conquests
were by this time the talk of two
worlds. You see for forty years the
Winships had done a steady, respect
able business in the played-out, live
and-let-live way that used to be the
standard. They had no notion of pro-
gress, or energy, or real competition.
Your father had begun to eat the
heart out Of their trade before they
ever heard of him. BY the time they
began to wake up they were as good
as ruined already Your father knew
lit but they didn't. When they took
| in the fact they threatened him with
all the rigor Of the law"
Only" Mrs. Trafford added, 'sthey
went beyond the limits of propriety
They said your father was no bettsr
than a common thie--wel, no, | won't
say it. He himself is the last to bear
malice and an example to us all.
AT any rate" George Trafford pur-
sued, your father stepped in just
then with his offer. He was always
for peace and fair dealing and he
knew the psychological moment had
come. He knew, too. just how it
would be taken, and laid out his plan
of action for five or six years ahead.
| If the Devlin hadn't been a sort If
family company. with all the shares
| in a few hands, they would probably
have come in after the first storm IT
| threats had blown over. A body OF
shareholders are generally ready in
the long run to eat humble-pie if their
dividends are assured them. But, you
see, the Devlin was practically Roger
Winship, a proud stubborn, high-tem-
ipered old fellow of by-gone school.
AS hereditary coal king of New Hamp-
shire, he felt himself match for any
mushroom Trafford and SO he set to
work"
Very cleverIy it must be admit
ted" Mrs Trafford observed your
father always says that he went
straight for the weak point Of the
whole system"
"Yes-the rebates" Trafford went
on "Uncle knew that if the ques-
ton of rebates was ever seriously
raised in law he couldn't hold out be-
You'd certain point"
do you mean that papa knew he
was making use of an Illegal privi-
lege?" Paula asked.
Trafford was not expecting ques-
tion OF so much acumen. and repGel,
some what slowly:
Nothing is illegal till it's proved
so. He only. made use of the rebates
until it was shown that he couldn't.
1t was a matter of public benefit to
have the question fought out and set
tied. So when the New Hampshire
Central refused the Winships the
same rates for transportation as they
had given the Vermont Mining Com
pany, the Devlin took the matter into
court. OF course your father stood
/ behind the railroad, and the case was
argued in the Court Of Common Pleas.
The railroad lost, just as he thought
1t would; but see what a general he
lis. He had the whole campaign map
ped out. The railroad appealed to
the District Court, your father in the
meantime having the use of his e
bates. The railroad lost again. Then
lit appealed to the Supreme Court of
the State. Still the rebates went on,
while at the same time your faith +
was cutting off from the Devlin every
ton of business. Before the case was
heard at Concord old Roger Winship
died from a stroke of apolexy"
| Brought on" Mrs. Trafford sx
planned, purely by bad temper and
his refusal to accept your father
i offer Now, tell her, George, of your
uncles magnanimity.
ut was just this" said Trafford-
. lust what you would have expected
him to do He went to Mrs. Winshir
personally and renewed the offer he
had made two years before. In the
mean time, please take notice, the
} Devlin's business had gone from baG
J to worse, and yet he actually renew
: ed the offer as it stood"
Trafford leaned back. his thumbs
thrust into the armholes Of his even
ing waistcoat, and watched the effec'
: of this information upon Paula. The
J girl could only gaze at him with the
same troubled expression Of inquiry
! waiting for him to go on.
But Mrs. Winship," he continued
had as little mind for compromise
J as her husband. The railroad having
already lost twice she was persuaded
!, it would lose again. Once there wer'
} no more rebates, she was sure tn
Devlin would do it's old work again
, Well, the railroads lost the third tim
and appealed to the Spreme Court 0
} the United States, and the railroad
: the United States. For the poor lad
, that was a staggerer, just as you
: father supposed it would be. Still