Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-09-25

| Np.t' N..- i-t.,.. ID .-rI, d!i Il ~ JET
far>Ju. who va, the destined successor
IF III: Eaut5c estate
Such WAS Tie man who was the real
power behind the Southern and Trans
continental railroad Nov than any
one else Ryder had Teen aroused by
the present legal action. not so much
for the MONEY int,-.tt ut stake Il, that
! any OI4c 14ld ..4'- ~ tLWart his viii.
1t had been a let scheme Of his. this
/ purchase for Il son.. when the land was
cheap Of some thousand acres along the
/ line, and il IS true that ut the time of
the purchase there had been some idea
! of laying the land oUt rs a park. but
real estate values had Increased In as
tonlShiug fashion, the road could no
longer afford Ia carry out the original
scheme and had attempted to dispose
Of the property for building purposes.
including right Of way for a 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
| legal test they had secured an injunc-
ton. which had been sustained by
Judge Kossmore 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. A tall, strongly
built man with white mustache 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 q
person Of more than ordinary impor-
lance.
NO, senator, not yet. We expect
him any minute" Then with defer
entail smile he added. Mr.. Ryder usu-
ally arrives on the stroke, Sir"
The senator gave a nod Of acQuies-
cence and. turning on his heel, greeted
with grasp Of the hand and afYable
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
| kvInr n tho vrnrld oF
leader Of men. He started life In Wis
cOnsin as an crrand boy. was educated
In the pubic schools and later became
clerk In dry goods store. finally 60
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. lie soon became the
acknowledged leader Of a considerable
majority Of the Republican senators.
and from then on he was a figure to
be reckoned with. A very ambitious
man. with great love OF power and
few scrurles. 1t Is little wonder that
only the practical or dishonest side OF
politics appealed to him. He was in
politics for all there was in 1t, and he
saw in his lofty position only spIen-
did opportunity for easy graft
He did not hesitate to make such
alliances with corporate interests seek
ing influence Mt Washington as would
enable him to accomplish this purpose
and In this way he had met and FORM
ed 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. II
Ryder interests needed anything In the
senate, Roberts and his followers were
there to attend to 1t. Just now the
cohort was marshnled In defense Of
the railroads against the attacks Of
the new rebate bill. In fact, Ryder
managed to keep the senate busy all
the time. wnen, on tne Otner mana,
the senators wanted anything-and
they often did-Ryder saw that they
got 1t, lower rates for this one, a fat
job for that one, not forgetting them
selves. Senator Roberts was already
q very rich man, and, although the
world often wondered where he got 1t,
no one had the courage to ask him.
But the Republican leader was STIR
red with an ambition greater than that
Of controlling a majority In the senate.
He had a daughter. marriageable
young woman who. at least In her ia
TIERS opinion, would make a desirable
wife for any man. His friend Ryder
had a son. and this son was the only
heir to the greatest fortune ever
amassed by one man, a fortune which
at its present rate Of increase by the
time the father died and the young
couple were ready to inherit would
probably amount to over $0.OOO,OO0 600
Could the human mind grasp the posi-
bilities Of such a colossal fortune7 II
staggered the Imagination. Its owner
or the man who controlled 1t would be
master Of the world! Was not this a
prize any man might well set himself
out to win? The senator was thinking
Of 1t now US he stood exchanging banal
remarks with the men who accosted
him. II he could only bring OF that
marriage, he would be content The
ambition Of his life would be attained
There was no difficulty as far Us John
Ryder was concerned. He favored the
match and had often spoken Of 1t. In.
deed, Ryder desired 1t, for such IN
alliance would naturally further his
business interests in every way. Rob.
erts knew that his daughter Kate had
more than liking for Ryder's hand.
some young son. Moreover, Kate was
practical, like her father, and had
sense enough to realize what II would
mean to be the mistress Of the Ryder
fortune. No, Kate was all right, bu,
there was young Ryder to reckon with.
1t would take two In this case to make
bargain.
Jefferson Ryder was. In truth, an en-.
tirely different man from his father,
II was difficult to realize that both had