Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-20

|
| Gormly's been exhibited originally. AS the
one man had abandoned his retcence, the other
| had acquired it. The question one GOr1nly
could have declined to answer without a mo-
ment's hesitation without giving any otfense;
for it that Hadane had no right to ask
| He thought deeply. if swiftly, and before he
spoke, Haldane. continued:
You are | tale it. wealthy man: but no
| single man could command the resources OF
this corporation,-tha is, no single man out
side of those few who are in it. he went on
. and it would be sheer madness for you to at
tempt it."
| other conclusion, there is power in this coun-
try greater than the money power"
".And what may that be- sir"
The power of the people
I'm this instance, the people are already on
the side of the Gotham Freight Traction Com
pany,"
Are they so?"
Certainly Through their representatives
they have voted them franchise under which
| the line has been constructed and by which 1t
IS operated, through the provisions of which 1t
will be held"
Have the people surrendered their rights
absolutely to the Gotham Freight Traction
Company"
II should say that they had"
Are they delivered, bound hand and foot,
to this corporation:"
Well YOU put it rather POLITICALLY; but in
substance your remark IS true.
And have they no redress or recourse!'
"Certainly.'
And what is that"
81 haven't the slightest objection to telling
you. They can revoke the franchise-at the
expiration of the ninety-nne-year term.
i" Is that all they can do.
would be quite hopeless for you to attempt to
fight this corporation, even with the alliance
and support of the people, which 1T is by no
means certain you could gain.
And that is your unprecedented opinion
cit IS Therefore | urge upon you the
ceptance of my offer to mediate between you
and them
And you say your interest is purely i'm
PERSONAL"
Entirely"
HALDANE. according to his code. was man
- of unblemished honor. His word in any
personal matter good as his bond. He
would have scorned to lie or even to prevarl-
cate or deceive in any personal matter. But
when it came to the vast affairs of business, he
was as INSCRIPTIONS many OF the great
manipulators of stocks and properties. There
fore, he did not hesitate in furtherance OF his
plans or desires to say whatever suited nm
without the slightest regard for the truth.
" | am glad, as said before, to know that,
returned Gormly. because l should not like
to find myself in opposition to one who has
manifested such friendliness to me as you
have"
Haldane looked up SuSpiClOuSiy, Out boIlil-
Tvs appearance was absolutely gu;leless.
For. notwithstanding what you tell me,
the merchant continued, all Of which is doubt
less true, propose to enter the contest with the
Gotham Freight Traction Company. | have
never allowed myself to be robbed. have
never been beaten by trickery and chicanery:
and l don't propose to be robbed or beaten
now
Ruin. absolute ruin, is before YOU" said
the other earnestly.,' if you engage in this con-
test. You have made one mistake, sir GU
had better pay for it. even though you pay
high, than involve your whole business in a
hopeless battle
. But has the Gotham Freight Traction Com
pany made mistakes in its turn:
" None that | am aware of.
Are YOU familiar with its affairs"
Only as | may read of its transactions in
the public press
And YOU approve thereof"
My approval or disapproval IS not of special
moment. | confess that possibly your unta-
miliarty with such methods may cause you to
believe the Gotham Freight Traction Company
to be harsh in its methods; but | think they
have done nothing illegal, nothing outside the
scope of the charter nothing inconsistent with
the terms of the franchise.
But. sir they trying to hold me up-to
use blunt phrase-for half million dollars
or more, for thing that should not be worth a
tenth of that amount on a liberal basis. Nor