West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-05-07

ih0t Ialr. but VINO put mo where
l am todayg"
Il did,. Dick uorrigan. who ever
heard OF you till | took YOU up2 No
body. II l didn't make YOU mayor
who lid. III like TO know2"
'"rhe voters. The people OF this
city"
"The voters" scoCfed Il '-rigan. "rhe
deuce they did! Who h,l YOU nomi.
natcdY"
'You did. But Il was tho public who
elected me. and I'm going TO obey
your orders I'm one thing. I'm going to
do the right thing 10y the men who
put me whore am today I'm going
10 pay the voters FOR their trust I'm ne
by giving them fair and square nd-
ministration. II Tho case OF this Bor-
ough Street ra ny franchise bill. for
instance" tapr.ag the document lying
before him on his desk, "before sign
that bin intend 20 make sure It's for
the good Of the people. that It is for
the good OF the city. not merely for
the good OF Richard Horrlgan ana
clique OF his Fri ,uds aud heelers No.
don't swear. ltll do YOU no go.d I'm
firm on this matter. III you're discon-
tented with me It's your own fault.
warned you months ago that II
was elected | should keep my oath OF
Office. As for this Borough blll"-
AS for this Borough bin" broke in
Horrigon sayagely, 'you'u sign IT, IL
you don't"-
e well" 'Querled Bennett, as the boss
paused, chokcd 10y his own fury. III
! don't sign it-whnt thcnt"
III you don't, your political career Is
ended from this time on. See? It's
ended. Smashed fiat You think OF
yourself as n tne, promising young
man who's on the road TO the gov.
ernorship and maybe TO the White
House. Well, you aren't. You're what
Dick IIorrigan made you. aud your
future will be what Dick norrlgan
chooses 20 make Il. | lifted you up.
and can tear you down just as easy.
And. what's more, 10y -. III do It IL
you don't Sign the Borough bill. I'm
man of my word. and before ever
you were nominated | pledged my
word TO have that bill put through.
The bill pals your election expenses.
It,
Il paid my own election expenses.
You know that"
Your personal expenses. perhaps.
But who paid for parades, halls, ban
ners, fireworks. speakers. advertise.
ments, workers and watchers and all
the other million things that elected
your The men behind that Borough
bill paid them. And they did It on the
understanding you'd sign the bin"
"In other words" remarked Ben
nett ''you made bargain for me
Well, | can't keep It,"
"Oh, I'll keep ii all right. You'm
sign that bin or you'm"-
Mr.. Iorrigan," exclaimed Bennett,
controlling his temper with more and
more difficulty. "you said something
Just now about our coming TO show
down. This is the time for It, | wan
you to remember hencerorth that
wear no mans collar-yours or any
one else's-and that you can't deliver
any goods you've bargalncd for I'm my
name. IL l sign that bill IL won't be
under your orders, but because / think
II right"
oh" laughed Iorrlgan. who thought
he began 20 see the drift of the 9th
eTs mind, 81 don't hold out for that |
don't care why you sign IL as long as
you do sign it."
What do you think about the bin
'yourselfT" inquired Alwyn "Do you
consider II honestT
What do carer It's got TO be
signed, and
Il care. And I think the bin IS
fraudulent"
Getting tender in the conscience.
aren't your Well"-
'Tf you put 1t that way, yes. think
this Borough bill is crooked from FIRST
to last, But
Whats the matter with it2 Aln't"-
let me explain" pursued Alwyn.
This bill gives the Borough Street
Railway company the right TO use
whatever motive power they choose 10.
II gives them the right TO charge FIVE
cent fares without any transfers. In
one paragraph there's clause permit
ting them TO build n subway If they
want one. By another paragraphs con
eesslons they can build conduit and
lease IT out for telephone or telegraph
wires. BY another they can do an ex.
press business. But all these proyi.
slons are as nothing compared TO thc
fact that the bill gives the streets
above and below ground 20 the Bor.
ough company forever and evcr-not
for a term Of years. but until the end
Of the world IL delivers that route 90
the company not only for our time. but
for always. aud binds us and our de-
scendGnts 10 its terms That Is the
chief outrage Of the whole thing. TO
think that tho
"Oh. we've got a bowling reformcr
in the mayors scat. have weT sconcd
HOrrigan. "If ia known that
''The people have got a man who Is
trying TO protect their rights and prop
erty. Here's letter received to-
day. You'll recognize the name Of the
capitalist who wrote It, You know he
Is honest rs well rs wise. This Is his
proposition; lie Will pay 100000 for
that same franchise. give the city 10
per cent Of the gross receipts and turn
over The whole plant to it at the end
OF fifty years. What do you think OF
thatT
ITS a fake"
1T Is a bona 6dc offer. lie voIun-
teers 20 deposit 100000 10 bind the
bargain. Now. what I want 90 ask
you, Mr.. IIorrleon. is this: II the fran
chlse Is worth S2yOOOOOO why are YOU
and your faction in the board Of alder.
men so anxious to give It away for
nothlngW
Look herc!" clustered the boss.
"I"-
81 am looking" returned Bennett
1--WE been looking deeper into It than
you realize asked you question
just now. I'll answer lt myself I'm