Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-04

was still hghtng chance, look into those steady,
loyal faces quCkened his pulse little, gave him
momentary confidence, almost, in ultimate victory.
Il think you are all pretty familiar, he began,
with the report covering the condition of the island
that l sent north two weeks ago Each one of
felt good deal of satisfaction in the part of it that
he himself particularly responsible for. There
wasn't department OF all our activities that
didn't make good showing, though you agreed with
me at the time that not allowing our enthu-
siasm to carry too far and that the report was if
anything overconservative l think that Duffy
Duffy was the chief accountant) was and is ready
to stake his professional reputation on the figures
showed.
We'll, that report has reached New York and
have got the acknowledgment of it from the chair
of the board of directors. 1t appears that the
directors are violently dissatisfied with it,
There sudden movement round the table,
and a sharpening of the focus of their attention
visible in every face about the board
"Dissatisfed said Duffy increduousy.
oh not the facts it states of course, said
Smith 1T is the necessity for making them public
that troubles them. What they want is something
to show to the stockholders"
Put it in words of one syllable, said Allen II
not financier myself.
It's like this" said Smith "A proposition like
the Tropical Products Company always makes its
appeal to the amateur investor; that 49, to the
that has got little ahead and wants to put his sur
plus into something profitable He is always in
clined to be reckless because the he has to in
vest isn't big enough to yield any sort of respectable
income if put into investments of the standard sort
An enterprise like ours which offers promise of big
returns, appeals to him great deal more The con-
paratvely unsophsticated in the ways of the Street.
and people of only moderate means. That's one
thing that has made it easy to work SO hard down
here. / have always liked to think how much it
would mean to those people that have put their
money in here and have about abandoned hope of
seeing the color of it again,-how much it
would mean to them when we did begin to pay after
all,-and l never SO happy in my life as when
mailed that report north
Nov the directors of the company hold very
little stock. McCracken, the chairman is just
a little marionette of Christopher Beaumonts,
matter of fact. didn't suspect were big enough
to have caught Beaumonts eye; but apparently we
says he wants. in so many words is bear report.
He wants the situation made to look as discouragng
possible. With report like that all will be plain
sailing for Beaumont They will 60 through all the
old sleight of hand financial tricks,a voting pool
new issue of stock, and SO on-and these innocent,
unsuspecting people who have put their money into
the proposition, and have really made good invest
ment they only knew it, will be glad to sell out at
about five cents on the dollar. When the smoke has
cleared away. Beaumont will own the company.
And they want you," asked Duffy softly, TO
falsfy your accounts? What will happen when you
refuse?"
Il shall receive summary demand for my resig-
nation, by wire. And my resignation would serve
their purpose nearly as we'll suppose as the bear
report"
But" protested Rogers eagerly, you can show
them up You have got their letter, and letter like
that ought to be enough to send man to the peni-
Tertiary"
McCrackens regular signature is not signed to the
letter. He made his secretary do it, suppose. If
tried to show it, along with copy of my report they
would call lie and the other forgery. Those
directors big, respectable looking people in New
York financial circles, and l am just former
paper reporter of the name of Smith, No, they
would beat at that game
We take lot of beating unused O'Bren.
We make it mighty hot for them. / suppose
you right about the result, though"
About twenty minutes ago. said Smith that
what planned to do; but really there is not
a chance to succeed that way, and felt pretty bad
about it We haven't been working for Beaumont