The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-11-06
ARCHBOLD AND FORAKER
Being the Story of Spider and Fly by
Alfred Henry Lewis in Novem-
Der Human Life

spider and Senator Foraker the fly. But,
before going to the main movement OIL
the drama, let me mention character
istic Of that not-numerous yet dangerous
animal, the American multi-millionaire.
Most of our big money men make a
specially Of religion. This strategy owns
a double excellence. 1t invests them
with an odor of responsibility, which
aside from the hattering comfort of it
it useful in the money getting. Most Of
all, however, it serves largely in saving
them from Jail. And they would sooner
go to church than go to Sing Sing.
These same criminal multi-million-
aires are prone to give heavily to the
church. This, aside from feeding the
the fires Of their SNUG vanities, brings
them in a kind of soulease, a sense of
eternal safety which robs death of half
its threat.
The multi-millionaire is not common
ly man of width or depth of genius.
He has no mighty imagination, no
rainbow vividness of fancy. His preacher
is to him but the hired evidence of his
own Responsibility" And the preacher
is often not much if any better than the
multi-millionaire.
The latter, while no analyst of the
psychic, is keen enough to feel this,
even though he may not understand.
And yet, as he's been taught, this same
pulpiteer, of soul-height with himself,
is the agent of Omnipotence. Stepping
from one impression to another, he
argues the principal from the agent;
and thus arguing, his feeling rather than
his judgment suggests that huge
donation to the cause will tell in
eternal favor to himself.
Men in every age have believed this.
In that barbarous behalf the twentieth
century hasn't advanced foot beyond
the tenth. It's superstition, not reason
and a great criminal, uneasy over the
black sources of his money, is readily
seized by the notion that Providence
will accept bribe. It's as though
Omnipotence, to their dull but per-
turbed minds, took on something OF
the aspect OF great chief of police,
who could be brought to condone
their malefactions, forego their punish
ment, if they shared with him the
proceeds OF their crimes. And so our
multi-millionaires are vastly in the
liberal habit of tearing off huge frag-
ments of their fortunes, and tossing
them into the lap of their particular
church. Which, being commonly a
"richman's church" catering-if that
be the word-for the rich, never fails
to have its apron spread wide for the
sure reception of that donative.
Mr.. Archbold of Standard Oil is
carefully member of the church. And
because he not only likes to keep his
conscience" spic and span, but main
tain as far as he may neatly spotless
reputation, he retains, also, as fashion
of valet to character, certain Chan
cellor Day.
This gentleman, who is clergyman
is kept constantly busy, with rhetorical
brush and benzine, removing the stains
and dislodging the Ubiquitous dust
from the Archbold reputation. In the
teeth of Mr.. Archbold's own letters,
which show how he bribed Senator
Foraker and the size of the brides, this
indefatigable Chancellor, eager to earn
his valet hire, is out this very morning
in an interview, defending his patron,
and claiming-so far as his typefatu-
lencies could be held to embody a
claim-that our old spider OF Standard
Oil instead of giving brides, was black
mailed.
No, it wouldn't be worth ones
while to lean heavily upon Chancellor
DAVIS defence of Mr.. Archbold. 1t
was he who spoke of Mr.. Roosevelt
anti-Standard Oil message as The
rawlings of disordered mind, and on
lecture evening assured his audience
1T makes my heart burn to hear the
rich brought into contempt" No II
isn't necessary to pay much attention
to Chancellor Day. Aside from his
bias, he is at the head OF the Univer'
sity of Syracuse, and Mr.. Archoold II
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