New-York tribune., 1908-10-04

ment Of a great defeat but now since the birth Of
the great idea which the thick walls and solid shutters
Of Fort House had suggested to him, that there
still fighting chance, look into those steady,
loyal faces quiCkened his pulse little. gave h11n
mOmentary confidence, almost, IN ultimate victory
i think al pretty familiar ne began,
with the report covering the condition of the island
that | sent north two weeks ago. Each one OF US
felt good deal of satisfaction IN the part OF It that
he himself was particularly responsible for There
wasn't single department of all activities that
didn't make a good showing though YOU agreed with
at the time that were not allowing our enthu-
sasn to carry us far and that the report was,
ANYTHING, overcOnseTvative / think that Duty
Duffy was the chief acCountant) was and IS ready
stake his professional reputation on the figures
we showed
have got the acknowledgment of It from the chair
of the board of directors. II appears that the
directors are violently dissatisfied with 1t
There was a sudden movement round the table
and a sharpening OF the focus OF their attention
visible in every face about the board
"Dissatisfedl' said Duffy incredulously-
oh, not over 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. -
am not a financier myself.
It's like this said Smith. ~ proposition like
the Tropical Products Company always makes its
appeal to the amateur investor; that Is, to the man
that has got little ahead and wants To put his
plus into something profitable. He IS always IN
cned 70 be reckless, because the sum he has TO IN
big enough TO yield any sort OF reSftCt4plt
income if put into investments of the standard sort
An enterprise like ours which offers promise of big
returns, appeals to him a great deal more. The con-
sequence IS that most of our stockholders COM
parativev unsophiscated in the ways of the Street
and people OF only moderate means That 5 one
thing that has made it easy to work 50 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
ever seeing the color of 1t again,-how much II
would mean to them when did begin 70 pay. after
I.r, fr+ vyl.
mailed that report north.
Now the directors of the company hold very
little stock. McCraoken, the new chairman. IS Just
a little maTIOnette of Christopher Beaumont ).
matter of fact | didn't suspect We're big enough
to have caught Beaumont's eye; but apparently we
have. in view Of what McCracken wants. What he
says he wants, In so many words, IS bear report
He wants the situation made To look dSCouraging
possible With report like that all VIII be plain
sailing for Beaumont They Will 90 through al the
old SleIght of hand financial tricks voting pool.
new issue Of stock, and on.-and these innocent
unsuspeCtng people who have put their money into
the proposition and have really made a good invest
ment if they only knew it. VIII he glad 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
fasify your accounts? What viii happen when YOU
l shall receive a 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 q man to the Teni-
tentiarv."
No. said Smith They are too smart for that
McCrackens regular signature IS not signed 70 the
letter. He made his secretary do it. | suppose If
tired TO show 1t, along with copy of my report they
would call one a lie and the other forgery Those
directors are big, respectable looking people in New
York financial circles and l just a former news
paper reporter Of the name of Smith, No, they
would beat at that game
We can take lot of beating unused O'Brien
We can make 1t mighty hot for them | suppose
you are night about the result, though