The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-18
{ f1e Memoirs Of
|AiAhafalD(HtffzBU
| BY
ROBERT HERRIC<
.,,r GHkflsr Sss,S 81

Knocked his glasses about that he was
getting hot. Maybe he came there for
fight At last he boiled over.
"'Say. Mr.. Dround,' he sang out in
q pause between two periods, how
about your new switch track over in
Ada streetT
"Dround looked toward him over his
glasses for a moment as though he
hadn't heard what was said, and then
he went ahead with his talk. But Bird
sell was some drunk and too mad to
care what he did. The men beside
him couldn't keep him quiet. I say.
Dround.' he broke out again pretty
soon, we should like to hear what your
vors from the city? That might be to
the point Just now
This time Dround couldn't pass 1t
over. He took a drink Of water, and
his hand shook. Then he said: I do
not see that this Is the proper time to
introduce a personal matter, but since
the gentleman seems concerned about
my business honor I am glad to set his
mind at rest. To the best Of nv
knowledge Henry l. Dround & Co
have never asked and never accepted
any favors from the city. Is that sat
isfactory?'
"'Come. now, MIR. Dround,' Birdsen
sneered. that isn't generally believed,
you know
81 said,' your boss ripped back, to
the best Of my knowledge your insinu-
alton IL q lie' He leaned forward and
glared at Birdsell. Well, there was q
kind Of awkward pause, everybody
waiting to see what would come next.
And then Birdsell, who must have
been pretty drunk, called back: Ask
your man. John Carmichael, what he
does when he wants anything from the
city. Ask him about your rebates too.
Then the next time you come here
telling US how to be good you'll know
| more There was q cat and dog time
after that, some yelling to put Birdsell
out and others laughing and clappinG.
Slocum paused and then added:
ut put AR. Dround in a tight place"
"What Of It anyhow? p said 1. BIRD.
sell is nothing but a yellow dog. Har,
keeps him to lick his platters. Every
one knows that"
Yes. that's So But he said what
most every one believes is true"
THAT kissing goes by favor, and
most other things in this world too
Well. what Of it,"
Slocum leaned back in his chair and
| laughed. Then he said to me seri
| ously:
you aren't much troubled with scru
| pies, Van"
Come, what's the use Of talking
good? You and I know well enough
that there isn't any other way Of doing
business, not in any city In the coun
try. You have got to pay for what yor
get, the same as elsewhere. Drounc
ought to know 1t, too, by this time
and not 90 around preaching loose Of
else get out Of business, which nigh
be better
Il suppose So" Slocum replied sol
EMMY. But I always liked his ser
mons. Perhaps you and Carmichae
could tone him down bit just now"
"Oh, John don't mind his speeches *
long as he don't interfere with thu
! business"
We went out to lunch and talked o.
other matters. and for several days
thought NO more Of the incident thai
Slocum had related. The switch tract
business did not seem to me important
II the reformen wanted to get aftel
rs or any other big firm, there wert
many more vulnerable points thar
that Special privileges from the cit,
We regarded as our rights. But Their
was the graft Of railroad rates. AM
fool could tell that at the published
tariff rates there would be little bust
ness for the packers outside Of Chi
cagol It was common knowledge tina
the trade was honeycombed with pr1
vate agreements and rebate privileges
snd that the 6ereest part Of the bust
ness was 10 get the right rate from
the roads. Thea there were the secre
a8s0eDents between the packers. which
were all Illegal. but necessary to keel