The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-27
CHAPTER XIV.

Colldteral-Y decide to 90 home-Slocum
fnds that am potriot-I plan to en-
ltst-HordmAn once naore-Cldims-A
midnight problem-The telegram
Ga4ARi That was what was in the
W air those days. 1t had NUT.
IV tered on for months, giving
our politicians at Washington
something to mouth about In their less
serious hours. Then came the sinking
of the Maine in Havana harbor, and
even Wall street could see that the
country was drifting fast into war.
And in their Jackal fashion the men Of
Wall street were trying to make money
out Of this crisis Of their country. start.
ing rumors from those high in author
ity to run the prices Of their goods
up and down. To those men who had
honest interests at stake it was q ter
rible time for panic. for uncertainty.
One could never guess what might
happen overnight.
But throughout the land among the
common people the question at issue
had been heard and judged. The farm
er on his ranch, the laborer in his fac
tory, the hand on the railroad-the men
OF tho land up and down the states
had judged this question. When the
time came their judgment got itself
recorded, for any big question Is set
tied just that way by those men, not
at Washington or In Wall street.
The sick spirit Of our nation needed
Just this tonic Of a generous war.
fought not for our own profit It would
do Us good TO give ourselves for those
poor Cuban dogs The Jew spirit Of
Wall street doesn't rule this country.
after all, aud Wall street doesn't un-
derstand that the millions in the land
long to hustle sometimes for something
besides their own bellies. So. although
Wall street groaned. l had a kind Of
faith that war would be a good thing.
cost what 1t might.
And It might cost me the work Of
my life. Latterly. with the revival Of
trade. my enterprises had been pros
pering and were emerging from that
doubtful state where they were blown
upon by every wind Of the market.
For the American Neat Products COM
pany had kept its promise and was
earning dividends. 1t had paid in the
past year 6 per cent on the preferred
stock, and. what with the big con-
tracts we were getting from the gov
eminent Just now. it would earn some
thing on the common. So far very
little Of our stock had come upon the
market although the period covered
by the agreement among the stock
holders not to sell their holdings had
passed. In spite Of Mr.. Grounds
threats. there was 10 evidence that he
had disposed Of his stock up to this
time. 1t was probable that when he
saw what q good Garner the company
had proved to be he had reconsidered
his scruples. ~ he had done years be-
fore in the matter Of private agree
ments and rebates.
And that rag OF q railroad out Of
Kansas City. which Farson and his
friends found left on their hands in
the panic tiDes Of IS. now reached
all the way to the gulf and was spread
ing fast into a respectable system
After Farson had withdrawn his help
at the time Of our disa greement. We
had interested q drm OF bankers in
New York and. one way and another.
had built and equipped the road. A
few years Of good times and all this
network Of enterprises would be be
yond attack. Meanwhile was loaded
down to the waters edge with the Sc
curities of these new companies and
had borrowed heavily at home and in
the east in the effort to push through
my plans.
This was my situation on that event
full day when the news Of the sinking
Of the Maine was telegraphed over the
country. and even gilt edged secun
ties began to tumble. to slide down
hill In q mad Whiri In such times
collateral shrank hko snow before q
south wind
All the mognf1g had sat in my Of
dee With q Telephone at my ear. and n
seemed to me that Int ooe weed came
fro0 II esaatHd eoAafkaU WhsRs