The Columbus journal., 1910-07-20

M1 in OBriens town. Soon late
F3C these two men were sure to war
4 for supremacy in the town. and
\ w i this is the story of how 1t hap
A-sA pened. The people of the town
and the stockholders Of the rail-
road don't come into the story at all. They only
furnished the sinews of war. which fact Is album
dant proof that the story is true.
/ Pat OBriens town calls him the cardinal. In
a moment of angry defeat, silk stockinged enc
my. too polite to liken Pat to the devil. sourly
dubbed him second Cardinal Richelieu. The
name tickled the towns fancy. and 1t stuck.
The cardinal didn't mind He was too busy
to cav at mere names. His business as a stock
broker grew with the town. he had for customers
men like John, the SON and henchman Of Joe
Dale. and when John bought and sold stocks It
was TO be supposed that the cardinal profited
through inside knowledge Other business friends
were powerful and their friendship financially
was worth while. Colonel Legarde who controls
the Superior railroad. is also president of the
Interstate Electric railway. electric road. with
terminals and local lines in the town. The cleo
trio road needed many political favors and the
cardinal obtained them for it, or for his friend
Colonel Legarde. Really there was no other way
to get anything. Unless and until Pat nodded
his head there was nothing DOING for the town
council fed out of his hand and state legislators
followed out his orders
Pat O'Hrien waxed rich. But one generation
away from the "ould sod" his clothes spelled
American business man, but his neckties faded
the solar spectrum to a neutral tint. and marked
the politician who bought and sold franchises and
dealt out jobs at WILL Knowing the times to
talk and to keep silence loyal friend and a dead
ly enemy he made money for his stockdabbng
customers. serenely grating his political way as
the surest means to desired end and was
worth million and half. at least He owned
the town.
I>bo
grew greater and more complex, he was more and
more away from Lacedaemon-for that is better
Greek than the real name of the town. anyhow
1t became necessary for him to ask favors of the
cardinal and the favors were given with open
hand Dale found 1t necessary. too. to have q
daily local organ and a voice wherewith to fool
the people. He bought the Daily Planet Publish
ing company. and made Pat OBrien president
Dale regarded the presidency a reward for
favors received and a final binding of the town
boss to his chariot tail. The cardinal knew that
Pollock. the editor received all his orders from
Dale. and regarded the presidency as something
of a joke. Grown to full stature among the other
railroad kings. ruling had become a habit with
Joe Dale. He made and unmade towns and the
people in them at will. and expected other in.
terest than Joe Dale's to be thought Of or moved
in. or lived for by any connected with him.
Sometimes he mistook his man. as when one
day he went into the Office of of his eminent
dead to the outside world and Joe Dales busi-
ness in volume of Balzac
The railroad king blew up Il don't pay you to
read dunn French novels" he reared The law
yer looked a, him long moment.
Mr.. Dale he finally said, You pay me for
what know. not what do. Ill read dunn French
novels"-crescendo-"or do any other dunn thing"
-forto-"any dun time any dunn place"-for
tissimo-'I dunn please!" ending with Wagnerian
bang on the table.
Whereupon Joe Dale changed the subject
Dale thought he owned the president of the
Daily Planet company. but the cardinal had other
thoughts about the matter. Colonel Legarde
wanted a new franchise for an extension of the
Interstate to a summer resort, some 30 miles
away. The proposed extension would pass
through another town two on its way to the
lake and would parallel Joe Dae's steam road !
Now Joe Dale and the colonel were bitterly at
outs over various grabbings and snatchings each
had made at the others magnateship. The
dinal could not that this concerned him at
all. The extension would be benefit and a
convenience to the town. There was money ir
It for him. The deal was on.
Then Joe Dale came from New York and sent
for the cardinal The two faced each other with
the eyes Of poker players In a game. keen. deep.
unfathomable. For the rest, 1t might have been
a whiskered farmer in his Sunday suit meeting
q city man. otherwise correctly clad. wearing a
Il hear" said Dale. THAT the Interstate peo-
pie want a franchise for that foolish summer re-
sort extension Of theirs"
Il hear so too" the cardinal replied.
WELL let's cut 1t short. They can't get It"
The extension would be a good thing for the
town. Mr. Dale"
Il don't want It. 1t parallels my road Your
city council must refuse the franchise" Here was
slushy talk or thought of the rights Of peo-
pie or of stockholders 1t was my road" and
your council" The cardinal was undisturbed.
The people want it. Mr.. Dale" he said. 1T will
be a great convenience for travel between the
towns and the lake"
Dale measured his man again. There were the
cool. unfathomable eyes. the correct clothes. the
red tie. The red necktie settled It. OBrien was
only a cheap politician after ALL He must b
shown
You know. O'Brien. the Planet will oppose
this thing to the bitter end. and you the
president Of the Daily Planet Publishing COM
pany. II will place you In a nasty light" This
was no news to the cardinal. and his eyes were
accustomed to nasty lights. But he said In the
tone of a man who half surrenders: Il hadn't
thought of that"