Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-02-16
The Battle
By
CLEVELAND M0FFETT
NoveliZed by the Author
From His Great Play Of
the Same Name
Copyright. 1909. by C. w. DillinG-
ham Co.

Twill you come out here a moment
Mr.. Haggleton? You. too, Mr.. Gentle
please?"
Haggleton and Gentle entered. an in
quiry on their faces.
Margaret stepped between Haggle-
ton and Philip. looking from one to the
other.
"Phil." she said in n ringing voice.
"for the last time choose between him
and me-
An idea struck Gentle.
1.-THE battle is on" be said.
"What battle. Gentle?' asked Philip.
but it was Margaret who answered
him.
THE battle for you. Philippine bat
tie between your better self and your
baser nature. want you to speak out.
Phil. right from your soul and say
what you think of-Mr. Haggleton's
life"
Philip was puzzled. What has Mr..
HaggletOn's life to do with us?"
"More than you dream of, Phil"
Her voice was steady.
IL like him.
But what do you think of his bust
ness methodist
"If you put it that way" he said
"why, don't"
"Ahw
Margaret's cry sounded glad
Haggleton sat down at his desk and
looked up at the young man.
"What is it you do not approve of in
my business methodist"
''Its the old thing, monopoly and
bribery and rebates. Why go into it
all again?'
"Go onr' commanded Margaret.
Philip obeyed.
you know very well. Mr.. Haggle-
ton" he continued. that you and a
dozen other men practically own this
republic"
mo. Listen to me. No big work has
ever been done in this world without
leaders, and when a man delivers the
goods he's entitled to the reward Well.
we have delivered the goods in this
country"
Then, fixing his eyes on Philip, he
resumed:
go over 10 Europe. They'll tell you
that the United States is the greatest
nation on earth. and it is. Why is it?
Because the men you call robbers and
grafters have organized things-rail-
roads, industries, banks, everything"
you have broken the law" said
Gentle.
you haven't been honest" added
Margaret
"HOnest?" Haggleton smiled grimly.
1--WE have kept to the standard of av-
erage honesty Of this country. and no
man can succeed in business who keeps
above it. The faults of Americas in
dustrial leaders are the faults of the
American people.
''You say we break the law. Mr.. Cen
ue." he continued. We'll we do. But
who doesn't? Give the average Ameri-
can citizen an automobile and watch
him break the speed law. Let a police
man stop him and see the flash of a
ten dollar bill. That's bribery.
Watch the average American wo-
man back from Paris with a lot of
new dresses. Does she smuggIe them
in? Well. watch her.
II tell you. the only law anybody re-
spects is custom. What does the aver
age American citizen do when he
wants a drink in a prohibition state:
lie breaks the law and gets the drink
And the average American woman
when she tells the conductor how old
her little boy is? She's q good mother
and all that, but she'd let Jimmy ride
on a half fare ticket until he had
whiskers if she could"
Haggleton rose. He was reaching the
direct personal application of his argu
ment. the real point toward which h'
had been working.
when it comes to business" III
summed up. the average American
citizen does in small way eXactl.
what we do in a big way. Give him
chance to crush a rival and see hov
quick he'll take it,
He turned suddenly on Philip.
What have you been doing to thos
opposition bakers?'
Philip was taken aback.
"Why," he stammered. u
"You have done in small way wha
j have done in big way" said Has
gleton for him. There you are. 70
had to. And remember this, you r.
formers. the way to improve things
to raise the standard of honesty of th
American people"
Gentle brought the conversation bac
to it's immediate personal bearing.
'Al that is not to the point" he a
serted. Would you do as Mr.. Haggl
ton has done"
Certainly not" Philips answer can
promptly. II won't lead that kind
life"
But you say that you are goiI
into business" argued Margaret.
"Yes, but am not going to be "a
road president or trust magnate."
The situation was growing tens
Haggleton kept himself well in han
Ill