Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-07-15

NIn In O'Brtens town. Soon or late
+ SRC these two men were sure to war
for supremacy in the town. and
w j this is the story Of how 1t hap
n 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 abun.
dant proof that the story is true.
Pat O'Bren's town calls him the cardinal In
a moment Of angry defeat, a silk-stockinged enc
my, too polite to Hken Pat to the devil sourly
dubbed him a second Cardinal Richelieu The
name uckled the towns fancy. and 1t stuck.
The cardinal didn't mind. He was too busy
to cavil at mere names His business as a stock.
broker grew with the town. he had for customers
men like John. the and henchman Of Joe
Dale, and when John bought and sold stocks It
was to be supposed that the cardinal profted
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 II, 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 ou, his orders
Pat OBrien waxed rich. But one generation
away from the "oud sod" his clothes spelled
American business man. but his neckties faded
the solar spectrum TO neutral tint. and marked
dealt out Jobs at will. Knowing the times to
talk and to keep silence. loyal friend and dead
ly enemy. he made money for his stock -dabblinS
customers. serenely grating his political way as
the surest means to q desired end. and was
worth million and a half. at least He owned
the town.
As John Daie's business of owning the railroad
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
It became necessary for him to ask favors of the
cardinal. and the favors were given with open
hand Dale found II necessary. too. to have a
daily local organ and a voice wherewith to fool
the people. He bought the Daily Plane, Publish
ing company. and made Pat OBrten president
Dale regarded the presidency reward for
favors received and q nnal 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 joke. Grown TO full stature among the other
railroad kings ruling had become a habit with
Joe Dale. He made apd unmade towns and the
people in them at will. and expected no other In
terest than Joe Dales to be thought Of or moved
In. or lived for by any one connected with him.
Sometimes he mistook his man. as when one
day he went into the Office OF one OF his eminent
and weli-paid legal aids and found the lawyer
dead to the outside world and Joe Dales bust
ness In volume Of Balzac-
The railroad king blew up. Il don't pay you to
read dunn French novels he roared- The law
yer looked n him a long moment
MT. DaIe. ne nnalIy SAID. II on pay me Tor
what know. not what do I'll read dunn French
novels"-crescendo--or do any other dunn thing"
-forto-"any dunn time or any dunn place"-for-
tissino-"I dunn please!" ending with a wagneriao
bang 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 Legards
wanted new franchise for an extension Of the
Interstate to summer resort, some 30 miles
away. The proposed extension would pass
through another town or two its way to the
lake and would parallel Joe Dale's steam road.
Now Joe Dale and the colonel were bitterly a,
outs over various grabbngs and snatchings each
had made at the others masnateship. The car,
diual could not see that this concerned him a,
ali. The extension would be a benefit and
convenience to the town There was money In
it for him. The deal on.
Then Joe Dale came from New York and sen.
for the cardinal The two faced each other with
the eyes o! poker players in q game, keen. deep.
unfathomable. For the rest, IT nigh, have been
a vhiskered farmer in his Sunday suit meeting
city man. otherwise correctly clad. wearing a
red. red ascot tie.
Il hear" said Dale. "Tha, the Interstate peo-
pie want a franchise for that foolish summer re
sort extension o. theirs
I hear so too." the cardinal replied
Well. let's cut 1t short They can't get It
The extension would be good thing for the
town. Mr.. Dale"
7 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. It was my road and
your council" The cardinal was undisturbsd.
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 unfsthomahle eyes. the correct clothes. the
red tie. The red neektie settled fl, o'Brien
a1ly a cheap politician after all. He must be
shown.
You know. o'Brten. the Planet will oppose
this thing to the bitter end. and you the
president Of the Daily Planet Publishing com
pany. IL will place you In . nasty light This
Vas no news to the cardinal. and his eyes were
accustnued 10 nasty lighta But he xaid. In the