The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-07-21


and has a large part Of its being
%nS in O'Brien's town. Soon or late
z GPC these two men were to war
Ivy for supremacy in the town. and
b. W. y this is the story of how it hap
&naHaAaaxAsA 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 O'Brien's town calls him the cardinal. In
a moment of angry defeat, a silk stock1nged enc
my, too polite to nken Pat to the devil soury
dubbed him a second Cardinal Richelieu. The
name tickled the towns fancy, and it stuck.
The cardinal didn't mind. He was too busy
to cav at His business 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 profted
through inside knowledge Other business friends
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 elec
trio road needed many political favors and the
cardinal obtained them for 1t, for his friend
Colonel Legarde. Really there no other way
to get anything. Unless and until Pat nodded
his head there nothing doing, for the town
council fed out of his hand and state legislators
followed out his orders.
Pat O'Brien Waxed rich But one generation
away from the "ould sod" his clothes spelled
American business man, but his necktfes faded
the solar spectrum to 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 dead
~ enemy, he made money for his stock-dabbng
customers, sereney grating his political way
the surest means to desired end, and was
worth million and hail. at least. He owned
the town.
Ac Toh Da1o g h,,cino cOfN nfnorf Tho
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 it necessary, too, to have
daily local organ and voice wherewth to fool
the people. He bought the Daily Planet Publish
ing company, and made Pat O'Brien president.
Dale regarded the presidency a reward for
favors received and 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 joke. Grown to full stature among the other
railroad kings, ruling had become habit with
Joe Dale. He made and unmade towns and the
people in them at will, and expected no other in
terest than Joe Dale's 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 wellpaid legal aids and found the lawyer
dead to the outside world and Joe DaleS DuSl-
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 at him long moment.
mr. Dale" he finally said, you pay for
what I know, not what do. I'll read dunn French
Notwithstanding do any other dunn thing
-forto-"any dunn time any dunn place'-for
tissimo-T dunn pleased" ending with a Wagneriar
bang on the table,
changed subject
Dale thought he owned the president of the
Daily Planet company but the cardinal had othe
thoughts about the matter Colonel Legarde
wanted a new franchise for an extension of thu
Interstate to summer resort, some 80 mile
away. The proposed extension would pas
through another town two on it's way to tn
lake and would parallel Joe Dale's steam road
Now Joe Dale and the colonel were bitterly a
outs over various grabbngs and snatchings eac
had made at the others magnateship. The cal
dinal could not that this concerned him a
all. The extension would be benefit and
convenience to the town There money i
it for him. The deal was on.
Then Joe Dale came from New York and sen
for the cardinal The two faced each other wit
the eyes of poker players In game keen, deel
unfathomable. For the rest, 1t might have bee
whiskered farmer in his Sunday suit meetin
city man, otherwise correctly clad, wearing
red, red ascot tie.
IT hear" said Dale, THAT the Interstate pc
pie want franchise for that foolish summer r
sort extension of theirs"
II hear so too," the cardinal replied.
well, let's cut it short. They can't get it
THE extension would be good thing for IL
town, Mr.. Dale"
II don't want it. 1t parallels my road Yo1
city council must refuse the franchise" Here W;
no slushy talk or thought of the rights of pc
pie Of stockholders. It was my road, al
"your council" The cardinal was undisturbe
"The people want it. Mr.. Dale" he said, 1T W
be great convenience for travel between Il
towns and the lake."
Dale measured his man again. There were t
COOL unfathomable eyes, the correct clothes. t
red tie. The red necktie settled it. O'Brien W
only cheap politician after all He must
shown.
"You know, O'Brien. the Planet will oppo
this thing to the bitter end and you are