Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-07-15

1k8P \ for supremacy In the town, and
l. NT 4 this Is the story of how 1t hap
SSAsA.s4ssas-~sez> 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'Brien's town calls him the cardinal. In
moment of angry defeat, sk-stockinged enc
my, too polite to liken Pat to the devil, sourly
dubbed him a second Cardinal Richelieu The
tickled the towns fancy, and 1t stuck.
The cardinal didn't mind. He was too busy
to cav at mere names. His business as stock
broker grew with the town, he had for customers
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
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, or for his friend
Colonel Legarde. Really there 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 OBrien waxed rich But one generation
away from the "ould 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-dabbling
customers, serenely grating his political way
the surest means to a desired end, and
worth million and half. at least. He owned
the town. s
AS John Dale's business of owning the railroad
grew greater and more complex, he was more and
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 fayors were given with open
hand Dale found it necessary, too to have
daily local organ and voice wherewith to fool
the people. He bought the Daily Planet Publish
ing company, and made Pat O'Brien president
Dale regarded the presidency reward for
fayors 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 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 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, 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 Dale's bust
ness in volume of Balzac.
The railroad king blew up. 81 don't pay you to
read dun French novels" he roared. The law
yer looked at him long moment.
"Ar. Dale" he finally said, you pay me for
what know, not what do I'll read DUN French
novels"-crescendo-"or do any other dunn thing
-forto-"any dunn time any dunn place"-for
tissmo-'I dunn pleased" ending with Wagnerian
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 Legarde
Cd From htCn for nxtan nf the
Interstate to summer resort. some 80 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 various grabbings and snatchings eacf
had made at the others magnateship The car
dinal could not see that this concerned him a
all The extension would be a benefit and
convenience to the town. There money IL
1t for him. The deal
Then Joe Dale came from New York and sen
for the cardinal The two men faced each other witt
the eyes of poker players in a game. keen, deep
unfathomable. For the rest, 1t might have beel
a whiskered farmer in his Sunday suit meeting
city man. otherwise correctly clad, wearing
red, red ascot tie.
pie franchise for that foolish summer re
sort extension Of theirs"
81 hear so too" the cardinal replied
WELL let's cut 1t short. They can't get 1t.
THE extension would be good thing for tn
town, Mr. Dale"
81 don't want 1t. 1t parallels my road You
city council must refuse the franchise" Here wa
slushy talk thought of the rights of pee
pie or of stockholders. 1t was my road" an
"your council" The cardinal was undisturbet
"The people want it, Mr. Dale" he said. "It wi
be a great convenience for travel between tn
towns and the lake"
Dale measured his man again. There were tn
cool, unfathomable eyes, the correct Clothes tn
red tie. The red necttie settled It, O'Brien wa
only cheap politician after all. He must
shown.
"You know. O'Bren. the Planet will oppos
this thing TO the bitter end, and you are tn
president of the Daily Planet Publishing con